Computer Hex

2009-10-19T07:48:09Z

Jonatan: /* Available programs */

This article enumerates diverse ways to exploit [[Hex]] with a computer.

== AI techniques used in Hex ==

*[[Minimax (computer)|Minimax]] and alpha-beta search were used by [[Queenbee]].
*[[UCT]] is used in MoHex.

== Programs with AI ==

There are several computer programs which play Hex.

=== Available programs ===

* The currently strongest available Hex program is [[Six]] by [[Gábor Melis]], running on Linux or Unix or Windows.
* The second strongest program available is [[Hexy]], running on Microsoft Windows. Hexy was the first program to use [[virtual connection]]s and was champion of the 5th Computer Olympiad in 2000.
* [http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~queenbee/ Queenbee] by [[Jack van Rijswijck]] finished second that year.
* An iPhone app also named [[Hexy (iPhone)|Hexy]] (no relation), released in November 2008, offers an AI opponent; the AI appears to be a custom design and hasn't been rated.
* A second iPhone app named '''Hexatious''' released in August 2009, appears to offer a stronger AI than the iPhone Hexy app (in particular, Hexatious easily beats the other iPhone app in head-to-head competition).
* An online Java AI called [http://www.mattesmedjan.se/hexilla/ Hexilla] by Jonatan Rydh, released in October 2009.

=== Unavailable programs ===

* [[Wolve]] is currently the best Hex program. It is the gold medallist of 2008 Computer Olympiads.
* [[MoHex]] is a [[UCT|UCT-Monte Carlo]] Hex program developed at the [[University of Alberta]] by Philip Henderson, assisted by Broderick Arneson and Ryan Hayward
* [[Mongoose]] by [[Yngvi Björnsson]], [[Ryan Hayward]], Mike Johanson, Morgan Kan, and Nathan Po.

== Non playing programs ==

=== Front End ===
* [[HexGui]] is a graphical user interface designed by "ab", mostly used as a front end to play against Six. It is possible however to play against other programs that can communicate via [[GTP]]. It can be downloaded on "ab"'s web [http://mgame99.mg.funpic.de/havannah.php page].

=== Reviewing and Editing Programs ===

* [http://canyon23.net/jgame/README_hex.html JHex] by Kevin lets you analyse a game, and databases of games.
* [http://www.drking.plus.com/hexagons/hex/khex.html KHex] by David King is a tool for reviewing games. Very well suited for sharing commented games (it exports games in [[Smart Game Format]]!)

== External link==

=== Articles ===

*Anshelevich, Vadim V. [http://home.earthlink.net/~vanshel/VAnshelevich-ARTINT.pdf A hierarichical approach to computer Hex].
*van Rijswijck, Jack. [http://home.fuse.net/swmeyers/y-hex.pdf Search and evaluation in Hex].
*Rasmussen, Rune K. and Maire, Frederic D. and Hayward, Ross F. (2006) [http://eprints.qut.edu.au/5121/1/5121_1.pdf A Move Generating Algorithm for Hex Solvers].
*Rasmussen, Rune K. (2008) [http://eprints.qut.edu.au/18616/1/01Thesis.pdf Algorithmic approaches for playing and solving Shannon games] (PhD Thesis).

== See also ==
[[History of computer Hex]]

The [[ICGA|International Computer Games Association]] also has some [http://www.cs.unimaas.nl/icga/games/hex/ information on Hex]. They organize an annual [[Computer Olympiad]], which also covers Hex.

[[category:Computer Hex]]

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Computer Hex