This is a mini version of the beloved game of Chinese Checkers! Handsome enough to be left out on a side table for your guests to play, small enough to be convenient for travel. Makes a great gift, stocking stuffer, or house warming gesture. Includes marbles for two players. The wooden side arm slides upwards, and the marbles store inside of the game board. A magnet keeps the board closed when not in use.
Does the word “Chinese Checkers” conjure up visions of exotic marketplaces filled with fine porcelains, oriental silk clothing, and statues of Buddha? Surprise! Chinese Checkers is no more Chinese than French fries are French! Chinese Checkers came from the game of Halma (Greek for “jump”), a game invented in America around 1884 by a Harvard Medical School thoracic surgeon named Dr. George Howard Monks. Although invented in America, Halma was made popular by the British of the Victorian era. In 1892, less than a decade after the invention of Halma, a German toy company changed the game board into a six-pointed star shape and changed the name to Stern-Halma. The name changed throughout the years, but was given the moniker “Chinese Checkers” in America in 1928 to make it sound more exotic. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the Chinese Checkers craze swept across America. While Halma is still favored in some countries of Europe, Chinese Checkers has completely replaced the game of Halma in many countries around the world.
- 5in. Solid wood game board
- Marbles store inside the board with sliding magnetic closure
- Great travel size
- Includes white and black marbles (10 of each) and instructions
- For 2 players
