Learn our star-board edition: setup, six movement directions, jumps without captures, finishing and the settings actually available.
In this guide
Move every piece to the opposite camp
Halma is a race without dice. Win by placing every own piece in the opposite camp. Our local edition uses a six-pointed star with 121 points and ten pieces per occupied seat. Fresh defaults are green at the top as computer and coral at the bottom as the person on this device; green starts after launch. Previously saved preferences can differ.
Position as text
Star Halma: metric top view of the 121-point board with ten green and ten coral pieces. Lines are teaching aids only.
One turn: a step or a jump chain
Select an own piece and a marked empty destination. A step reaches one immediately adjacent point along one of the six lattice directions. Sideways and backwards moves are allowed. Move exactly one piece per turn. A step cannot be combined with further steps or jumps in the same turn.
Position as text
Reduced teaching position; other pieces are omitted. Coral I9. A = I9; B = I8. One step: A → B reaches the adjacent empty point.
Jump without capturing pieces
A jump passes over exactly one adjacent piece to the empty point immediately beyond it in the same direction. Own and opposing pieces can provide support and remain on the board. After landing, the same piece may jump again in another direction. Each individual jump is straight; change direction only at a landing point. Jumping is optional, and you may stop a chain early.
Position as text
Reduced teaching position; other pieces are omitted. Coral E9; Green F9; Blue H8; Coral I6. A = E9; B = G9; C = I7; D = I5. Three jumps in one move: A → B → C → D. All jumped pieces remain.
Stay in the target and finish
A piece beginning its turn inside the target camp may move only within that camp. The first colour to fill its target with its own pieces wins. New local matches also draw when a piece is provably permanently sealed in its own starting camp; a temporary obstruction is insufficient. Without an earlier win, a match draws after 1500 total turns or when no active colour can move. An individually immobile colour is skipped.
Position as text
Reduced teaching position; other pieces are omitted. Coral J4. A = J4; X = J5. Target lock: coral at A cannot leave its target camp for X. The dashed connection is forbidden.
Available options
Choose two to six occupied seats, each a person on the same device or a computer. Unoccupied camps remain empty and playable. Board choices are 121/181/253 points with 10/15/21 pieces per colour, plus easy, medium and hard computer levels. Choose a starter; automatic mode uses the first computer with two seats, otherwise the first active seat. Sound, timer and motion preferences do not change move legality.