Halma - Race to the Other Side
How to play: Click your piece to select, then click an empty square to move. You can step one square in any direction (8 directions) OR jump over an adjacent piece (yours or opponents) to the empty square beyond, then keep jumping in chains. First to occupy ALL squares in the opposite corner camp wins.
About Halma
Halma is the original race-jump game — invented by American thoracic surgeon George Howard Monks in 1883 (the name comes from the Greek halma, meaning “leap”). All your pieces start in your home corner; your goal is to move them all to the opposite corner. Pieces step or jump in any of 8 directions, and chained jumps over multiple pieces let you cover the board fast. The game inspired Chinese Checkers a few decades later.
Our online Halma uses the 8×8 board with 10 pieces per player. Three AI levels and a 2-player local mode are included. Hard AI prioritizes long jump chains and avoids strangler positions.
How to Play Halma
- Green starts in the top-left camp, Orange in the bottom-right.
- Click your piece to select. Legal moves appear as green dots.
- Step: move one square in any of 8 directions to an empty square.
- Jump: if an adjacent square has a piece (yours or opponent’s) and the square just past it is empty, you can jump to that empty square.
- Chained jumps: after a jump, you can jump again from the new square — keep chaining as far as you can.
- Win: the first player to occupy ALL squares in the opponent’s home camp wins.
Strategy Tips
- Build ladders. Place pieces in a diagonal line so each piece can be jumped by the one behind it — huge chains.
- Don’t leave stragglers. A single piece left in your home camp can block your win condition. Move every piece forward.
- Use opponent pieces as stepping stones. Their advancing pieces are jump platforms for you. Embrace traffic.
- The center is highway. All chains tend to flow through the diagonal middle. Control it.
- Watch for trapped pieces. A piece surrounded by friendlies in tight quarters has no room to jump out. Plan space.
- Race tempo. Halma is a race — every move that doesn’t advance toward the goal costs you tempo.
A Brief History
George Howard Monks invented Halma in 1883 at Harvard, inspired by an English game called Hoppity. It became a parlor staple in late-Victorian America. In 1892, Halma rules were adapted to a star-shaped board to allow up to 6 players — that became Chinese Checkers (which has nothing to do with China; the name was just exotic marketing in 1928 by J. Pressman).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I jump over my own pieces?
Yes. Halma jumps don’t care about color — you can jump over any piece (yours or opponent’s) to the empty square beyond.
Are jumps mandatory?
No. Unlike Checkers, jumps are optional. You can step instead, even when a jump is available.
What if I can’t move any piece?
Extremely rare given 8 directions of movement. If a turn would be a stalemate, the game ends in a tie (we treat this as undecided; just hit Reset).
Can a piece be captured?
No. Halma has no captures — jumping over a piece doesn’t remove it. It’s purely a race.
How does the AI work?
Each candidate move is scored by progress toward the goal corner, with bonuses for chained jumps and entering the opponent’s camp. Easy adds randomness, Hard picks the strict best score.
What’s the difference between Halma and Chinese Checkers?
Halma uses a square 8×8 board (or 16×16 for the original). Chinese Checkers uses a 6-pointed star to support 2-6 players. The jump mechanic is the same, but Chinese Checkers ladders are easier to build.
How long does a game take?
Usually 10–20 minutes. Beginners spend more time figuring out chain jumps, then games speed up.
Can I play on mobile?
Yes. Tap your piece, then tap a destination square. The board scales to your screen.