Difference between revisions of "Ladder escape"

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<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>
 
<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>
  
A ladder escape can be thought of as a little boost for the attacker, giving them just enough extra space to get past the defender's chain.
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A ladder escape can be thought of as a little boost for the attacker, giving them just enough extra space to get past the defender's chain. The h8 piece is called a '''second row ladder escape piece''' because it lets the ladder escape to the bottom edge past blue's defences.
  
However, it is not '''necessary''' to have an escape piece on the projected path of the ladder in order to escape it.
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The two red stones on the right in the following position can be used to escape red's third row ladder and enable red to win the game.
  
=== Third Row Example ===
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<hexboard size="9x9"
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  coords="hide"
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  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R 2:c7 B a8 B 1:b8 B 3:c8"
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  />
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However blue plays the ladder, red will somehow be able to use the stones to connect to the bottom edge and win the game. For example
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<hexboard size="9x9"
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  coords="hide"
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  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R c7 R 1:d7 R 3:e7 R 5:f7 B a8 B b8 B c8 B 2:d8 B 4:e8 B 6:f8 R 7:h8"
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  />
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or
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<hexboard size="9x9"
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  coords="hide"
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  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R c7 R 1:d7 R 3:e7 E *:g7 B a8 B b8 B c8 B 2:d8 R 5:e8 R 7:f8 E *:g8 R 9:h8 B 6:d9 B 4:e9 B 8:f9"
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  />
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(here red can connect piece 7 to the group on the right in two ways via the starred hexes, and blue cannot block both). The two red stones on the right form a '''third row ladder escape template'''. All players should know the basic [[ladder escape template|ladder escape templates]] for second and third row ladders. An external resource listing many ladder escape templates is http://www.drking.org.uk/hexagons/hex/templates.html .
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=== Creating a ladder escape ===
  
 
In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece.  Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.
 
In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece.  Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.
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   />
 
   />
  
=== Second Row Example ===
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=== Another Example ===
  
 
In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group either via Red's second row ladder or higher up.
 
In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group either via Red's second row ladder or higher up.

Revision as of 20:18, 20 May 2016

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

abcdefghi123456789

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

abcdefghi123456789135792468

A ladder escape can be thought of as a little boost for the attacker, giving them just enough extra space to get past the defender's chain. The h8 piece is called a second row ladder escape piece because it lets the ladder escape to the bottom edge past blue's defences.

The two red stones on the right in the following position can be used to escape red's third row ladder and enable red to win the game.

213

However blue plays the ladder, red will somehow be able to use the stones to connect to the bottom edge and win the game. For example

1352467

or

132579648

(here red can connect piece 7 to the group on the right in two ways via the starred hexes, and blue cannot block both). The two red stones on the right form a third row ladder escape template. All players should know the basic ladder escape templates for second and third row ladders. An external resource listing many ladder escape templates is http://www.drking.org.uk/hexagons/hex/templates.html .

Creating a ladder escape

In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece. Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112131

After the sequence to Red 3, Blue cannot stop both of Red's non-overlapping connections.

abcdefghijklm12345678910111213321

Another Example

In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group either via Red's second row ladder or higher up.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112131

After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112137561324

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