A race, not a battle
Nothing is captured in Chinese Checkers: the game is won on tempo. A step gains one hole; a good jump chain gains eight or ten. The whole strategy boils down to one question, every turn: which move takes my side furthest forward, now and on my next turn?
Build ladders
A jump needs a peg to hop over and a free hole behind it. Pegs spaced one hole apart and lined up in the direction of travel make a ladder: the rear peg climbs it in a single turn, jump after jump. Build ladders out of your own pegs — nobody can take them apart, since nothing is ever captured.
Think about the symmetric jump too: a lone peg in the middle of an empty line is a long-range springboard. Before you move, look for “empty holes — one peg — the same number of empty holes” alignments.
Careful: a ladder works for everyone. If it also points at the opponent’s camp, they will use it next turn. Close it behind you by moving the peg that forms the last rung.
Keep a compact group
A peg sent ahead on its own has nothing to jump over: it crawls one hole per turn. A tight group uses its own pegs as stepping stones. Advance in waves, always keeping support in front and behind.
No stragglers
The classic loss: nine pegs home, the tenth still at the back of the starting point with nothing to jump over. It finishes the game one step at a time while the opponent walks in. Get the back pegs out early and, every few turns, move your furthest-behind peg rather than your fastest.
Opponent pegs are stepping stones
You can jump over any peg. In the middle of the board the two sides cross paths, and every opposing peg becomes a foothold for your chains. Look for chains that use both colours — they are often the longest. With two or three colours per side the centre is so crowded that these mixed chains often decide the game.
Fill your target from the tip
In the target camp, take the tip and the back rows first. Pegs parked at the entrance block the way in: your last pegs can no longer jump to the back and have to finish with small steps. That is exactly what the AI does from the Medium level upwards.
Blocking backfires
Leaving a peg in the opponent’s target point to spoil their finish does not get you far here. As soon as they have only one peg left outside and cannot finish, the blocked-peg swap (case B) lets them evict the squatter.
Trapping an opposing peg in its starting point gains nothing either: the swap (case A) frees it by trading places with one of your pegs within its range — which then lands in that point, in other words in one of your own target camps. In a duel, obstruction costs turns; advancing wins them.
Making the most of the swap
A swap costs a whole turn: it is an emergency exit, not a weapon. A few habits:
- Case A, stuck peg. If several opposing pegs are in range, pick the one whose spot helps you most: the furthest towards your target, or the best placed for your next chain. Remember that if your peg was stuck in its starting point, the opposing peg takes its place there — and that point is an opposing target camp: the swap can move it forward too. Better not to get trapped in the first place.
- Case B, last peg. If your last peg is itself within range of the squatter, swap with it: it enters the point, the squatter leaves… and since that was the last free hole, you win on the spot. Swapping with a peg that is already home is allowed, but the squatter then stays in your camp: a wasted turn.
- Plan ahead. When you are down to two or three pegs outside and a squatter lingers in your camp, bring your last peg within its range — next to it, or one occupied hole away.
What the AI levels do
- Beginner and Easy only see short chains (two or three jumps) and fill the entrance of their target first: they often end up jammed.
- Medium and Hard anticipate your reply, aim for the tip and string together up to five or seven jumps.
- Impossible looks far ahead, plans whole chains and makes no deliberate mistakes: leave it no open ladder.
In short
- Every turn should move your side forward: aim for chains.
- Build ladders from your own pegs and close them behind you.
- Advance as a group — no lone scout, no straggler at the back.
- Use opposing pegs as stepping stones.
- Fill your target from the tip.
- The swap is an emergency exit: in case B, swap with your last peg.
To check a rule — swap range, passed turns, the peg-count finish — everything is in the Chinese Checkers rules.
The rematch, in person
At Les Folies d’Edmonde, a cocktail bar in Old Nice, a game table often opens from 6 pm. Whist is the main game, and enthusiasts can also try their hand at Chinese Checkers. If you book, write “game table” in your request.