Game guide · 020GAY8
The Hex playbook
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Start a new round when you are ready to try again. Play on a 7×7 hexagonal board. Blue connects top to bottom; red connects left to right. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
7×7 Hex with optional opening swap, basic local computer strategy and same-device two-player mode. Not internet matchmaking.
A small practice goal
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. After the opening stone, the second player can swap colours and goal edges instead of placing a stone. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
What the game asks you to do
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Work through the instructions
- Play on a 7×7 hexagonal board. Blue connects top to bottom; red connects left to right.
- Place one stone in an empty cell. Once placed, stones stay fixed.
- After the opening stone, the second player can swap colours and goal edges instead of placing a stone.
- The first connected path across the assigned edges wins. Select computer play or two players on one device before a round.
Your inputs
Check the rule below as you play. Tap an empty hexagon. Swap sides is available only to the second player immediately after the first stone. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Put the rules into context
A blue chain joining the top and bottom edges wins even if it bends across the board. Cells sharing only a point are not neighbours. The game area remains available above the explanation.
Where a round can go wrong
Read the position before choosing your next action. Two touching corners are not a shared hexagon edge. A legal connection uses one of each cell’s six edge neighbours. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
Helpful answers for players
When I start, what is the aim of Hex?
Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
How do the controls work?
Tap an empty hexagon. Swap sides is available only to the second player immediately after the first stone. A new round resets the current game.
During a round, can you show an example?
A blue chain joining the top and bottom edges wins even if it bends across the board. Cells sharing only a point are not neighbours. You can start a new round from the game controls.
Which mistake should I avoid?
Two touching corners are not a shared hexagon edge. A legal connection uses one of each cell’s six edge neighbours. The game is played locally in your browser.
When I start, what rules and limits are used here?
7×7 Hex with optional opening swap, basic local computer strategy and same-device two-player mode. Not internet matchmaking. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
How many people can play here?
Computer or same-device 2 players. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The game is played locally in your browser.
During a round, which sides am I connecting?
The caption shows your current colour. Blue links top and bottom; red links left and right. The controls work with mouse or touch.
For this game, what changes when I swap?
The players exchange colours and goals. The opening stone stays on the same cell. The instructions above use these same rules.
When I start, can I move a placed stone?
No. Each turn places one new stone on an empty cell. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
During a round, can I play with another person?
Yes, by selecting two players on this device. There is no online room or remote opponent. No download or player account is required.
