HexWiki - User contributions [en]

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-10-17T19:21:56Z

Scrampy: /* Fourth, fifth move... */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554 |Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished, it's time to make the first really important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2''' (marked as '''1''' in the diagram below).

Most now play the middle hex, '''G7''' (marked as '''2''' in the diagram below). Statistically this seems to be a bad move, as more than half of the games are lost after this move. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' (marked as '''3''' in the diagram below) which usually end up with a win. However if your opponent responds with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' (marked as * in the diagram below) you are quite well off with your middle stone.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 R 1:b2 R 1:a3 E *:i6 E *:f7 B 2:g7 E *:h7 R 3:j9 R 3:k10"
/>

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too far from the centre and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', as shown in the diagram below.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a3 B 2:d6"
/>

Similarly if red's first move is at '''A2''' blue may play at '''D5'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 B 2:d5"
/>

For a response to red's first move of '''B2''', the block would go at '''E6'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:b2 B 2:e6"
/>

A warning should be made: do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o-flipped.jpg|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s-flipped.jpg|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one on the left. The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row.

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-10-17T19:17:44Z

Scrampy: /* The move A3 */

File:5s-flipped.jpg

2015-10-17T19:17:00Z

Scrampy:

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-10-17T19:13:50Z

Scrampy: /* The move A3 */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554 |Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished, it's time to make the first really important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2''' (marked as '''1''' in the diagram below).

Most now play the middle hex, '''G7''' (marked as '''2''' in the diagram below). Statistically this seems to be a bad move, as more than half of the games are lost after this move. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' (marked as '''3''' in the diagram below) which usually end up with a win. However if your opponent responds with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' (marked as * in the diagram below) you are quite well off with your middle stone.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 R 1:b2 R 1:a3 E *:i6 E *:f7 B 2:g7 E *:h7 R 3:j9 R 3:k10"
/>

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too far from the centre and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', as shown in the diagram below.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a3 B 2:d6"
/>

Similarly if red's first move is at '''A2''' blue may play at '''D5'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 B 2:d5"
/>

For a response to red's first move of '''B2''', the block would go at '''E6'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:b2 B 2:e6"
/>

A warning should be made: do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o-flipped.jpg|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one on the left. The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

File:4o-flipped.jpg

2015-10-17T19:10:54Z

Scrampy:

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-10-17T18:51:38Z

Scrampy: /* The move A3 */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554 |Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished, it's time to make the first really important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2''' (marked as '''1''' in the diagram below).

Most now play the middle hex, '''G7''' (marked as '''2''' in the diagram below). Statistically this seems to be a bad move, as more than half of the games are lost after this move. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' (marked as '''3''' in the diagram below) which usually end up with a win. However if your opponent responds with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' (marked as * in the diagram below) you are quite well off with your middle stone.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 R 1:b2 R 1:a3 E *:i6 E *:f7 B 2:g7 E *:h7 R 3:j9 R 3:k10"
/>

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too far from the centre and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', as shown in the diagram below.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a3 B 2:d6"
/>

Similarly if red's first move is at '''A2''' blue may play at '''D5'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 B 2:d5"
/>

For a response to red's first move of '''B2''', the block would go at '''E6'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:b2 B 2:e6"
/>

A warning should be made: do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one on the left. (To fit them into the above board, you need to flip the template images across the horizontal axis.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-10-13T20:51:08Z

Scrampy: /* The second move */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554 |Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished, it's time to make the first really important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2''' (marked as '''1''' in the diagram below).

Most now play the middle hex, '''G7''' (marked as '''2''' in the diagram below). Statistically this seems to be a bad move, as more than half of the games are lost after this move. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' (marked as '''3''' in the diagram below) which usually end up with a win. However if your opponent responds with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' (marked as * in the diagram below) you are quite well off with your middle stone.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 R 1:b2 R 1:a3 E *:i6 E *:f7 B 2:g7 E *:h7 R 3:j9 R 3:k10"
/>

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too far from the centre and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', as shown in the diagram below.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a3 B 2:d6"
/>

Similarly if red's first move is at '''A2''' blue may play at '''D5'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 B 2:d5"
/>

For a response to red's first move of '''B2''', the block would go at '''E6'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:b2 B 2:e6"
/>

A warning should be made: do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2015-10-13T20:29:42Z

Scrampy: Added diagram editor to sidebar

Ladder escape

2015-09-25T01:36:22Z

Scrampy: /* Second Row Example moved * from g8 to h8 */

In the [[ladder]] situation below, the piece h8 is a '''ladder escape''', or an '''escape piece'''.

<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6 Vh8</hex>

It allows [[Red (player)|Red]] (the [[attacking player]]) to [[jumping|jump]] a move ahead of the ladder and [[win]] the game. Red can play along the ladder, forcing [[Blue (player)|Blue]]'s response at each step. After move 9 at g8, Red is [[connection|connected]] to the [[bottom edge|bottom]].

<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6 Vh8 Mc8 Mc9 Md8 Md9 Me8 Me9 Mf8 Mf9 Mg8</hex>

In general, for a ladder escape to be successful, it should be safely connected to the edge and not [[interfering patterns|interfere]] with the ladder's projected path.

However, it is not '''necessary''' to have an escape piece on the projected path of the ladder in order to escape it.

=== Third Row Example ===

In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece. Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
/>
After the sequence to Red 3, Blue cannot stop both of Red's non-overlapping connections.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:h8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 3:g10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 B 2:f11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
/>

=== Second Row Example ===

In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group as a means of outrunning Blue's second row ladder.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 R d10 B e10 R c11 B d11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13"
/>
After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:h8 R e9 B f9 R 7:h9 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 5:i10 R c11 B d11 B 6:g11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 R 3:f12 B 2:g12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13 B 4:f13"
/>

== Related articles ==
* [[ladder escape template]]
* [[ladder escape fork]]

[[category:ladder]]

Ladder escape

2015-09-21T03:02:26Z

Scrampy:

In the [[ladder]] situation below, the piece h8 is a '''ladder escape''', or an '''escape piece'''.

<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6 Vh8</hex>

It allows [[Red (player)|Red]] (the [[attacking player]]) to [[jumping|jump]] a move ahead of the ladder and [[win]] the game. Red can play along the ladder, forcing [[Blue (player)|Blue]]'s response at each step. After move 9 at g8, Red is [[connection|connected]] to the [[bottom edge|bottom]].

<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6 Vh8 Mc8 Mc9 Md8 Md9 Me8 Me9 Mf8 Mf9 Mg8</hex>

In general, for a ladder escape to be successful, it should be safely connected to the edge and not [[interfering patterns|interfere]] with the ladder's projected path.

However, it is not '''necessary''' to have an escape piece on the projected path of the ladder in order to escape it.

=== Third Row Example ===

In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece. Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
/>
After the sequence to Red 3, Blue cannot stop both of Red's non-overlapping connections.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:h8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 3:g10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 B 2:f11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
/>

=== Second Row Example ===

In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group as a means of outrunning Blue's second row ladder.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 R d10 B e10 R c11 B d11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13"
/>
After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.
<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:g8 R e9 B f9 R 7:h9 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 5:i10 R c11 B d11 B 6:g11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 R 3:f12 B 2:g12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13 B 4:f13"
/>

== Related articles ==
* [[ladder escape template]]
* [[ladder escape fork]]

[[category:ladder]]

Ladder escape

2015-09-21T02:49:17Z

Scrampy: /* Added first example of alternate ladder escape */

Quick Questions

2015-08-30T14:50:16Z

Scrampy: Created page with "==Usage== Questions posted here may get answered by experienced players. As this site does not have any integrated forum functionality, each question and the associated answe..."

==Usage==
Questions posted here may get answered by experienced players.

As this site does not have any integrated forum functionality, each question and the associated answer/discussion should be kept on their own section. Ideally, the format of this area could resemble the [http://senseis.xmp.net/?forum=QuickQuestions |Quick Questions area of Sensei's Library]

=== Is it Possible to Stop Blue? ===
Playing red, I run into positions such as the one below frequently (there are other stones on the board, but I'm trying to simplify for my own understanding).

# Is blue's stone 1 already connected to the right edge before I played 2?
# Is this because 1 is a fifth row template?
# If blue 1 is not "unstoppable", assuming red 2 is a mistake if the goal is to prevent blue from connecting to the right, what is the correct approach?

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R j6 R h7 R 2:k7 B 1:i8 B g9 B e10"
/>

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-29T17:45:23Z

Scrampy: /* Diagrams for the second move */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554 |Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', as shown in the diagram below.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a3 B 2:d6"
/>

Similarly if red's first move is at '''A2''' blue may play at '''D5'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:a2 B 2:d5"
/>

For a response to red's first move of '''B2''', the block would go at '''E6'''.

<hexboard size="13x13"
contents="R 1:b2 B 2:e6"
/>

A warning should be made: do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

Jonathan Rydh's strategy guide

2015-08-22T20:34:46Z

Scrampy: /* The four basic connections */

== Introduction ==
(used with permission, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214095946/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/strategy.html )

This document consider some basic advanced hex strategy. It does not consider the basics such as the rules, two-connections, templates, ladders, ladder escapes, walls etc. If you want to learn more about those topics I suggest you check out some of my links. I also have a page with useful templates. I do not claim that the strategy discussed below are the only way to play or that it even is a good strategy, but merely one way of thinking of Hex. If you have any suggestions, critics, questions, or find any bad spelling on this page please let me know.

Some terminology: Stones are what we places on empty hexes. The goal is to connect the two edges with each other. Group of stones or chains is stones that is solid connected (se below). Groups, stones and edges are all various kinds of nodes. Two nodes are connected with some kind of connection if there exists a path from one to another.

== The four basic connections ==

Hex is a game of connections. From here on I will, when discussing blocks and connections, mostly speak about connections between a group of stones and one edge but everything can easily be adapted to any kind of nodes.

Connections can be categorized in four categories:

* A solid connection is the strongest kind of connection there is. It can not be tampered with in any way. Stones that lies along each other forms solid connections. In some cases certain two-bridges or other constellation are in fact solid connections if invading these do not have any effect in the game. In these cases you can fill in the gaps with stones and still have an equivalent position.

<hexboard size="4x4"
coords="hide"
contents="R c1 B a2 B b2 B 1:c2 B 2:d2 R c3 R c4"
/>

* A strong connection cannot be broken if the opponent doesn't allow it. Every move you make he can counter so that he maintains his strong connection. A strong connection is almost solid but in some cases it is better to let the opponent break it than to defend it as described in later sections.

<hexboard size="4x4"
coords="hide"
contents="R c1 B 2:d2 B a3 B 1:b3 R b4"
/>

* A weak connection is such that it can be made strong by placing one stone. This goes for both players so the first player to place a stone in this area gets a strong connection. It's not difficult to grasp (but it is important that you do!) that two parallel weak connections between two nodes are together a strong connection and two weak connections after each other are a strong connection for the opponent.

<hexboard size="4x4"
coords="hide"
contents="R c1 B a2 B 1:b2 B 2:d2 R c3 R c4"
/>

* A potential connection is the connection across a strong connection of the opponent. It is a connection that will be weak if you place a stone in it. To make it strong you need to place two stones in this area.

<hexboard size="4x4"
coords="hide"
contents="R c1 R c2 B 1:a3 B 2:d3 R c4"
/>

It is possible to define even stronger and weaker connections than these. For example a connection that it takes three stones to create a strong connection for the opponent is a strong connection of magnitude 2 and so on but in most cases these four suffices. It is never a good idea to make a strong connection even stronger just for the sake of it. However if you get it as a bonus in a double block (see below) it may actually be a good idea.

== The two basic moves ==

There are two basic moves in Hex, the strong block and the weak block.Yes that's right, every move can be considered a block. The strong one blocks the opponent so that he cannot connect at all to one edge with a group of stones. After a strong block, the opponent has to use another group to connect to that edge, or break the strong connection twice to get through. The weak block blocks the opponent so that he has to place another stone in that area to reconnect that group to that edge. In terms of connections a strong block creates a strong connection from a weak, and a weak block creates a weak connection from a potential. An alternative term for strong and weak blocks could therefore be strong and weak linking depending on which way you see it.

Strong and weak blocks are very different in nature. A weak block usually maintain your initiative, and is therefore better to play despite its name. If you have the option, play a weak block, but it can be very difficult to find a good weak block and at other times you are forced to play a strong one. Which to play, and how to play it is all what hex is about. Some would add also when and it's true that timing is an essential factor but it is important to realize that it is better to make a good move at the wrong time than making a bad move at the right.

== The weak block ==

In areas the opponent has a strong connection to an edge with a group you can only make weak blocks. These should me made very carefully. The goal of the weak block is not to break his connection (since it's impossible) but to steal ground by forcing him to reconnect. Typically you first estimate which hexes he needs to connect the group, and then place a stone at the perimeter of this so called connecting area. Templates makes this process a lot faster for smaller areas. It is almost always a mistake to place a stone in the middle of a connecting area. The opponent will create a new strong connection and will at the same time gaining ground at the other direction.

Placing a stone outside the connecting area, thinking it is a weak block, is usually catastrophic. It's often the worst move you could have made and most often leads to a direct loss. The line between a good weak block and a worthless move is usually very thin, and is one of the great challenges of Hex. Sometime you can make a chance with a weak block you think may be worthless and hope that the opponent reply on the block. This way you may gain some extra ground to win a game that otherwise would be lost. The psychology plays a great role here. Inexperienced players feel a need to be certain that they at least are connected to one side. If they are not 100% certain there is a chance they will reconnect a strong connection that already is strong. This is as bad as placing a stone outside the connecting area.

Remember that what you gain by making a weak block can often be countered by the opponents reply. Therefore it is important to consider if your gain is worth it. Sometime you need to wait a few moves to see how certain things turned out before you know exactly where to make the weak block. Other times you better hurry up. This is typically the situation if the opponent has another strong connection to the very same edge but maybe more subtle. If he doesn't realize it and reconnect after you weak block you may have gained enough ground to turn the game to your favor.

The reply to a weak block can be either a strong block or a weak block. If your opponent made a weak block against one group of stones, you have the choice of either reconnect your stones making that weak connection a strong or making another weak connection from a parallel chain of stones. (or equivalent trespassing on your opponent's strong connection) The latter, if possible, is usually a stronger move but can be much more difficult to find. If no such move exist you have no other choice but to reconnect to the edge by a strong block.

== The strong block ==

A common situation when making a strong block is that only one hex will do the job, typically a hex in front of the opponents stones. At such times no greater thought need to be done if it is decided a strong block shall be done. However at other times you have more of a choice. Great care should be taken when making such a strong block. It's a beginner's mistake to make the strong block "too strong". Your goal is to connect but it is essential that you connect in such a way that after your move your stones is connected just barely. Why? Because every bit of help is needed to connect towards the other direction. When making a strong block think: "Can I place it here, am I connected?" If the answer is yes place the stone a little bit farther from the edge and repeat the question until you know which positions exactly connects. Now place the stone at the most suitable location that helps the other direction as much as possible.

== When to use which? ==

Whether to use a strong or weak block in a particular area depends on whether the opponent has a strong or weak connection there. Basically a weak connection should be blocked with a strong block and strong connection with a weak. The problem most of the time is not which to play but where to play. Often there are plenty of chains and connections, weak and strong. Which of them should be blocked?

First and foremost if you are weakly connected to one side with one and only one connection, it is critically that you place a strong block here unless you can make another weak connection from a potential connection (but then you didn't really have one connection did you?). Which to be made depends on which helps most to the other direction.

If no immediate threat exists consider if there are area to be plundered with weak blocks without opponent getting any extra land. If he has to reconnect there is no question about it, you should play a weak block here. If however he has other means of connecting he may create another weak connection gaining some land of his own. It may also be the case he already has another link to the edge that is strong, in this case it's very dangerous to make a weak block, he simply ignores it and strengthen that other chain instead.

If no good weak blocks can be made, try find any double blocks, that is a block that block two chains at the same time. It could be two strong blocks, two weak or one of each kind. These kinds of moves are often killer moves. For example the so called ladder escape is a double weak block. If you have two or more weak connections totally in one potential chain (after each other, not parallel) the only way to have any use what so ever of that chain is to make a double block of some kind. Another usual situation is that you have two parallel chains that is both weakly connected to both edges (4 weak connections). You then either have to connect these two chains with each other or find a double strong block to connect two of these loose ends.

If no double block or satisfactory weak block can be found make a strong block. This should be made as discussed above, as far away from the thing you connect to as possible. It may help a little for the other end or maybe even block another place just enough even if this isn't obvious at first (disguised double block).

== Summary ==

Every move one should consider which connections is strong, weak and potential. You can either analyze your stones or the opponent's. Often one is easier than the other. If the opponent has a strong connection, yours is potential and vice versa. If you find that the opponent has at least a weak connection but isn't sure if it is weak or actually strong, best way is to analyze if you got a weak connection at the same place. If you have, the connection is weak, otherwise it's strong (remember a weak connection is is per definition always weak for both players at the same time).

After the first phase of analyzing you should determine at which area to play.

* First make any defense that is essential. Most often this means opponent has the initiative and force you to strong blocks.
* If no immediate threat exists you have the initiative. If possible plunder free area with weak blocks.
* If no free area search for double blocks.
* If no double blocks search for weak blocks that gives you more than the opponent.
* If all else fail, make a strong block. This move typically gives back the initiative to the opponent.

In both strong and weak blocks its important to remember to place the stones, if possible, at the edge of the connecting area to get as much ground as possible backwards and sideways. The only exception from this rule is if you have enough ground already and is sitting on a winning position. In that case care should instead be taken to minimize opponent's gain of land from your moves so that he doesn't trick you into a trap like a double block. Also beware of the false weak block that doesn't really threat your strong connection but which fools you to place another stone there in vain. If you are playing in a game you are losing you could of course play such a false weak block yourself and hope for the best.

Jonathan Rydh's strategy guide

2015-08-22T20:10:31Z

Scrampy: /* The four basic connections */

== Introduction ==
(used with permission, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214095946/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/strategy.html )

This document consider some basic advanced hex strategy. It does not consider the basics such as the rules, two-connections, templates, ladders, ladder escapes, walls etc. If you want to learn more about those topics I suggest you check out some of my links. I also have a page with useful templates. I do not claim that the strategy discussed below are the only way to play or that it even is a good strategy, but merely one way of thinking of Hex. If you have any suggestions, critics, questions, or find any bad spelling on this page please let me know.

Some terminology: Stones are what we places on empty hexes. The goal is to connect the two edges with each other. Group of stones or chains is stones that is solid connected (se below). Groups, stones and edges are all various kinds of nodes. Two nodes are connected with some kind of connection if there exists a path from one to another.

== The four basic connections ==

Hex is a game of connections. From here on I will, when discussing blocks and connections, mostly speak about connections between a group of stones and one edge but everything can easily be adapted to any kind of nodes.

Connections can be categorized in four categories:

* A solid connection is the strongest kind of connection there is. It can not be tampered with in any way. Stones that lies along each other forms solid connections. In some cases certain two-bridges or other constellation are in fact solid connections if invading these do not have any effect in the game. In these cases you can fill in the gaps with stones and still have an equivalent position.

(TODO: add diagrams to illustrate each of the four connection types)

<hexboard size="3x3" contents="" />

* A strong connection cannot be broken if the opponent doesn't allow it. Every move you make he can counter so that he maintains his strong connection. A strong connection is almost solid but in some cases it is better to let the opponent break it than to defend it as you will see below.

<hexboard size="3x3" contents="" />

* A weak connection is such that it can be made strong by placing one stone. This goes for both players so the first player to place a stone in this area gets a strong connection. It's not difficult to grasp (but it is important that you do!) that two parallel weak connections between two nodes are together a strong connection and two weak connections after each other are a strong connection for the opponent.

<hexboard size="3x3" contents="" />

* A potential connection is the connection across a strong connection of the opponent. It is a connection that will be weak if you place a stone in it. To make it strong you need to place two stones in this area.

<hexboard size="3x3" contents="" />

It is possible to define even stronger and weaker connections than these. For example a connection that it takes three stones to create a strong connection for the opponent is a strong connection of magnitude 2 and so on but in most cases these four suffices. It is never a good idea to make a strong connection even stronger just for the sake of it. However if you get it as a bonus in a double block (see below) it may actually be a good idea.

== The two basic moves ==

There are two basic moves in Hex, the strong block and the weak block.Yes that's right, every move can be considered a block. The strong one blocks the opponent so that he cannot connect at all to one edge with a group of stones. After a strong block, the opponent has to use another group to connect to that edge, or break the strong connection twice to get through. The weak block blocks the opponent so that he has to place another stone in that area to reconnect that group to that edge. In terms of connections a strong block creates a strong connection from a weak, and a weak block creates a weak connection from a potential. An alternative term for strong and weak blocks could therefore be strong and weak linking depending on which way you see it.

Strong and weak blocks are very different in nature. A weak block usually maintain your initiative, and is therefore better to play despite its name. If you have the option, play a weak block, but it can be very difficult to find a good weak block and at other times you are forced to play a strong one. Which to play, and how to play it is all what hex is about. Some would add also when and it's true that timing is an essential factor but it is important to realize that it is better to make a good move at the wrong time than making a bad move at the right.

== The weak block ==

In areas the opponent has a strong connection to an edge with a group you can only make weak blocks. These should me made very carefully. The goal of the weak block is not to break his connection (since it's impossible) but to steal ground by forcing him to reconnect. Typically you first estimate which hexes he needs to connect the group, and then place a stone at the perimeter of this so called connecting area. Templates makes this process a lot faster for smaller areas. It is almost always a mistake to place a stone in the middle of a connecting area. The opponent will create a new strong connection and will at the same time gaining ground at the other direction.

Placing a stone outside the connecting area, thinking it is a weak block, is usually catastrophic. It's often the worst move you could have made and most often leads to a direct loss. The line between a good weak block and a worthless move is usually very thin, and is one of the great challenges of Hex. Sometime you can make a chance with a weak block you think may be worthless and hope that the opponent reply on the block. This way you may gain some extra ground to win a game that otherwise would be lost. The psychology plays a great role here. Inexperienced players feel a need to be certain that they at least are connected to one side. If they are not 100% certain there is a chance they will reconnect a strong connection that already is strong. This is as bad as placing a stone outside the connecting area.

Remember that what you gain by making a weak block can often be countered by the opponents reply. Therefore it is important to consider if your gain is worth it. Sometime you need to wait a few moves to see how certain things turned out before you know exactly where to make the weak block. Other times you better hurry up. This is typically the situation if the opponent has another strong connection to the very same edge but maybe more subtle. If he doesn't realize it and reconnect after you weak block you may have gained enough ground to turn the game to your favor.

The reply to a weak block can be either a strong block or a weak block. If your opponent made a weak block against one group of stones, you have the choice of either reconnect your stones making that weak connection a strong or making another weak connection from a parallel chain of stones. (or equivalent trespassing on your opponent's strong connection) The latter, if possible, is usually a stronger move but can be much more difficult to find. If no such move exist you have no other choice but to reconnect to the edge by a strong block.

== The strong block ==

A common situation when making a strong block is that only one hex will do the job, typically a hex in front of the opponents stones. At such times no greater thought need to be done if it is decided a strong block shall be done. However at other times you have more of a choice. Great care should be taken when making such a strong block. It's a beginner's mistake to make the strong block "too strong". Your goal is to connect but it is essential that you connect in such a way that after your move your stones is connected just barely. Why? Because every bit of help is needed to connect towards the other direction. When making a strong block think: "Can I place it here, am I connected?" If the answer is yes place the stone a little bit farther from the edge and repeat the question until you know which positions exactly connects. Now place the stone at the most suitable location that helps the other direction as much as possible.

== When to use which? ==

Whether to use a strong or weak block in a particular area depends on whether the opponent has a strong or weak connection there. Basically a weak connection should be blocked with a strong block and strong connection with a weak. The problem most of the time is not which to play but where to play. Often there are plenty of chains and connections, weak and strong. Which of them should be blocked?

First and foremost if you are weakly connected to one side with one and only one connection, it is critically that you place a strong block here unless you can make another weak connection from a potential connection (but then you didn't really have one connection did you?). Which to be made depends on which helps most to the other direction.

If no immediate threat exists consider if there are area to be plundered with weak blocks without opponent getting any extra land. If he has to reconnect there is no question about it, you should play a weak block here. If however he has other means of connecting he may create another weak connection gaining some land of his own. It may also be the case he already has another link to the edge that is strong, in this case it's very dangerous to make a weak block, he simply ignores it and strengthen that other chain instead.

If no good weak blocks can be made, try find any double blocks, that is a block that block two chains at the same time. It could be two strong blocks, two weak or one of each kind. These kinds of moves are often killer moves. For example the so called ladder escape is a double weak block. If you have two or more weak connections totally in one potential chain (after each other, not parallel) the only way to have any use what so ever of that chain is to make a double block of some kind. Another usual situation is that you have two parallel chains that is both weakly connected to both edges (4 weak connections). You then either have to connect these two chains with each other or find a double strong block to connect two of these loose ends.

If no double block or satisfactory weak block can be found make a strong block. This should be made as discussed above, as far away from the thing you connect to as possible. It may help a little for the other end or maybe even block another place just enough even if this isn't obvious at first (disguised double block).

== Summary ==

Every move one should consider which connections is strong, weak and potential. You can either analyze your stones or the opponent's. Often one is easier than the other. If the opponent has a strong connection, yours is potential and vice versa. If you find that the opponent has at least a weak connection but isn't sure if it is weak or actually strong, best way is to analyze if you got a weak connection at the same place. If you have, the connection is weak, otherwise it's strong (remember a weak connection is is per definition always weak for both players at the same time).

After the first phase of analyzing you should determine at which area to play.

* First make any defense that is essential. Most often this means opponent has the initiative and force you to strong blocks.
* If no immediate threat exists you have the initiative. If possible plunder free area with weak blocks.
* If no free area search for double blocks.
* If no double blocks search for weak blocks that gives you more than the opponent.
* If all else fail, make a strong block. This move typically gives back the initiative to the opponent.

In both strong and weak blocks its important to remember to place the stones, if possible, at the edge of the connecting area to get as much ground as possible backwards and sideways. The only exception from this rule is if you have enough ground already and is sitting on a winning position. In that case care should instead be taken to minimize opponent's gain of land from your moves so that he doesn't trick you into a trap like a double block. Also beware of the false weak block that doesn't really threat your strong connection but which fools you to place another stone there in vain. If you are playing in a game you are losing you could of course play such a false weak block yourself and hope for the best.

Jonathan Rydh's strategy guide

2015-08-22T20:06:04Z

Scrampy: Created page with "== Introduction == (used with permission, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214095946/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/strategy.html ) This document consider so..."

== Introduction ==
(used with permission, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214095946/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/strategy.html )

This document consider some basic advanced hex strategy. It does not consider the basics such as the rules, two-connections, templates, ladders, ladder escapes, walls etc. If you want to learn more about those topics I suggest you check out some of my links. I also have a page with useful templates. I do not claim that the strategy discussed below are the only way to play or that it even is a good strategy, but merely one way of thinking of Hex. If you have any suggestions, critics, questions, or find any bad spelling on this page please let me know.

Some terminology: Stones are what we places on empty hexes. The goal is to connect the two edges with each other. Group of stones or chains is stones that is solid connected (se below). Groups, stones and edges are all various kinds of nodes. Two nodes are connected with some kind of connection if there exists a path from one to another.

== The four basic connections ==

Hex is a game of connections. From here on I will, when discussing blocks and connections, mostly speak about connections between a group of stones and one edge but everything can easily be adapted to any kind of nodes.

Connections can be categorized in four categories:

* A solid connection is the strongest kind of connection there is. It can not be tampered with in any way. Stones that lies along each other forms solid connections. In some cases certain two-bridges or other constellation are in fact solid connections if invading these do not have any effect in the game. In these cases you can fill in the gaps with stones and still have an equivalent position.

* A strong connection cannot be broken if the opponent doesn't allow it. Every move you make he can counter so that he maintains his strong connection. A strong connection is almost solid but in some cases it is better to let the opponent break it than to defend it as you will see below.

* A weak connection is such that it can be made strong by placing one stone. This goes for both players so the first player to place a stone in this area gets a strong connection. It's not difficult to grasp (but it is important that you do!) that two parallel weak connections between two nodes are together a strong connection and two weak connections after each other are a strong connection for the opponent.

* A potential connection is the connection across a strong connection of the opponent. It is a connection that will be weak if you place a stone in it. To make it strong you need to place two stones in this area.

It is possible to define even stronger and weaker connections than these. For example a connection that it takes three stones to create a strong connection for the opponent is a strong connection of magnitude 2 and so on but in most cases these four suffices. It is never a good idea to make a strong connection even stronger just for the sake of it. However if you get it as a bonus in a double block (see below) it may actually be a good idea.

== The two basic moves ==

There are two basic moves in Hex, the strong block and the weak block.Yes that's right, every move can be considered a block. The strong one blocks the opponent so that he cannot connect at all to one edge with a group of stones. After a strong block, the opponent has to use another group to connect to that edge, or break the strong connection twice to get through. The weak block blocks the opponent so that he has to place another stone in that area to reconnect that group to that edge. In terms of connections a strong block creates a strong connection from a weak, and a weak block creates a weak connection from a potential. An alternative term for strong and weak blocks could therefore be strong and weak linking depending on which way you see it.

Strong and weak blocks are very different in nature. A weak block usually maintain your initiative, and is therefore better to play despite its name. If you have the option, play a weak block, but it can be very difficult to find a good weak block and at other times you are forced to play a strong one. Which to play, and how to play it is all what hex is about. Some would add also when and it's true that timing is an essential factor but it is important to realize that it is better to make a good move at the wrong time than making a bad move at the right.

== The weak block ==

In areas the opponent has a strong connection to an edge with a group you can only make weak blocks. These should me made very carefully. The goal of the weak block is not to break his connection (since it's impossible) but to steal ground by forcing him to reconnect. Typically you first estimate which hexes he needs to connect the group, and then place a stone at the perimeter of this so called connecting area. Templates makes this process a lot faster for smaller areas. It is almost always a mistake to place a stone in the middle of a connecting area. The opponent will create a new strong connection and will at the same time gaining ground at the other direction.

Placing a stone outside the connecting area, thinking it is a weak block, is usually catastrophic. It's often the worst move you could have made and most often leads to a direct loss. The line between a good weak block and a worthless move is usually very thin, and is one of the great challenges of Hex. Sometime you can make a chance with a weak block you think may be worthless and hope that the opponent reply on the block. This way you may gain some extra ground to win a game that otherwise would be lost. The psychology plays a great role here. Inexperienced players feel a need to be certain that they at least are connected to one side. If they are not 100% certain there is a chance they will reconnect a strong connection that already is strong. This is as bad as placing a stone outside the connecting area.

Remember that what you gain by making a weak block can often be countered by the opponents reply. Therefore it is important to consider if your gain is worth it. Sometime you need to wait a few moves to see how certain things turned out before you know exactly where to make the weak block. Other times you better hurry up. This is typically the situation if the opponent has another strong connection to the very same edge but maybe more subtle. If he doesn't realize it and reconnect after you weak block you may have gained enough ground to turn the game to your favor.

The reply to a weak block can be either a strong block or a weak block. If your opponent made a weak block against one group of stones, you have the choice of either reconnect your stones making that weak connection a strong or making another weak connection from a parallel chain of stones. (or equivalent trespassing on your opponent's strong connection) The latter, if possible, is usually a stronger move but can be much more difficult to find. If no such move exist you have no other choice but to reconnect to the edge by a strong block.

== The strong block ==

A common situation when making a strong block is that only one hex will do the job, typically a hex in front of the opponents stones. At such times no greater thought need to be done if it is decided a strong block shall be done. However at other times you have more of a choice. Great care should be taken when making such a strong block. It's a beginner's mistake to make the strong block "too strong". Your goal is to connect but it is essential that you connect in such a way that after your move your stones is connected just barely. Why? Because every bit of help is needed to connect towards the other direction. When making a strong block think: "Can I place it here, am I connected?" If the answer is yes place the stone a little bit farther from the edge and repeat the question until you know which positions exactly connects. Now place the stone at the most suitable location that helps the other direction as much as possible.

== When to use which? ==

Whether to use a strong or weak block in a particular area depends on whether the opponent has a strong or weak connection there. Basically a weak connection should be blocked with a strong block and strong connection with a weak. The problem most of the time is not which to play but where to play. Often there are plenty of chains and connections, weak and strong. Which of them should be blocked?

First and foremost if you are weakly connected to one side with one and only one connection, it is critically that you place a strong block here unless you can make another weak connection from a potential connection (but then you didn't really have one connection did you?). Which to be made depends on which helps most to the other direction.

If no immediate threat exists consider if there are area to be plundered with weak blocks without opponent getting any extra land. If he has to reconnect there is no question about it, you should play a weak block here. If however he has other means of connecting he may create another weak connection gaining some land of his own. It may also be the case he already has another link to the edge that is strong, in this case it's very dangerous to make a weak block, he simply ignores it and strengthen that other chain instead.

If no good weak blocks can be made, try find any double blocks, that is a block that block two chains at the same time. It could be two strong blocks, two weak or one of each kind. These kinds of moves are often killer moves. For example the so called ladder escape is a double weak block. If you have two or more weak connections totally in one potential chain (after each other, not parallel) the only way to have any use what so ever of that chain is to make a double block of some kind. Another usual situation is that you have two parallel chains that is both weakly connected to both edges (4 weak connections). You then either have to connect these two chains with each other or find a double strong block to connect two of these loose ends.

If no double block or satisfactory weak block can be found make a strong block. This should be made as discussed above, as far away from the thing you connect to as possible. It may help a little for the other end or maybe even block another place just enough even if this isn't obvious at first (disguised double block).

== Summary ==

Every move one should consider which connections is strong, weak and potential. You can either analyze your stones or the opponent's. Often one is easier than the other. If the opponent has a strong connection, yours is potential and vice versa. If you find that the opponent has at least a weak connection but isn't sure if it is weak or actually strong, best way is to analyze if you got a weak connection at the same place. If you have, the connection is weak, otherwise it's strong (remember a weak connection is is per definition always weak for both players at the same time).

After the first phase of analyzing you should determine at which area to play.

* First make any defense that is essential. Most often this means opponent has the initiative and force you to strong blocks.
* If no immediate threat exists you have the initiative. If possible plunder free area with weak blocks.
* If no free area search for double blocks.
* If no double blocks search for weak blocks that gives you more than the opponent.
* If all else fail, make a strong block. This move typically gives back the initiative to the opponent.

In both strong and weak blocks its important to remember to place the stones, if possible, at the edge of the connecting area to get as much ground as possible backwards and sideways. The only exception from this rule is if you have enough ground already and is sitting on a winning position. In that case care should instead be taken to minimize opponent's gain of land from your moves so that he doesn't trick you into a trap like a double block. Also beware of the false weak block that doesn't really threat your strong connection but which fools you to place another stone there in vain. If you are playing in a game you are losing you could of course play such a false weak block yourself and hope for the best.

Strategy

2015-08-22T20:02:44Z

Scrampy: /* General strategy guide */

== General advice ==
* One important advice for novice players to remember: "In [[Hex]], the best attacking move is often to defend." Instead of trying to connect your [[Edge|sides]], do your best to [[Blocking|impede]] your [[opponent]].
* If you play with a strong player and you lose, try to repeat the opponent's moves and observe the responses. This can be a fast way to learn new bit of strategy.
* Another good way to learn strategy is to analyse games — preferably in your head and not with a program. Talking to senior players is also a good idea.

== General strategy guide ==

These three pages originate from Glenn C. Rhoads' excellent strategy guide. They have mostly been changed to accomodate the transfer to the Wiki format.

* [[Basic (strategy guide)|Basic]]
* [[Intermediate (strategy guide)|Intermediate]]
* [[Advanced (strategy guide)|Advanced]]

[[Jonathan Rydh's strategy guide]] (used with permission) provides some examples of "how to think" during a game.

== Specific topics ==
* [[Opening|Openings]]
* [[Connection|Connections]]
* [[Bottleneck|Bottlenecks]]
* [[Ladders]]
* [[Ladder handling]]
* [[Switchback]]
* [[Templates]]
* [[Equivalent patterns]]
* [[Common mistakes]]
* [[Tips and tricks]]
* [[Territory]]
* [[Local play]], [[Global play]]
* [[Wall|Walls]]
* [[Rope|Ropes]]
* [[Glossary]]
* [[Puzzles]], sometimes also called [[Problems]]
* [[Proverbs]]
* [[Tactics]]

[[category:strategy]]

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-22T19:47:22Z

Scrampy: /* The first move */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

(See the discussion on the LittleGolem forums [[http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/forum/topic2.jsp?forum=50&topic=554|Hex 13x13 Openings]] for more current statistics)

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', see figure. (If it is at '''A2''' or '''B2''', the block would go at '''D5''' or '''E6'''.) A warning should be made. Do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

<center>[[Image:SameSide.gif]]</center>

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-22T19:30:55Z

Scrampy: /* The move B2 */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

<center>[[Image:FirstMove.gif]]</center>

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', see figure. (If it is at '''A2''' or '''B2''', the block would go at '''D5''' or '''E6'''.) A warning should be made. Do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

<center>[[Image:SameSide.gif]]</center>

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{|
| [[Image:5j.png|frame|Template 5j]]
| [[Image:5c.png|frame|Template 5c]]
| [[Image:5l.png|frame|Template 5L]]
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

File:5l.png

2015-08-22T19:27:47Z

Scrampy: Edge template 5L VL

Edge template 5L VL

File:5c.png

2015-08-22T19:27:14Z

Scrampy: Edge template 5c Vc

Edge template 5c Vc

File:5j.png

2015-08-22T19:26:53Z

Scrampy: Edge template 5j Vj

Edge template 5j Vj

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-22T19:17:05Z

Scrampy: /* The move A3 */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

<center>[[Image:FirstMove.gif]]</center>

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', see figure. (If it is at '''A2''' or '''B2''', the block would go at '''D5''' or '''E6'''.) A warning should be made. Do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

<center>[[Image:SameSide.gif]]</center>

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.png|frame|Template 4o]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.png|frame|Template 5s]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{| width="75%"
| width="28%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5j.gif]]</center>
| width="40%" |
<center>[[Image:5c.gif]]</center>
| width="32%" |
<center>[[Image:5l.gif]]</center>
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

File:5s.png

2015-08-22T19:13:21Z

Scrampy: Edge template 5s Vs

Edge template 5s Vs

File:4o.png

2015-08-22T19:08:59Z

Scrampy: Edge template 4o IVo

Edge template 4o IVo

File:4a.png

2015-08-22T19:05:13Z

Scrampy: Edge template 4a IVa

Edge template 4a IVa

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-22T19:04:38Z

Scrampy: /* The second move */

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

<center>[[Image:FirstMove.gif]]</center>

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.png|frame|Template Va]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.png|frame|Template IVa]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', see figure. (If it is at '''A2''' or '''B2''', the block would go at '''D5''' or '''E6'''.) A warning should be made. Do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

<center>[[Image:SameSide.gif]]</center>

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.gif]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.gif]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{| width="75%"
| width="28%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5j.gif]]</center>
| width="40%" |
<center>[[Image:5c.gif]]</center>
| width="32%" |
<center>[[Image:5l.gif]]</center>
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.

File:5a.png

2015-08-22T18:56:25Z

Scrampy: Edge template 5a Va

Edge template 5a Va

A3 opening

2015-08-22T17:29:25Z

Scrampy: /* See Also */

{{wrongtitle|title=a3 opening}}

== Common answers ==

<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Pg7</hex>

Most players answer here g7 (+ hexa) because the center is said to be important. There other possibilities though: i10 and j11.

These two moves are good too because of [[template Va]] (i10) and [[template IVa]] (j11), hence Blue is connected to right edge and makes it harder for Red to link to Bottom edge.

=== Second move: i10 ===
<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Bi10
Sm4
Sl5 Sm5
Sk6 Sl6 Sm6
Sk7 Sl7 Sm7
Sj8 Sk8 Sl8 Sm8
Si9 Sj9 Sk9 Sl9 Sm9
Sj10 Pk10 Sl10 Sm10
Si11 Sj11 Sk11 Sl11 Sm11
Sj12 Sk12 Sl12 Sm12
Sk13 Sl13 Sm13
</hex>

k10 is then a frequent move for Red, because it intrudes Blue template and creates one template at the same time. Moreover it may prove useful later as a [[ladder escape]].
=== Second move: j11 ===
<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Bj11
Sm7
Sl8 Sm8
Sk9 Sl9 Sm9
Sk10 Sl10 Sm10
Sk11 Sl11 Sm11
Sj12 Sk12 Sl12 Sm12
Sk13 Sl13 Sm13
</hex>

== See also ==

[[a3 escape trick]]

== See Also ==

[[Openings on 13 x 13]] (adapted from Jonatan Rydh's page on openings)

{{stub}}
[[category:opening]]

A3 opening

2015-08-22T17:27:23Z

Scrampy: /* See Also */

{{wrongtitle|title=a3 opening}}

== Common answers ==

<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Pg7</hex>

Most players answer here g7 (+ hexa) because the center is said to be important. There other possibilities though: i10 and j11.

These two moves are good too because of [[template Va]] (i10) and [[template IVa]] (j11), hence Blue is connected to right edge and makes it harder for Red to link to Bottom edge.

=== Second move: i10 ===
<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Bi10
Sm4
Sl5 Sm5
Sk6 Sl6 Sm6
Sk7 Sl7 Sm7
Sj8 Sk8 Sl8 Sm8
Si9 Sj9 Sk9 Sl9 Sm9
Sj10 Pk10 Sl10 Sm10
Si11 Sj11 Sk11 Sl11 Sm11
Sj12 Sk12 Sl12 Sm12
Sk13 Sl13 Sm13
</hex>

k10 is then a frequent move for Red, because it intrudes Blue template and creates one template at the same time. Moreover it may prove useful later as a [[ladder escape]].
=== Second move: j11 ===
<hex>R13 C13 Q1 N:on
Ra3 Bj11
Sm7
Sl8 Sm8
Sk9 Sl9 Sm9
Sk10 Sl10 Sm10
Sk11 Sl11 Sm11
Sj12 Sk12 Sl12 Sm12
Sk13 Sl13 Sm13
</hex>

== See also ==

[[a3 escape trick]]

== See Also ==

[[Openings on 13 x 13|13 x 13]] (adapted from Jonatan Rydh's page on openings)

{{stub}}
[[category:opening]]

Opening

2015-08-22T17:20:18Z

Scrampy: /* Opening Theory */

The '''opening''' is the first few moves of a [[Hex]] game. Exactly how many moves are considered part of the opening varies depending on the type of opening, and also on whom you ask. Typically, however, the two first moves are always considered part of the opening.

== Opening Theory ==

The two most basic questions in the opening theory of Hex are:

* Where should I play my first move?
* Should I [[swap]]?

The two questions are closely related. The situation is probably most difficult for the [[first player]] — his move should not be too strong, since the [[second player]] then will [[swap]], but it should not be too weak either, as the second player then will decline the swap and have [[Advantage|a better situation]]. So the first player has to find a move which gives about equal chances to both players.

=== The first move ===

Fortunately strong players have thought thoroughly through this, and there are certain moves that are considered to be about equal, which one can safely play. For example are a2, a3 and b2 quite common opening moves.

But these moves are only suggestions, and there are many other moves that may be tried such as a4, a8, a6 or a10 (on a 10 × 10 board).

=== Swapping ===

When to swap? One commonly used rule of thumb is to swap any opening, except if the first move was played on the [[first row]], adjacent to a [[friendly edge]], and not in the [[obtuse corner]]. You may also check out winning opening moves for [[small boards]].

[[Swap|Detailled article : Swap]]

== Opening Theory For Specific Board Sizes ==

* 10 x 10
* [[Openings on 13 x 13|13 x 13]] (adapted from Jonatan Rydh's page on openings)
* 19 x 19

== Openings deserving their own articles ==

* [[A2 opening]]
* [[A3 opening]]
* [[B2 opening]]
* [[Center opening]]
* [[A1 opening]]
* [[Obtuse corner opening]]
* [[The Hungarian (opening)]]

[[category:opening]]

Openings on 13 x 13

2015-08-22T17:14:58Z

Scrampy: Created page with "=Hex Openings= -- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~..."

=Hex Openings=

-- Adapted with permission, from content originally created by Jonatan Rydh, recovered from https://web.archive.org/web/20070214100026/http://www.nada.kth.se/~rydh/Hex/openings.html. --

Note that Jonathan Rydh compiled the statistics in 2007 (or before), and that current win percentages, etc., may have changed.

==Introduction==

I will in this page consider some usual hex openings for 13x13 board. The observations are based on around 10.000 correspondence games played by beginners as well as experts. As is the common case, the swap rule will be utilized. This rule says that after the first stone has been placed, the second player may switch side if he wants. This is to remove the big advantage one has for playing first. Everything on this page should be taken with a grain of salt. It is based on actual played games which may be a beginner against another beginner. This is why for example only 81% of the games which started '''G7''' is won. (or lost if you take in the fact of the swap rule.) That being said there might be some useful info to ponder upon. Just don't complain to me if your game is lost because you followed any of my advice...

==The first move==

The first move should, because of the swap rule, not be too good nor too bad. It now happens that most hexes on the board are too good to start with so the number of good first moves are quite limited. The following diagram shows the number of wins in percent. The first stone to be placed is black. Since the board looks the same rotated 180° it only consider half the board. The hexes which lack numbers are very seldom played but not necessarily bad moves. (Although a hex somewhere near the center is definitely a bad move.) Typically a good start move has a number around 50. If it is higher we would swap it and if less we would not. The most ''common'' moves played are '''A3''', '''B2''' and '''A2''', in that order, all in the acute corner of the board. Other moves to consider is '''C2''', '''D2''', '''E2''', '''A11''', '''A12''' and other moves along the '''A''' column.

<center>[[Image:FirstMove.gif]]</center>

As a general principle one can say it's not too bad to swap all moves but '''A1''', '''B1''', ... , '''L1'''. However if '''A3''', '''B2''', '''A2''' etc. is winning or not has not been proved and it's much of personal preference whether to swap or not. The strength of having a stone on for example '''A2''' is of course it's function as a ladder escape. '''A2''' and '''B2''' and other stones on second row can be used as second and third row ladder escapes and '''A3''' can be used as second row ladder escape and will ''help'' getting down third and fourth rows as well. Personally, I don't swap '''A3''' and '''B2''' as much as I used to. It seems getting the strategically important positions as quick as possible is more important than having the first stone.

=='''The second move'''==

After the swap phase is finished it's time to really make the first important move. We now assume you connecting from left to right. Typically your opponent has a stone in either '''A2''', '''A3''' or '''B2'''. Most now play the middle square, '''G7'''. Statistically this seems to be a bad move, more than half of the games is lost on this road. No matter where the first stone is placed, the best responses to '''G7''' seems to be '''K10''' or '''J9''' which usually ends up with a win. However if your opponent respond with a move like '''H7''', '''F7''' or '''I6''' you are quite well off with your middle stone.

It should be stressed though that many strong players play '''G7''' and do well. Statistically it doesn't seem so but it's very hard to tell with statistics.

A good alternative to '''G7''' is '''I10''' or '''J11'''. For the horizontal player these moves are equivalent with the previous mentioned vertical player's '''K10''' and '''J9'''. One reason these are good as both second and third moves are the one-stone templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5a.gif]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:4a.gif]]</center>
|}

In other words, this stone is connected downwards with a strong connection. It's quite optimally placed, further down would be too acentric and further up would be too far from the edge thus not connected. In another way of seeing it, '''J9''' for the vertical player lies pretty much in the center of the right half triangle of the board. It can be used as a ladder escape from the left and is dangerous upwards.

Another idea as second move is to block the opponent's first stone by playing in the top acute corner (assuming he played there). This should be done in a similar manner as above. A template should exactly match into the space right of the opponent's stone. If it is at '''A3''', the typical block move should be '''D6''', see figure. (If it is at '''A2''' or '''B2''', the block would go at '''D5''' or '''E6'''.) A warning should be made. Do not use the usual third row template in this purpose as this is too weak a threat. For example the response '''C4''' of '''B2''' usually ends up bad. If a block in this manner is a good idea or not is up to discussion, it seems it's better than playing in the center but not quite as strong as playing '''I10''' or '''J11'''.

<center>[[Image:SameSide.gif]]</center>

===The move A3===

It's not a bad idea to swap '''A3'''. The main reason being the following templates:

{| width="75%"
| width="51%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:4o.gif]]</center>
| width="49%" |
<center>[[Image:5s.gif]]</center>
|}

The '''A3''' stone is the the one to the right. (To fit them in in the above board you need to flip them.) The pattern probably generalizes to bigger dimensions as well but I haven't checked this. The point being that it can be used quite effectively to "jump up" when having a ladder on third row.

So how do you respond if you find yourself playing against '''A3'''? The following table shows the nine most common answers sorted by their rate of winning the game in the end. Ideas what to play and not to play as third move are collected in the third and fourth column. These are sorted in win percent from left to right (and in case of bad response, from worse to less worse). Note that the most common response which is '''G7''' (the middle square) is rather far down the list. Good responses typically lies in the opposite acute corner along the diagonal.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A3'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>72.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">I9, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8, G8, H8, G9, H9, G10, H10</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>65.9%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8</div>
|
<div align="left">H9, F10, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>63.8%</center>
|
<div align="left">F8, F9</div>
|
<div align="left">J10</div>
|-
|
<center>D6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<div align="left">H6, F7, K10</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, H7, E6, F6, F8, G8</div>
|-
|
<center>C2</center>
|
<center>52.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>J10</center>
|
<center>50.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">J9, F9, G7</div>
|
<div align="left">H9</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>46.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">I8, J9, K10, I7</div>
|
<div align="left">K6, D9, I6, F8, F7, H7, J6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>45.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, I8, J9, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, E8, G8, H7, I7</div>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>44.0%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, E7, F7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6</div>
|}

===The move B2===

The second most common move is '''B2''' with around equal strength and possibilities as '''A3'''. The big advantage of '''B2''' is that in contrary to '''A3''' it's a solid third row ladder escape. The disadvantage lies perhaps in the vertically direction where '''A3''' probably is slight stronger. It's not entirely true though, three very useful templates in this corner are:

{| width="75%"
| width="28%" height="157" |
<center>[[Image:5j.gif]]</center>
| width="40%" |
<center>[[Image:5c.gif]]</center>
| width="32%" |
<center>[[Image:5l.gif]]</center>
|}

The two leftmost can also be used with '''A2''' as well as '''B2'''. The third cannot and but it is basically the same template as the one to the left.

Responses of '''B2''' is quite similar to '''A3''' with a few exceptions: '''D6''' are now a bad idea, instead '''E6''' and '''D5''' takes it's place. Best moves still seem to lie in the opposite acute corner.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.B2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>86.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">E9?, D11?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|-
|
<center>I9</center>
|
<center>76.5%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7?, F8?</div>
|
<div align="left">F9, I9, H6</div>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>68.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G10?</div>
|
<div align="left">G7, I10, H9</div>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7</div>
|
<div align="left">F6, G6, H6, F8</div>
|-
|
<center>D5</center>
|
<center>61.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G6?, D6?</div>
|
<div align="left">H6, G7</div>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>56.4%</center>
|
<div align="left">H7</div>
|
<div align="left">I6</div>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>53.3%</center>
|
<div align="left">I7, H8</div>
|
<div align="left">E8, G7, H7</div>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>49.7%</center>
|
<div align="left">K10, J9, J7</div>
|
<div align="left">F7,H7, D9, I6, G9, E8, D8</div>
|-
|
<center>C3</center>
|
<center>28.6%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, K10, J9</div>
|
<div align="left">D3</div>
|-
|
<center>G6</center>
|
<center>21.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, E7, H6</div>
|
<div align="left">I5</div>
|-
|
<center>C4</center>
|
<center>9.1%</center>
|
<div align="left">G7, A4, E5</div>
|
<div align="left">-</div>
|}

===The move A2===

This move is probably the weakest of the three but still good as second and third row ladder escapes as well the two leftmost templates above. This is why I think it still very well can be swapped. What to respond to '''I10''' I'm not sure though.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>I10</center>
|
<center>81.5%</center>
|
<center>F8?, F9?</center>
|
<center>G7, G8, G9, H9, H10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>62.2%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>G6, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>61.5%</center>
|
<center>G10?, E10?</center>
|
<center>G7, H5, H6, F6, G6</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>48.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, J9, G9</center>
|
<center>E7, E8, D8, H7, I7</center>
|-
|
<center>F7</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, H7, C8</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>38.7%</center>
|
<center>H8, G8</center>
|
<center>G7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>B3</center>
|
<center>18.5%</center>
|
<center>G7, C3, D4, F5</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|}

===Other moves===

Following is a list of other less commonly encountered moves and possible responses. What isn't yet considered are moves along the middle A row. It seems these kinds of moves requires quite different strategy to tackle.

{| width="75%" border="1" cellpadding="1"
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.C2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>70.0%</center>
|
<center>?</center>
|
<center>F9, F10</center>
|-
|
<center>E6</center>
|
<center>65.7%</center>
|
<center>K10, F8, H8</center>
|
<center>F6, H7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>42.2%</center>
|
<center>E7, H7, I6</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, I8, J9, K10</center>
|
<center>G8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.D2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>J11</center>
|
<center>66.7%</center>
|
<center>F10?</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>57.4%</center>
|
<center>K10, J7, J6, D8, D7</center>
|
<center>E8, F7, E7, D9, I6, G9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>36.0%</center>
|
<center>H8, H7, I8</center>
|
<center>E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.E2'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>70%</center>
|
<center>I7</center>
|
<center>H7, F7, E8, G6, D8, D9</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>55.6%</center>
|
<center>H8, K10</center>
|
<center>H7, E8</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A11'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>H6</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>F6?</center>
|
<center>G6, E6, E7</center>
|-
|
<center>D3</center>
|
<center>69.2%</center>
|
<center>G5?, J9?</center>
|
<center>G7</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.7%</center>
|
<center>F5?, E6?</center>
|
<center>D7</center>
|-
|
<center>C10</center>
|
<center>10.0%</center>
|
<center>E9, F8, G7</center>
|
<center>-</center>
|- bgcolor="#9999CC"
|
<center>'''1.A12'''</center>
|
<center>'''Win rate'''</center>
|
<center>'''Good response'''</center>
|
<center>'''Bad Response'''</center>
|-
|
<center>F8</center>
|
<center>87.5%</center>
|
<center>J8?</center>
|
<center>J9, H7, H8, F7, E8</center>
|-
|
<center>E4</center>
|
<center>75.0%</center>
|
<center>H6?</center>
|
<center>F5, G5, H4, I4</center>
|-
|
<center>G7</center>
|
<center>44.3%</center>
|
<center>D5?</center>
|
<center>K10</center>
|}

===Fourth, fifth move...===

This is where the tough part comes... to actually play Hex :-) One thing important in early games seems to be to cover ground placing far apart from both your own and your opponent's stones rather than building small chains. Another common strategy seems to be to build walls in the same direction as your edge (see figure). These builds in both directions and can be seen as a half-move in both direction. It also hinders the opponent a little to get around from both sides. These walls can extend quite long, I've seen five or six in a row. Notice that in the example below, black is connected to the top edge through one of the templates. Thus if blacks last move was '''E5''', this is probably a better idea than lets say '''H3'''.