Halma
Halma is a board game for up to six people. It is played today on two different playing fields, a star-shaped ( "Star Halma " ) or a square pitch (the original Halma ).
- 3.1 Additional strategic consideration
History
Halma was invented in 1883 by the American surgeon George Howard Monks; The name comes from the ancient Greek Halma ἅλμα "jump" ( cf. Salta ); at the Olympic Games of antiquity Halma was the long jump with a leap weights. Star Halma is a German development of Halma, which appeared in 1892. Star Halma in English is also known as Chinese Checkers and in French chinois as Dames ( both mean "Chinese Checkers " ) known what to point to a Chinese origin, but probably this name is due to the idea of an American game manufacturer, who assumed that a exotic background could be beneficial to the sale. Because of the many visible in the field triangles it is also called Trilma.
Regulate
Fields
Square Halma
The game board for square Halma has 16 × 16 square fields and is designed for two to four players. With three players results in an asymmetric game ( see below). In every corner there is a " house" or " yard" called, color- marked area. The house includes 13 fields with two players 19 and in three or four players.
Star Halma
The game board for Star Halma can be played with 2-6 players. With five players is also clear here an asymmetric game ( see below). The Star Halma has 121 arranged in a triangular lattice fields, which together form the shape of a six pointed star. Each field is adjacent to up to six other fields. The fields at the tips of the star make a house here and include two or three players 15 and with more than three players ten fields. Because the fields in contrast to the square Halma no space, but points are purely geometrically on a grid, there are 24 fields which form the edge to a house.
Grid and match target
In the initial position the pieces ( the so-called Chinese checkers cone or pawn ) are a party ever in a "house". In the quadratic Halma 19 or 13 jewels and the star-shaped box 15 ( three players ) or 10 ( six players ), the fields remain at 10 stones free on the edge of the center hex.
The aim is to bring all own pieces in the opposite "house". The winner is who this is achieved first. It follows that in a square Halma in twos and threes Star Halma the target house is empty, while four or six players, the destination is busy at the beginning with the stones of another player.
Rules of movement
The rules in the square playing field are the same as for the star-shaped Halma. In Halma no figures are beaten. In turn, each a turn. With every move a game piece may be moved. Either they can be dragged to an adjacent open field or they can skip their own or opposing pawns in the same direction, provided behind is an empty field. If you can skip from other game characters of this field, this must also be performed. In this way, long jump sequence can occur with which you can cross the entire board with a single turn, under certain circumstances. In the quadratic Halma must be clarified before the game, whether trains and / or jumps may also be performed diagonally.
Strategy
Halma players try to identify paths for as long as possible hopping sequences and develop. At the same time you installed the opponents such webs. Since such paths can be used by all players, get with the construction of a railway and the opponent an advantage. This is especially true for games with two people playing in the opposite direction.
Additional strategic consideration
In addition, make sure that no stone can reach all fields of the target " house " only by jumping, since the hop - accessible fields are located in a two - grid; thus, each player has stones of different " varieties " that belong to different fields " varieties " in the target "house". Here, in the target - house locations in each of the fields present the same number as in the opposite output house.
So who pulls a stone instead of jumping, turning him into a stone another "variety" and has him (or other stone) draw at least once more, so he gets his old " variety" again. Much pulling ( instead of jumping ) holds a party so severely than only during this one turn; also you have to always keep in mind how many stones which "variety" you have at the moment, although they all look the same.
While the Stern Halma the number of fields per type in the start and finish area are the same, this is not so with the square Halma.
The four fields varieties are shown in the following diagram:
1 2 3 1 4 1 2 3 2 3 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 3 2 3 2 1 4 1 3 2 1 Square Halma: 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 Asymmetric player numbers
If you want to Halma threesome play on the square box ( with 13 stones), so there are different conditions between the player who starts the empty house across the street, and the other two, which run against each other. This player is at a disadvantage in most strategies, since the other two can use the same stones for hopping sequences much more common. Here is advisable either to use the Star Halma or to play the game three times, each time this " middle position " occupies. The same goes for Star Halma with five players ( with 10 stones).
Further developments
With a single additional rule and a slightly different board (suggested by Eric Solomon) arises from the quadratic Halma a similarly challenging game, Billabong. Further advances form the board games Salta and defectors from Selecta.