Contents
38 wooden hexagons — 19 red and 19 black
Carrying bag
Instructions
Object
of the
Game
To form, using six hexagons of one’s color, any of the three winn i n g s h a p e s s h o w n b e l o w. T h e t h r e e w i n n i n g s h a p e s a r e :
Triangle
Line
Ring
Note that the middle point of the ring may be vacant, or occupied by a
hexagon of either color.
Setup
Determine which player will playes with which color. Distribute to each player
18 hexagons of their color and place the remaining two hexagons (one red,
one black) edge-to-edge with one another in the centre of the table.
2
Basic
rules
(2-Player)
Players take turns placing one hexagon at a time.
Black starts and must place a hexagon edge-to-edge (not corner to corner) with the initial red hexagon but may not connect with the initial black
hexagon (see example 1).
Subsequent hexagons may be placed anywhere, so long as they connect
with a hexagon already on the table (see example 2).
If all 38 hexagons have been placed without either player winning, play
continues with the players taking turns moving a previously-placed hexagon
of their color to a new location of their choosing. The player may not move a
hexagon if it would leave the other hexagons divided into two or more separate groups (see examples 3 & 4).
Note: This rule is changed in the Advanced Rules (see page XX)
As soon as a player forms a winning shape with hexagons of their color and
declares that they have done so, that player wins (see examples 5 and 6).
If a winning shape is formed but goes unnoticed, it may be declared on a
subsequent turn, so long as the other player has not won in the meantime.
Four-Player
rules
The four-player game is played in the same way as with two players, except
that the players are divided into teams of two. Teammates sit opposite each
other, and each player takes nine hexagons. The black team chooses which
of its two players will start, and play then proceeds clockwise. No pointing
or verbal communication between teammates is allowed.
3
Example 1
There are only
three legal first
moves for black
as shown by the
shaded spots.
Example 2
Both players have
played five hexagons (not counting
the initial setup).
It is black’s move,
and the player
holding black may
place a hexagon at
any of the shaded
spots.
4
Example 3
All the hexagons
are on the table.
If it is red’s move,
they may, for instance, move the
marked hexagon
to the shaded spot,
as indicated by the
arrow.
Example 4
None of the marked
hexagons may be
moved, because
doing so would divide the remaining
hexagons into two
or more groups.
5
Example 5
A move at the shaded spot would form
a ring for black and
win the game. If it
is black's turn, they
should play there to
win; if it is red's, they
should play there to
prevent black from
winning.
Example 6
The marked hexagon is effectively
a winning move
for black. Either of
the shaded spaces
would form a line
and win, and red
can only block one
of them. Black will
play the other on
his next move and
win.
6
Advanced Rules
The first phase of the game is played exactly as in the basic rules, but once
the players have finished placing all their hexagons and begin moving
them, the following rules apply:
A hexagon may be moved so as to divide the remaining hexagons into
two or more disconnected groups. If this is done, all groups except for the
largest are removed from play. Both players continue moving the remaining
hexagons (see example 7).
If a move results in two groups of equal number of pieces, the player whose
move split the groups gets to choose which group is removed.
If, after removing the smaller group(s), a player is left with five or fewer
hexagons of their color in play, the opponent wins. If both players are simultaneously reduced to five or fewer hexagons, the game is a draw (see example 8).
Example 7 (Advanced)
Example 8 (Advanced)
If black makes the indicated move,
both X-marked hexagons will be
captured and removed.
Because the two groups are the
same size, red can choose which is
captured. If they choose the group
to the right, black is left with only
five hexagons and red wins.
7