Kōnane
Officially Kōnane (Hawaiian Checkers)
TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN abstract strategy board game — played on a stone board (PAPAMŪ) with SMOOTH BEACH STONES: BLACK (KUKUI / BASALT) vs. WHITE (CORAL). Alternating pieces fill entire board; PLAYERS TAKE TURNS JUMPING + CAPTURING opponent stones (like checkers) in ORTHOGONAL DIRECTIONS ONLY. First player unable to move LOSES. Documented in pre-contact Hawaii — favorite pastime of KING KAMEHAMEHA I (1758-1819).
Quick facts
Category
Mind Sports
Type
Individual
Players
2–2
Duration
~20 min
Where played
both
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Pre-European-contact traditional Hawaiian game (documented 18th-19th c. by Captain Cook + William Ellis); King Kamehameha I was known aficionado; formally described in 1904 by Stewart Culin; taught in Hawaiian cultural revival programs late 20th c.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Be the LAST PLAYER ABLE TO MAKE A CAPTURING JUMP — opponent who cannot move loses.
Rules
Basic rules
SETUP: alternating BLACK + WHITE fill entire board (checkerboard pattern)
Signature alternating full-board start.
FIRST MOVE: BLACK removes 1 STONE from CENTER (or corner) of board — creates first empty space
Signature 1st-move empty-space creation.
SECOND MOVE: WHITE removes 1 STONE adjacent to Black's removed stone — creates 2nd empty space
Signature 2nd-move adjacent removal.
SUBSEQUENT TURNS: each player must JUMP one of their stones over an adjacent OPPONENT STONE into an empty square (ORTHOGONAL DIRECTIONS ONLY — up, down, left, right — NO DIAGONALS)
Signature orthogonal-jump capture.
MULTIPLE JUMPS in ONE TURN: same stone can chain multiple jumps IN THE SAME DIRECTION only (cannot turn corners mid-turn)
Signature same-direction chained jump.
CAPTURED opponent stones are REMOVED from board
Signature capture-removes rule.
FIRST PLAYER unable to make a legal jump LOSES
Signature no-move loses rule.
Scoring
Binary win/loss — no ongoing scoring; last-to-move wins.
Win condition · Opponent cannot make any legal capturing jump.
Equipment
PAPAMŪ (board): typically 8×8, 10×10, or 13×13 stone/wood grid — traditional Hawaiian: shallow dimples on lava-stone slab
Signature papamū stone board.
STONES: BLACK (kukui-oil-blackened basalt or kukui nut) vs. WHITE (coral/limestone) — quantity fills entire board initially
Signature 2-color natural stones.
Terminology
- Papamū
- The board — traditionally shallow dimples on lava-stone slab.
- Konane
- 'To play a game' (Hawaiian).
- Kūkū / Kūkuinut
- Black stones (kukui-nut-derived black color).
- White (coral/limestone)
- White playing stones.
- Ki'i
- Sacred cultural context in Hawaiian tradition.
Major competitions
Hawaiian Cultural Center tournaments + Merrie Monarch Festival demonstrations
annual · Hawaii (Merrie Monarch Festival) · since 1963
BoardGameArena Konane online ladder
continuous · Global online · since 2015
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Bishop Museum + Kamehameha Schools (Hawaiian cultural stewards)
Founded 1889 · Honolulu, HI, USA
Informal international abstract-gaming community
Founded 1990 · Global (online)
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- King Kamehameha I (historical player)
- Various Hawaiian cultural champions at Hawaiian Cultural Center + Merrie Monarch Festival
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Konane— Wikipedia
- Bishop Museum — Hawaiian games— Bishop Museum