Halma
Halma
Halma is a strategy board game invented in 1883 or 1884 by George Howard Monks, an American thoracic surgeon at Harvard Medical School. The game originated in the United States and was published in 1885. It is believed that Monks was influenced by the British game of HOPPITY, which he discovered during a trip to England in 1883 or 1884. He then created Halma by taking some suggestions from HOPPITY and adapting them to a square board.
Why is Halma Popular?
Halma is a popular game because it is simple to learn and play, and it requires strategy and skill to win. The game has been classified as a configuration game and a positioning game, but it is essentially a race game. Players can use the positioning of opponents’ pieces to enhance their moves, without capturing or removing those pieces from the board. The game has been mentioned in various literary works, such as Siegfried Sassoon’s Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, Compton Mackenzie’s Rich Relatives, and O. Douglas’ Eliza For Common.
Game Components of Halma
The game is played on a square board with 256 squares, and it requires various shaped pieces (depending on the design). The first known Halma variation to take on the form of a six-pointed star was published in Germany in 1892 as Stern-Halma. This game became known as Chinese Checkers in the United States, despite its lack of historical connection with China or being a checkers game.
Game Setup of Halma
The game is played on a square board with 256 squares, and each player has 19 pieces in the two-handed game. The objective is to move all of one’s pieces from one corner of the board to the opposite corner, with the first player to transfer all of their pieces winning the game.
Gameplay Mechanics of Halma
The game involves jumping pieces, similar to draughts (checkers), but without capturing or removing opposing pieces from the board. The strategy comes in building a chain that can be used more successfully than one’s opponent(s).
Game Objective of Halma
The objective of the game is to move all of one’s pieces from one corner of the board to the opposite corner, with the first player to transfer all of their pieces winning the game.
We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.
