Not currently on display at the V&A

chinese chequers

Board Game
1930s t (published)
Place of origin

Design: chromolithgraph paper on card
No. of squares: 121?
Squares illustrated: n/a
Square numbering: none
Squares titled: none
Subject of starting square: n/a
Subject of ending square: N/A


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Lid
  • Box
Titles
  • chinese chequers (manufacturer's title)
  • america's public game no. 1 (manufacturer's title)
Physical description
Design: chromolithgraph paper on card
No. of squares: 121?
Squares illustrated: n/a
Square numbering: none
Squares titled: none
Subject of starting square: n/a
Subject of ending square: N/A
DimensionsSize: 10 3/4in x 8½in x 1in-box; 9¼in x 8¼in-game
Object history
The markers remain on the board and the winner is the player who not only reaches his corner first but gets all the markers into that corner. It may be played with one to six players or pairs
It is a variation on Halma.
Historical context
Rewards: gaining the opposite corner for all 10 markers
blocks one's opponent
Forfeits: being blocked
No. of Players: 6
Equipment required: six sets of coloured pegs, red, green, dark blue, bright blue, yellow and natural; each set has 10 pegs, however, one is missing from the red and the green sets; the pegs are round topped with narrow pegs.

Rules:
Chinese checkers may have been introduced to Europe from China and it is played there today, however, it is just as possible that it was brought infrom Europe via Japan.

The basic shape is a six pointed star, often with the corners coloured to match the playing pieces.

Box is decorated with a Chinese temple and houses pattern; the board shows the star and dragons. with the whole surface covered with holes joined by lines. The game is played by the same rules but the pegs are like those used for Peg'ity and Quinto .

HOW TO PLAY
If there are two players, each takes 15 pieces or pegs , marbles etc and places them in the holes of the corner matching the colour. Two players take opposite home bases.

If there are three or more players, each player takes ten pieces of one colour and places in the appropriate coloured corner. with each facing an empty corner. Four or more players play in opposite corners.

The aim of the game is for one player to be the first to transfer all his pieces to the opposite cormer; order of play is usually clockwise.
Each player takes a turn, in which he may move a piece into an adjoining empty hole, or jump over a single peg of any colour, to an empty hole beyond. If he is able to jump one or more further pegs, he may do so. Pieces may jump along the lines in any direction. Only one piece may be moved in one turn, but it may be taken as far as the jumping possibilities allow.
A popular strategy is to place some pieces so that they form a ladder along which the others can jump towards the goal; such a ladder may be equally useful, however, to an opponent who is moving his pieces in the opposite direction.

Rules placement: inside the lid,
Production
unknown, but similar to other games by parker bros, waddington, spears and chad valley
Collection
Accession number
MISC.846:1-1991

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest