In this blog post, I’d like to introduce you to a strategy board game called Sternhalma. Is usually known as the Chinese checkers (spelling in U.S. and Canada) or Chinese checkers (spelling in UK), the game is “Halma" modern simplified version of the game, by two, three, four or six people to play. Right, you read that right, can’t get this game 5 people to play together, it sounds very amazing.
I believe this game is a popular board game in Asia and is usually known and recognized as a child and student. The rules and gameplay of this game are relatively simple and easy to play. I love this game. It’s about thinking strategically. Playing with friends can quickly enliven the atmosphere, the game often has different reversals and results, can bring a lot of fun.
It’s a very old game, invented by George Howard Monks, an American thoracic surgeon at Harvard Medical School, in 1883 or 1884. He was inspired by Hoppity, an English game designed in 1854. Later, the game was called Tiao Qi in China. (Meaning “jump game"). In Japan, there is a variation of the game called “Diamond Game" with slightly different rules. It is popular all over the world, but there are a few variations in different places.
How To Play？ Thinking the strategy！
A basic strategy is to create or find the longest jump path to the nearest home, or enter it immediately. (Jumping moves move pieces faster than moving them step by step.) Because any player can use any jumping “ladder" or “chain," the more advanced strategy involves hindering the other player in addition to helping oneself jump.Different numbers of players will lead to different starting layouts, resulting in different optimal game strategies. For example, if the player’s end corner is empty, then the player is free to build “ladders" or “Bridges" at either end. But if a player’s opponent takes the lead, he may have to wait for his opponent’s pieces to be cleared before filling the lead.
My Experience with Sternhalma
Board games were introduced to me when I was in elementary school, and as I grew up, I didn’t play them for a long time. Because of this class, I was exposed to this game again, which made me miss playing with my friends when I was a child. The game was very simple, so I didn’t have to remember how to play the game, avoiding the tedious rules of many other board games. When I play with my family, I can feel the atmosphere is very active, everyone is waiting to see who is the winner in the end. So, the game is perfect for casual entertainment.
I hope this blog will let you know about this board game, thank you for reading!
Halo Besty 