Chinese Checkers
Chinese checkers is a game for 2–6 players, about 20 minutes. By default, finish when the opposite goal is full and at least one peg is yours. Free. In-browser. No account.
Play over time
Chinese Checkers in 30 seconds
- Set upThe board is a six-pointed star. 2 to 6 players each fill one point with 10 pegs of their own colour.
- Take turnsOn your turn, move one peg: step it into an empty neighbouring hole, or jump it over an adjacent peg into the empty hole just beyond.
- JumpA peg that can keep jumping may chain jumps in one turn, but a turn can't mix a step with a jump. Jumped pegs are never captured.
- WinBy default, finish when every hole in the opposite goal is occupied and at least one peg is yours. With the fill rule off, every peg there must be yours.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–6 players |
| Play time | About 20 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-23 |
How to play Chinese Checkers online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2–6 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- The board is a six-pointed star. 2 to 6 players each fill one point of the star with 10 pegs of their own colour.
- Turns go clockwise, starting with whoever sat down first. The starting player rotates to the next seat each time you play again.
How to play
- On your turn, move exactly one of your pegs: step it into an empty neighbouring hole, or jump it over an adjacent peg (yours or an opponent's) into the empty hole just beyond.
- A peg that can keep jumping may chain as many jumps as it likes in a single turn — but a turn can't mix a single step with a jump.
- Each jump in a chain can bend into a new direction, so a single turn might jump one way and then turn to jump another.
- Jumped pegs are never captured; they stay on the board.
- Pegs may pass freely through anyone else's point of the star, not just their own.
- If you have no legal move, your turn is skipped automatically.
Winning
- Fill the point directly opposite your own with your pegs and you finish — as soon as every hole in your goal is occupied and at least one of them is yours, even if opponents' pegs remain there.
- With three or more players, play continues after someone finishes until everyone's place is settled (a setting can switch this off, ending the game at the first finish).
- If nobody finishes within the move limit, the game is drawn. If play grinds to a halt with no progress for a long stretch, places are instead decided by how far each player got — pegs already home first, then the shortest remaining distance.
- You may resign at any time. With two players your opponent wins outright; with more, you simply drop to last place and the rest of the game continues.
- Switch the settings to the Japanese Diamond Game variant to play the 2–3 player version with 15 pegs and a king.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule setRule setThe king is a special peg, one per player, that can jump a whole straight row of pegs at once. No peg may jump over a king. In the Japanese variant your king must also reach the tip of your goal to finish, and pegs may not enter other colours' camps. With four or more players the standard rules are used. | Choose the internationally common rules (10 pegs, no king, 2–6 players) or the Japanese variant (Diamond Game: 15 pegs with a king, 2–3 players). | Standard | Yes |
| Fill ruleFill ruleSquatting means leaving pegs in your starting camp, which is someone else's goal, so they can never fill it. With this on, you finish once your goal is full and holds at least one of your pegs, so squatting cannot stop you. With it off, squatting becomes a usable tactic. | You finish once every hole in your goal is filled and at least one is yours, even if opponents' pegs remain there. Switch it off and your goal must be entirely your own pegs. | On | Yes |
| Play to the end | With three or more players, keep playing after someone finishes until everyone's place is decided. Switch it off to end the game at the first finish. | On | Yes |
| Show legal moves | Mark the holes a selected peg can reach, by stepping or jumping. | On | Yes |
| Swap who starts | Rotate the starting player to the next seat each time you play again. | On | Yes |
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FAQ
How many players?
Two to six. Play alone against the CPU if nobody else is around — the number of camps in use depends on how many people sit down.
How long does a game take?
About 20 minutes. More players usually means a longer game. There is no clock.
Can I practise alone?
Yes — press Play vs CPU. The computer has two levels, Easy and Normal.
How is this different from checkers or chess?
Nobody captures anyone. It's a race: be the first to move all of your pegs into the point directly across the board.
Can a game end in a draw?
Yes — if nobody finishes before the move limit, or if the board grinds to a stall with no progress for a long stretch.
Are "Chinese checkers" and "Diamond Game" the same game?
Yes, they're the same game under different names. BoardGameJoin defaults to the internationally common version (10 pegs, no king); switch to the Japanese Diamond Game variant (15 pegs, with a king) in the settings.
Can pegs pass through other players' points?
In the standard rules, yes — pegs may travel through anyone's point. The optional Japanese variant blocks pegs from entering another colour's point.
Can I play at school or work (unblocked)?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to download or install, so it works on most school and work networks that block app stores or game downloads.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A table ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Board)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-23 · Run by Qdan, Inc.