The bridge: the most important pattern in Hex
Two stones with two empty cells between them can’t be cut apart. Learn to make bridges and to answer when your opponent pushes into one. Bridges and edges · lesson 1 of 3.
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The lesson in words
These two gold stones don’t touch, but they share two empty neighbours. That’s a bridge.
If Ivory plays in one of the two cells, you play in the other, and your stones stay connected. A bridge is safe, and it covers ground twice as fast as stones side by side.
Your stone is in the middle. Build towards your bottom edge.
Try it: Make a bridge towards the bottom.
Ivory has pushed into your bridge.
Try it: Keep your stones connected.
Bridges cover ground twice as fast and can’t be cut. Next: connecting to your edge.