Chinese Checkers Rules: How to Play (2–6 Players)

Short answer Chinese checkers is played on a six-pointed star board with 121 holes. Each player starts with 10 marbles in one point of the star. On your turn you either step one marble into a next-door empty hole, or hop over one marble into the empty hole just beyond it, and you can chain several hops in one turn. The first player to move all 10 marbles into the opposite point of the star wins.

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Setup

2 players: opposite points of the star.
3 players: every other point, so nobody starts opposite another player.
4 players: two pairs of opposite points.
6 players: every point.

Each player has 10 marbles of one colour.

Moves

Step: move one marble to an adjacent empty hole, in any of the six directions.
Hop: jump over one adjacent marble (yours or anyone's) into the empty hole directly behind it.
Chain hops: after a hop, keep hopping from the new hole as long as you can. You can stop after any hop.
You can't step and hop in the same turn, and marbles are never captured.

The Hong Kong long-jump rule (隔空跳)

A common house rule in Hong Kong: you may jump a single marble that is several holes away, as long as the holes between are empty on both sides and you land the same distance beyond it. In Marble Checkers this rule is on by default, with a switch for classic adjacent-only jumps.

How to win

Be the first to fill the opposite point with all 10 of your marbles. In games with more players, keep playing for second and third place.

Strategy tips

Build "ladders": leave marbles spaced one hole apart so you can chain hops across the board.
Move your back marbles early. A single straggler costs many turns at the end.
Use other players' marbles as stepping stones; they can't be captured.