Hex:
A Strategy Guide

m1 swap j9 i5 d5 (Diagram 314): The players begin by claiming the corners of the board.

e9: White takes the other obtuse corner in order to strengthen the southwest edge. Now White has both obtuse corners, which is strong, but they’ve left Black with two j9-like acute corners, which is also very strong. Even though would still have been attacking thanks to , White elects to play on the short diagonal. This is more strongly attached to the southwest, but invades less of Black’s space along the southeast edge.

h6: Probably the best place for Black to cut through the short diagonal.

i10: White challenges with an outside intrusion.

i9: Typical response to an outside intrusion.

j11 k11 j12 k12 k10 l8 l10 m9 m10 (Diagram 315): Continuation of this acute corner pattern. Black may be playing the clock with m9 m10 (under some time controls, players get extra time when they make a move, so occasionally you will see seemingly unnecessary sequences played because a player is trying to bank time for later).

g10: Exactly fits the edge of the board with Template A-4.

f12: Perhaps White wants e11 c12 d13. The extra stone on c12 would help connect connect to the southwest with less space, and there’s also the potential follow-up of f10 f11 for additional territory. However White’s ignoring the principle that you should avoid weak blocks in the middle of your opponent’s connecting area. This leaves open the possibility of a minmaxing response, if Black can find a good one.

g8: Minmaxing move. Black can keep as a threat now. For example if e11 h11 h10 g11 then Black still threatens or .

h10: White still wants that territory on by cutting off the risk of Black playing , perhaps expecting the response e11 c12 d13.

d8 (Diagram 316): Instead of the “obvious” e11 (which leads to the followup c12 d13), Black keeps multiple paths open through this minmaxing move. If White cuts off directly with c10, Black can respond with e11, and there’s no point in White playing c12 d13. Notice how much better this outcome is for Black as compared to e11 c12 d13, since this way Black gets the stone on d8.

e11: Instead of c10, White responds with e11. But Black has a second threat, as we’ll see next.

d11 c10 e10: This is the other threat of Black’s move 23. White must block from connecting to the southeast, hence c10. Black’s e10 is forced.

h4 f5 h5 f7: White will eventually want to block from connecting to . Doing so will send the game towards the northern obtuse corner. So White first tries to get some territory in the area by threatening to cut off from the northwest. Black’s responses keep the group connected to the northwest, with Template L-5a.

f9 f10 g9 h9 h8 (Diagram 317): Here’s the block.

i7 i8 k7 j7: Forcing moves by Black. Notice how the game is moving towards the northern obtuse corner. Now we’ll see if White’s territory gained on moves 28–31 will be enough.

l4: Note that k6 would not be connected to the northeast edge for White. Alternatively, if l5, Black gets a winning second-row ladder through k6 j6 k5 and either k3 m2 or l3 j4 j3 k3, with and escaping any second-row ladders.

k5: If Black plays l5 then k6 l6 l3 k4 k3 j5 i6. But Black has a better plan.

j6 k6 m5 l3 k4: Now is connected to the southeast, while is connected to the northwest. White resigns.

l3 swap j9 f5 d5 (Diagram 318): Opening. l3 is an unusual opening, I don’t know if it’s strong or weak. White plays a “step back” from the j9-equivalent e4 with f5.

d3 c3 c4 b6: Common variation of the low intrusion. Black’s – group is almost connected.

i5 k4: Obtuse corner and response.

j10 i10: High intrusion to j9. Serves as a ladder escape after j6 k6 k5 m4.

j3: With nearly connected to the northwest edge, White tries to salvage some territory but risks being undermined.

l2 l3 k3 j6 l5: Black begins to undermine White with the connection to the northwest.

g11 (Diagram 319): White tries to resist the obvious move k7 by threatening to cut off from the southeast edge.

h9: Black plays a minmax type move in response. This group isn’t totally connected to the southeast should White play h12, but there are strong responses for Black.

k7: The intrusion on move 20 has really only strengthened Black’s position. White plays k7 now.

l8 l7: With this move Black has ensured that is now strongly connected to the southeast, since can be used to initiate a ladder-escape fork for a third-row ladder. also threatens to connect to , forcing the White response and handing the initiative back to Black.

j7 k6: Black takes territory. Note the Trapezoid template.

g6: Note that i6 could be connected to after White’s response j5. If White plays h4, Black responds with e6, leaving them in a very strong position, for example e5 d6 e2 e3 f2 f3 g2 h3 g3 g4.