Chinese Checkers (Cont.)

Strategies and Tips

Where can you seek the best methodology for playing Chinese Checkers? The Code of Hammurabi? The Bhagavad-Gita? Your best bet is the nearest playground; leapfrog has much to teach the would-be victor of this racing game. While bounding over several of your opponents' pieces looks impressive, it can leave a marble out in no-man's land, with nowhere to go next. It is better to construct your own marble chains, taking turns leapfrogging over your own pieces.

One way to do this is by using zig-zag patterns as you cross the board. For an example of this, see the picture of the Zig-Zag Chain. The player with the darker marbles is moving with a zig-zag up through the middle. The piece at the back of the zig-zag can advance two jumps in this example. The only drawback of the zig-zag is that it is easily halted by your opponent.

Next Tips: The Diamond and Triangular Chains