Corners — Strategy

Endgame and counting moves

Once the pieces have passed each other and no longer interfere, the game becomes a pure race. Now you can count who gets there first.

Counting

Count how many moves each side needs to fill its target: add up the steps each piece still has to make and subtract what chains of jumps will save. White moves first, but black has the last move: if both sides fill their targets in the same number of moves, the game is a draw. To win with white, you must be at least one move ahead.

Fill the target from the far corner

Put your first pieces into the far squares of the target — the very corner. A piece standing at the entrance blocks the way for the others, and they have to walk around it.

Don't shuffle a piece back and forth

A move on the spot brings you no closer, and a position repeated three times ends the game in a draw. If it seems there is nowhere to go, look for a piece that can take at least one step forward.

Game limit

After the 80th move (the 250th in Halma) the game ends, and the player with more pieces in the opponent's home wins. If the race is lost, at least get as many pieces as you can into the target.