I can change your whole direction...

May 31, 2019 4:30 AM

Hex: A Strategy Guide – Matthew Seymour's online book is a thorough guide to playing the abstract strategy game, from the rules and board to up-to-date, advanced strategy and tactics. It includes annotated games and many wonderful interactive diagrams in-line with the text.

The history of Hex's invention in the mid 20th century is interesting in its own right, and there's more detail in Thomas Maarup's thesis, Hex: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Hex, But Were Afraid To Ask [PDF].

Armed with a strategy guide, you'll undoubtedly want to play. A few options for doing so online:

• Lutz Tautenhahn's old-school implementation lets you play (and likely soon win) against modest AI, a nice way to get to know the game
• PlayOK (formerly Kurnik) features real-time play against players from around the world; certain times of day are more active than others
• HexPlus lets you invite a friend for real-time play with no signup or accounts
• Little Golem is turn-based (i.e., not real-time); the strongest players play here, as well one or two bots that have recently surpassed human-level play with AlphaZero-style learning.

Seymour also maintains a 13x13 opening database based on games played at Little Golem.

posted by Wolfdog (3 comments total)

Well - if anyone (like myself) needs it - here is a video example/tutorial.
posted by jkaczor at 9:03 AM on May 31, 2019

This is cool!
posted by JHarris at 2:49 PM on May 31, 2019

Hadn't heard of the game before, but finding that strategy guide really interesting! Also, someone's gotta make the obvious not-quite-right comment, so it might as well be me.

(cough cough) ... "Oh! It's like a hexagonal Go!"
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 4:43 PM on May 31, 2019