Can we add hex with 2 stones at a time? "Double Hex"

The rules are same as regular hex but in this version you place 2 stones at a time instead of 1. The pie rule is no longer required, instead to create balance the 1-2-2 rule will be used. (Player A places 1 stone, player B places 2 stones, Player A places 2 stones...)

The strategy is much different than regular hex but that's ok that's where the fun comes in, its like a completely new game. Tactics such as the diamond bridge (2 stones with 2 adjacent empty hexes) are no longer is a unbreakable bond. The ability to play on two sides of the board at once also comes into play. In my opinion double hex works much better on larger boards as opposed to smaller ones.

Has anyone tried this variant before? If so what are your thoughts? I think that it will be a good and easy addition to add to the site.

It has been discussed in this forum before. Some players had tried it, (face to face I think).

Yeah I proposed this some time ago too :) It was not all that warmly welcomed :) Though I still think it would be very nice and worthwhile addition, with little additional effort.

I mean, its not as if Double Hex will replace Hex. Its just a fun variant that can be played optionally. Its a brand new game.

And size of board ?

I would only suggest that, if implemented, it should go under the name "Duplex"

size=18 ? just for fun. I'm getting bored with odd sized hex boards ;)

I feel that whatever we give to 12* Hex, it should still have “Hex” in it. “Duplex” isn’t recognisable enough as a Hex variant, and a lot of games could potentially be adapted to use the 12* protocol.

I suppose so.  It just seemed to align with other Hex-variant names like Nex, Rex, Pex, Projex...

I forgot those existed. I guess Dex might work then haha

I agree a large board would be best. 18x18 or 19x19

Heh "little additional effort" :-) Thank you Richard for even considering this.

Smaller boards can be simpler to understand what are new patterns.

I also wonder - in hex central move (without swap) is definitely the best move, even in large boards?

Hi

Do we have "double chess" and "double go" implemented already? :P

IIRC this is typically called "Master Hex" - at least that's what I read in THIS BOOK. All in favor of it at any size, but believe it will be better on a larger board.

I'm also interested in this protocol for Y and especially on a pentagonal board (make a Y that connects three sides, one of which is not adjacent).

Any board is great, I guess 13 for starting to understand what the game is about, and for more serious play 19 would be needed, considering that board would be filling up twice as fast (though maybe that matters little and even 13 would be tense and serious as hell, with hard to make predictions for) :)

Why not both ;) I've played Master Y (the game of Y but with 2 stones at once) on IGGAMECENTER.com and it certainly took me a while to understand some of the new strategies.  Maybe a 14x14 board and a 19x19?

18 is the nearest integer to 13 sqrt(2), for as long a game...

I find even boards somehow weird :) But maybe that is a good reason to have them :)

I think this could be very interesting, in particular to have connections whose security against threat is a fraction of a move like 0.5 or 1.5

@Arek Kulczycki: For a go-like multiple move game check Sygo at Christian's site mindsports.nl.

I'd be willing to test this out with someone at IGGamecenter

Maybe

I'll just say that I'm super anticipating this :) Can add me to first tournament automatically :D

One of you will have to ask Richard to implement this because I asked him for the last variant addition (hex7 Catchup).

Please do it quickly because I want to ask him to implement hex5.5 Blooms right after.