Preparation Chinese checkers can be played by two, three, four or six players. Obviously, for the six player game, all pegs and triangles are used. If there are four players, play starts in two pairs of opposing triangles and a two player game should also be played from opposing triangles. In a three player game, the pegs will start in their triangles equidistant from each other. Each player chooses a colour, and the 10 pegs of that colour are placed in the appropriately coloured triangle. Objective the aim of the game is to be the first to player to move all ten pegs across the board and into the triangle opposite. Play a toss of a coin decides who starts. Players take turns to move a single peg of their own colour in one turn a peg may either be simply moved into an adjacent hole or it may make one or more hops over other pegs. Where a hopping move is made, each hop must be over an adjacent peg and into the vacant hole directly beyond it. Each hop may be over an ant coloured peg, including the player own and can proceed in any one of the six directions. After each hop, the player may either finish or, if possible and desired, continue by hopping over another peg. Occasionally, a player will be able to move a peg all the way from the starting triangle across the board and into the opposite triangle in one turn! Pegs are never removed from the board. It is permitted to move a peg into any hole on the board, including holes in triangles belonging to other players. However, once a peg has reached the opposite triangle, it may not be moved out of the triangle – only within the triangle. Finishing, the first player to occupy all 10 destination holes is the winner. Debate has always arisen over the situation where a player is prevented from winning because an opposing player’s peg occupies one of the holes in the destination triangle.
