Play Chinese Draughts Online
Chinese Draughts (also called Sternhalma) is a classic strategy board game played on a six-pointed star. Race all 10 of your green marbles into the opposite point before the computer gets its orange marbles home. Free to play — no download, no signup.
Tip: click one of your green marbles, then click a highlighted hole. Chain jumps to fly across the board!
How to Play Chinese Draughts
- Goal: move all 10 of your marbles from your home point (bottom) into the opposite point (top).
- Steps: on your turn, move one marble to an adjacent empty hole.
- Jumps: hop over an adjacent marble — yours or the computer’s — into the empty hole directly beyond it. Keep hopping with the same marble to chain several jumps in a single turn.
- Jumps are optional, never forced. Sometimes a quiet step is the smarter move.
- Winning: the first side with all 10 marbles in the opposite home point wins the game.
Tips to Beat the Computer
- Aim for long jump chains — every jump moves you two holes for the price of one turn.
- Build “ladders”: line your marbles up so a single marble can hop over several in a row.
- You can jump over any marble, including the computer’s — its advanced marbles make great springboards.
- Don’t leave stragglers: one marble stuck at the back can cost you the whole game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chinese Draughts?
Chinese Draughts is a beloved variant of the game Sternhalma, played on a 121-hole six-pointed star board. Each player has 10 marbles and races to move them all into the opposite star point.
Is Chinese Draughts actually from China?
No — despite the name, it was invented in Germany in 1892 as “Sternhalma” (star halma). The “Chinese” name was a marketing idea from the 1920s.
Do I have to jump if a jump is available?
No. Unlike English draughts (checkers), jumps are never mandatory in Chinese Draughts. You may always choose a simple step instead.
How do I win?
Get all 10 of your marbles into the opposite home point before your opponent does. The first side to fill the far point wins.
Is this Chinese Draughts game free?
Yes! This online Chinese Draughts game is completely free — no download, no signup — and it works on phones, tablets and computers.