Game guide · SXSS56
Your guide to Hex
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Play on a 7×7 hexagonal board. Blue connects top to bottom; red connects left to right.
7×7 Hex with optional opening swap, basic local computer strategy and same-device two-player mode. Not internet matchmaking.
Bring this focus to a round
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. After the opening stone, the second player can swap colours and goal edges instead of placing a stone.
What you need to achieve
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Start here and follow along
- Play on a 7×7 hexagonal board. Blue connects top to bottom; red connects left to right.
- Place one stone in an empty cell. Once placed, stones stay fixed.
- After the opening stone, the second player can swap colours and goal edges instead of placing a stone.
- The first connected path across the assigned edges wins. Select computer play or two players on one device before a round.
How your actions work
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. Tap an empty hexagon. Swap sides is available only to the second player immediately after the first stone. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
See how the rules apply
Check the rule below as you play. A blue chain joining the top and bottom edges wins even if it bends across the board. Cells sharing only a point are not neighbours. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
An important reminder
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Two touching corners are not a shared hexagon edge. A legal connection uses one of each cell’s six edge neighbours. The game area remains available above the explanation.
Questions about this game
For this game, what is the aim of Hex?
Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of your stones. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
On this page, how do the controls work?
Tap an empty hexagon. Swap sides is available only to the second player immediately after the first stone. You can start a new round from the game controls.
During a round, can you show an example?
A blue chain joining the top and bottom edges wins even if it bends across the board. Cells sharing only a point are not neighbours. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
On this page, which mistake should I avoid?
Two touching corners are not a shared hexagon edge. A legal connection uses one of each cell’s six edge neighbours. A new round resets the current game.
When I start, what rules and limits are used here?
7×7 Hex with optional opening swap, basic local computer strategy and same-device two-player mode. Not internet matchmaking. No download or player account is required.
When I start, how many people can play here?
Computer or same-device 2 players. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
For this game, which sides am I connecting?
The caption shows your current colour. Blue links top and bottom; red links left and right. You can start a new round from the game controls.
For this game, what changes when I swap?
The players exchange colours and goals. The opening stone stays on the same cell. The instructions above use these same rules.
During a round, can I move a placed stone?
No. Each turn places one new stone on an empty cell. A new round resets the current game.
For this game, can I play with another person?
Yes, by selecting two players on this device. There is no online room or remote opponent. A new round resets the current game.