Triangle Solitaire Game (Peg Solitaire)

Triangle solitaire is a one-player peg puzzle in which a board of holes starts full except for one empty hole, and you clear pegs by jumping until as few as possible remain. This game runs in your browser and plays it on a triangle board of 15 holes in 5 rows by default. You can also switch to a larger triangle, an English cross, or a European board.

Each jump removes one peg, and the game ends when no jump is left. The stats show pegs left and jumps as you play, and the end dialog tells you whether you beat your saved best on that board. The puzzle is also called peg solitaire, marble solitaire, or a triangle peg game.

How to play the triangle solitaire game online

1. Open the Board select and choose Triangle (15 holes, 5 rows), the default.
2. Find the empty hole. Every game starts with all holes filled except one. By default the top hole is empty.
3. To change the start, use the Start hole select or click Choose start hole before your first jump. Tap the peg you want to remove, and that hole becomes the empty start.
4. Tap a peg that can jump. It is picked up, a ring appears around it, and the valid landing holes glow gold.
5. Tap a glowing hole to jump. The peg hops over one neighbour into the empty hole, and the jumped peg is removed. You can also drag the peg onto a glowing hole.
6. Watch Pegs left and Jumps in the stats. Tap Undo to step back one jump, or Restart to replay the same start.
7. If you are stuck, tap Hint. It shows green rings on one jump from which a one-peg finish is still reachable.
8. Keep jumping until no jump is possible. The end dialog shows your pegs left and jumps.

For keyboard play, press Tab to focus the board, then use the arrow keys to move the dashed focus ring. Enter or Space picks up a peg and jumps, and Esc puts it back. Press S to choose a start hole, R to restart, U or Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo, H for a hint, N for a new game, and F for fullscreen.

Triangle solitaire game rules: how a jump works

A jump moves a peg over one directly adjacent peg into the empty hole straight beyond it. The peg you jumped over is removed. On a triangle board, pegs can jump in six directions: along the rows and along both diagonals.

Each jump removes exactly one peg. With 15 holes and one empty start, 14 pegs begin on the board, so a finish with one peg takes 13 jumps. The game ends when no jump is possible, not only when one peg is left.

What is peg solitaire

Peg solitaire is a puzzle for one player, played on a board of holes filled with pegs or marbles. The aim is to remove as many pegs as possible, ideally leaving just one. The same idea appears in several board shapes, and the triangle version is sometimes called a triangle peg game.

The shape changes the goal. On the English cross, the centre hole is empty at the start, and the classic goal is one peg left in the centre.

Peg solitaire tips

Before each jump, check the pegs you are leaving behind. A peg that has no neighbour to jump over or land beyond can never move again, so a few stranded pegs can end the game early.

Try different start holes. On the triangle boards, the solver finds a one-peg finish from each of the 15 possible start holes, so a difficult start does not mean the puzzle is lost. Use Undo freely, since it goes back one jump at a time to any earlier position.

Peg solitaire strategy

Watch the corners. A peg in a corner of the triangle can never be jumped over, because there is no hole beyond it, so the only way to clear it is to jump that peg out of the corner. Move corner pegs while there are still pegs next to them to jump over. Plan from the end as well: the last jump needs two pegs side by side with an empty hole beyond them, so keep pegs together rather than scattering them across the board.

Use the rating to judge your game. One peg left is “Perfect!”, two is “Very good!”, three is “Good!”, and four or more is “Keep practising.” On the English and European boards, one peg left in the centre hole shows “Perfect: one peg in the centre!” instead.

Frequently asked questions

Is triangle solitaire game free?

Yes, the triangle solitaire game is free to play in your browser, with nothing to install.

Do I need to sign up?

No. You can start playing straight away without creating an account.

Can I play it on a phone?

Yes. Tap a peg, then tap a glowing hole to jump, or drag the peg onto the hole. Mouse and touch both work.

Is my game saved?

Yes, on this device only. The game in progress is saved after each jump and restored when you reload, along with your chosen board and best result per board. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Can I choose the start hole on every board?

No. You can choose it on the triangle boards before your first jump. The English board always starts with the centre hole empty, and the European board starts from a fixed hole.

Is there a timer or a score?

No. The game has no timer, no score points, and no sound. Your result is judged by the number of pegs left and the number of jumps.

Can every triangle start hole be solved?

Yes. The built-in solver finds a finish with one peg left from each of the 15 start holes of the 15-hole triangle, and from all 21 start holes of the large triangle.

Can two people play?

No. It is a one-player puzzle.

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