15 pieces may be used. On bigger star boards, 15 or 21 pieces are used.) The aim is to race all one's pieces into the star corner on the opposite side of the board before the opponents do the same. The destination corner is called home.

In "hop across", the most popular variation, each player starts with their colored pieces on one of the six points or corners of the star and attempts to race them all home into the opposite corner. Players take turns moving a single piece, either by moving one step in any direction to an adjacent empty