Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
Chinese Checkers
Chinese Checkers is played by young and old around the world, and it is a multi-faceted game that can be simple or highly complex, depending on the strategies employed. It also has benefits for players far beyond their expectations.
The basic rules of Chinese Checkers provide players with the framework in which to play, but there are also some fun facts, as well as interesting ones. They will add to your experience and assist when playing Chinese Checkers, hopefully helping you to win more games.
Assuming you have played Chinese Checkers, you will know the concept behind the game and what you can and cannot do. What you may not know, and which we will let you in on, is the history of the game, its origins, and a host of facts, tips, and ideas that go a lot further than the basic rules.
1. The Origins of Chinese Checkers
The Chinese Checkers game didn’t come from China, and it’s not derived from checkers. Invented in Germany in 1892, it was based on the American game of Halma. Halma was played on a four-sided board, while the new game used a six-pointed star-like board and was initially called Sternhalma (“Star Halma”).
2. How Chinese Checkers Got Its Name
The name “Chinese Checkers” was coined by brothers Bill and Jack Pressman, who discovered the game in 1921 (mysteriously, they never disclosed from whom). Originally called The Hop Ching Checker Game, it was renamed, it is said, due to the obsession with all things oriental caused by the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun in 1922.
3. The Name “Chinese Checkers” Was Never Trademarked
Chinese Checkers was a massive success for the company. Still, they never protected the name for some reason, so the game was produced in various versions by several different game companies throughout the United States.
4. The Evolution of Chinese Checkers
Original boards were wooden, and many are still manufactured in this material. But Pressman, the game’s originators, now produce a set with a folding cardboard board, with plastic pegs in place of the traditional glass or wooden marbles.
While traditionalists won’t be happy with plastic equipment, it’d be best for packing into travel bags, and the pegs are much easier for young fingers to handle than round marbles.
5. There Are Only Fourteen Opening Moves In Chinese Checkers
It’s surprising but true that there are only fourteen possible opening moves, and these are mirrored, so in effect, there are only seven unique moves.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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