Setup
Start on an empty 11×11 rhombus of hexagonal cells. White connects top to bottom; Black connects left to right.
Hex
Connect your two opposite edges with an unbroken chain of stones.
No one is playing yet0 waiting rooms
Moves and captures
Place one stone in an empty hex. Stones are never moved or captured. Adjacent hexes share a side, giving each interior cell six neighbours.
Winning and draws
An unbroken chain between your goal edges wins immediately. A completely filled standard Hex board cannot be a draw.
Special rules
ChessPlayX plays Hex without the swap (pie) rule: White always places the first stone, and Black cannot take it over. Tournament Hex usually adds the swap rule to offset the first-move advantage.
Read the full guide
Board setup, special rules and winning conditions for Hex.
A chain may wind around the board, but an opponent's stone can never complete your connection.
A quick guide to Hex
Read the Hex rulesWhat is Hex?
Hex is a two-player connection game on an 11×11 rhombus of hexagonal cells. Each player links a pair of opposite edges. Players take turns placing a stone on an empty cell; stones never move and are never captured. White links top and bottom, and Black left and right. The first unbroken chain wins, and a full Hex board can never end in a draw.
Can a game of Hex end in a draw?
No. When the board fills, exactly one player has an unbroken chain between their two edges, so Hex always has a winner. On ChessPlayX's 11 × 11 board, White links top and bottom and Black links left and right.
Does ChessPlayX Hex use the swap (pie) rule?
No. White always places the first stone, and Black cannot take it over. Without the swap rule the first player has an advantage, which is why tournament Hex usually adds it; on ChessPlayX it is currently not available.
How can I play with a friend?
Share one device for a local game, or choose the friend option above to create an online room and send its invitation. Online games need an internet connection. Local games are saved in this browser.
Play Hex on one deviceWhich rules apply here?
Hex. Read the setup, legal moves, special rules and end conditions before starting. The guide describes the variant used on ChessPlayX, including differences from other versions where relevant.
Read the Hex rulesCan I play against AI?
Choose AI mode to practice at your own pace. Start with a lower difficulty while learning the moves, then increase it when you can spot threats and plan your replies.