I'm working on our Halma game, and I have a few questions for the experienced Halma folks out there:
1. As I understand it, if you're stuck (you can't make any moves at all), you have to pass your turn but your opponent doesn't automatically win. Is that correct?
2. Other than the above, I'm assuming you're not allowed to voluntarily pass your turn.
3. I get the impression it's possible for Halma games to end in a draw, is that right?
4. When jumping pieces, I note that you're allowed to stop any time you want (rather than having to jump as many pieces as you can, as in Checkers). Are there any situations where you're forced to jump? Most of the rules I've found don't list any, but I did find one site which says that you must jump in a very specific situation.
5. Is it true that once you have a piece in your target camp, you can't move it out of that camp?
1. I`ve NEVER been in a no move situation, one or more marbles can always move (see 5) 2. No, I dont think you can pass your move. Why would you want too lol. 3. No draws, unless both players agree to it and the site allows it. 4. Yes, you can stop at any point in the jump cycle. Sometimes stopping blocks your opponet from making a good jump move. 5. No, you can move out of your target camp. Once again though, why would you want too. Unless your other marbles are blocked and you have to.
My answers would be the same except I've never been in a draw situation as one person is always going to get all their pieces home before the other, the first person to move has the advantage so 2 games, each opponent starting one, is good. Are you planning 4-player games too by any chance?
Your right Ela, what I meant on #3 was if the obvious winner feels it was close enough game to offer the opponet a draw. :)
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3786 Replies: 0
posted by Sir Pussycat (James D Freeman) on 10/08 at 20:59
I must disagree, I have been in several games that ended in a draw. In one instance My opponent had not moved his stone out of his starting corner square, and before I realized what was happoning I had blocked it in. I was unable to get all my stones in the target court.
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3799 Replies: 0
posted by samsgrammie (samsgrammie) on 10/10 at 05:51
I have been playing halma for years, have never run into a situation where there is no move..no passing in the game either..and there can never be any draws..one person starts, and depending on where u move, one always gets in home..u can stop any time jumping..and once ur in home base, u cannot move back out..however, u can move forward or backwards on the board..hope this helps..there also is a small halma and a large halma..3 row for small, 4 rows for large..just takes longer is all..anxious to play that in here so hurry up...lol j/k
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3782 Replies: 0
posted by tim711 (tim singletary) on 10/08 at 19:54
yes i would agree on all and you can fix the bugs as time goes on..thanks for getting it up and running..tim711
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3783 Replies: 0
posted by bones43902 (Bonnie G.) on 10/08 at 20:23
I've never not been able to move. I have forgotten what color I was and started moving out of the camp I'd been heading for when I pretty well had a game won once because I was so far ahead I forgot what color I'd been playing. My opponent was somebody who seldom took a turn.
The other half of no. 4: You are only forced to jump move when there is no other move available ...
My experience = losing many, many halma games :)
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3785 Replies: 0
posted by goofball38 (goofball38) on 10/08 at 20:32
1. I've never been stuck but yes
2. I've never seen a site that allows this
3. Very doubtful, I've never had that happen ever
4. You are only forced to jump when that is the only move availible. But again I've never been in that situation. But yes.
5. Any pieces in your camp you can move anywhere you want. That is what I have encountered. But then again once you are in, there really isn't any reason to move them out.
I'm not the most experienced Halma player but I used to play it a bit. Here's my take:
1. You only pass your turn, you DONT lose the game.
2. No, you cant pass your turn (unless you are blocked).
3. I would guess that games could end in a draw but I wouldnt include the "Offer Draw" feature in the game - it encourages draws too often in my opinion.
4. Yes, you can stop anytime you want (also, you dont have to jump at all if another move is available).
A. Should we include "offer draw"? It sounds to me like it's an unusual situation, but that it is possible, and so we should include the option even though it won't be used much. (We fixed the bug with draws -- back in May -- so offering a draw doesn't cost you a turn.)
B. Some folks think you can't move out of your base camp, others think you can (but aren't sure why you'd want to!). My take, based on what I've read so far, is that the game should allow it if you want to do it. But if anyone has a good reference saying that it's really against the rules, please do let me know.
Also, I forgot a question:
6. Some rules I've seen include a rule which says that if you haven't moved all of your pieces out of your base camp within the first X moves, you lose automatically; and also that you can't move into your base camp after X moves. Is this really a rule? If so, what's the value of "X"? The rules on Wikipedia suggest 30 moves for 8x8 games and 50 moves for 10x10 games, which seem reasonable to me.
Thanks again for your help -- as you can tell, I'm not familiar with the game!
(Expect to see a "beta" [testing] version of Halma in about a week.) -- T.J. Crowder First Primate Pocket-Monkey.com
Hey T.J., I have heard that rule, I play a lot of 6x6 Halma at another site and they say if after 30 moves all your pieces should be out of home or it`s a loss. A. Good call B. Another good call I`m sure however you configure your game It`ll be fun :)
...and to whom it may concern, I CANT BE BEAT AT HALMA, so when it starts here Invite me and try me :) lol
a site i play on has a forced move. if you are in your base it will force you to jump to prevent leaving one in your base camp for a block.do not like the rule but it works.
Ok, in response to question # 6........ You cannot leave one of your pieces (or marbles, or stones, whatever you decide to call it) in an opponents "home" area (your starting area) as this will eventually block the opponent from finishing the game, this is why the set move limits needs to be enforced. I have been in a game or 2 that I have lost because I was a nice guy & I waited for my opponent to move his last piece out, but usually I have won games because I have completely blocked that piece in.
Also I have in some cases had to move a piece out of my home area to "help" another of my pieces home to get the win (I don't know if that is allowed in actual tournament situations, but I have never gotten any bad criticism for the move.)
As far as the other qestions.... I think you have gotten a lot of good answers & I won't add any more to what has already been said.
I hope this helps some, & I can't wait for Halma to arrive. Thanks.......ZZZ
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3794 Replies: 0
posted by goofball38 (goofball38) on 10/09 at 04:43
Ahh well that makes sense, so you can't block your opponent. That would make for a very long game of passing your turn. I say the 30 move rule seems valid :)
A. I would say no, there will be very rare circumstances when players will want to offer a draw. Draws will be possible in certain situations but the system will automatically register them - think four in a row (there is no offer draw feature but it is still possible to end in a draw).
B. I would say allow it - there may be a situation where you move a piece home then want to move it out again so you can jump other pieces in quicker.
6. I have never heard of this rule but it seems logical enough.
Cant wait for the game (even the beta version)!
Re: Halma Questions
Message #3798 Replies: 0
posted by cctiger2000 (cctiger2000) on 10/10 at 00:41
1. I have only seen where you can not move is if the board is a 10x10 Halma. The others no.
2. no your not allowed to pass as far as I know.
3. You can not have a draw in Halma
4. Yes you can stop any time you want with halma. No there is no time you are forced to jump. You can even jump a piece that is already in your home area.
Thanks everybody! I think that gives me the info I need. I'll do up the game instructions and post them before the game is even up, to get comments and such.
please highlight the checker that is being moved by me or the other player when it there turn
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