Overview

Hex

헥스

Place stones to connect your two opposite sides—Hex never ends in a draw.

Elegant rules, brutal tactics: every move both builds your path and blocks your opponent.

Players: 2P Session length: 10-45 min

Abstract StrategyConnection GameBoard Game

Goal & Core Rules

Be the first to form an unbroken chain of your stones connecting your two assigned board edges.

Players alternate placing one stone of their color on any empty hex cell.
Once placed, stones do not move for the rest of the game.
You win immediately when your stones connect your two opposite sides.
Hex cannot end in a draw: a full board always has exactly one winner.
Common optional rule: after the first move, the second player may swap colors (the swap/pie rule) to reduce first-move advantage.

Controls

Mouse

Left click: place a stone on a cell
Click a highlighted move (if supported): confirm placement
Undo/Restart buttons (if provided)

Keyboard

Arrow keys/Tab: move focus (if supported)
Space/Enter: place stone (if supported)
U: undo / R: restart (if supported)

Touch

Tap: place a stone
Pinch/drag: pan/zoom (if supported)
Undo/Restart buttons (if provided)

Beginner Tips

Think in terms of ‘bridges’: two-step connections that are hard to block cleanly.
Avoid playing only on the edge—central influence usually matters more.
Before placing, ask: does this move also interfere with the opponent’s best route?

Advanced Tips

Learn common virtual-connection patterns to create threats that can’t be stopped in one move.
Use the swap rule strategically: a ‘too strong’ opening move invites a swap.
Look for forcing moves that create double threats (two possible connections at once).

Origins & History

Hex was invented in 1942 by Danish polymath Piet Hein and later independently rediscovered by mathematician John Nash in the late 1940s. It was marketed widely after Parker Brothers released a commercial set in 1952.

Timeline

1942 Piet Hein invents the game and introduces it at the Niels Bohr Institute.
1948 John Nash independently rediscovers the game at Princeton (late 1940s).
1952 Parker Brothers markets the game under the name “Hex”.

Notable People

Piet Hein Invented Hex (1942)
John Nash Independently rediscovered and popularized Hex in the late 1940s

Trivia

Because draws are impossible, every move has long-term strategic consequences.
The swap (pie) rule is widely used to offset first-player advantage.

Sources

FAQ

Why can’t Hex end in a draw?

On a completely filled board, exactly one player must have a connecting path between their sides, so the game always has a winner.

What is the swap (pie) rule?

After the first move, the second player may choose to swap sides/colors. This discourages overly strong opening moves.

What board size should I start with?

Smaller boards like 7×7 or 9×9 help you learn patterns quickly before moving to 11×11 and larger.

Hex