How to Play Peg Board Games

Learning to play the "Peg Board Game" (sometimes known as an "IQ Test") is easy to learn, but difficult to master. The rules are staggeringly simple, but the strategy can be complex. The object is to remove pegs from the board by "jumping" them. The fewer pegs left on the board, the "smarter" the player is.

Instructions

1. Place pegs in 14 of the 15 holes on the triangular board, leaving one hole (any hole) open for maneuvering.

2. Jump one of the pegs by moving a peg from an occupied spot, over a different occupied spot to the empty spot. You can only jump one peg and it has to be in a straight line up, down or diagonally across the board. Remove the peg that was "jumped" and place it aside. There is now a second hole to jump to, increasing the number of possible moves.

3. Continue jumping and removing pegs until you have no possible moves left. While there is no "winner" per se, the fewer pegs left on the board, the better the outcome. A player who leaves only one peg is considered to be a "genius."

References

• Dan O'Brien: Peg Board Puzzle Solution Page
• Math Fact Café: Peg Board Game