Havannah
Havannah is very similar to hex, it's also played on a hexagonal board, however the board is bigger and "6-sided", with sides typically beeing 10 cells wide. The goal is basically to connect 3 sides.
Rules
The game starts on an empty board. Players move in turn to place one stone on an empty cell.
The game is won by the first player to complete a ring or a bridge or a fork. All of these are 'chains': closed connections of one color.
- A ring is a chain around at least one cell (vacant or not doesn't matter)
- A bridge is a chain linking two corners
- A fork is a chain linking three sides. Corners do not belong to sides
Strategy
Havannah is a strategic game. Not very much is currently known about the best strategy (compared to go). Some tactical structures are similar to hex.
- The strategic goal is connecting three sides, often the "goals" of connecting 2 corners or making a ring exist only as tactical threats.
- Virtual Connections (as in hex): (at least 2) stones that are connected even if the opponent plays first locally (could be called a tactical "miai"-situation)
- "Dead" Stones: Stones that are encircled and can't reach any of the game's goals, and are thus no longer participating in the game.
- The game seems to demand very strategic decisions, with some tactical implications - especially in the first phase of the game. - - which group will be running in what direction, and where/how can it be stopped?
- ...gaining influence in the right places during the first moves might enable a tactical attack later on in the game --???
Terminology
- "Frame": unbreakable connection in the last phase of the game; it's winning only, if the opponent is not able to complete a frame faster.
"Unprogrammable"...
...for the same reason as go: missing intuition especially during the first moves, to recognize influence & the direction of play; the unability to understand the meaning of a move and to see the strategic value of moves beyond the tactical horizon.
The Challenge
"The inventor has, in the summer 2002 issue of Abstract Games, put a $1000 prize money on a program that can beat him one out of ten (!!) games within the next decade."
Similarity of connection games to go
One aspect of go is staying connected & to connect (during running/pushing fight, invading territory+break out). Whereas in go connecting is not the goal of game, just a means, in connection games it is the only goal.
You can also recognize virtual connections in a game of go, and during a practical game you often will have to check if they are really ones and can't be broken.
Play (1)
http://www.mindsports.net/Arena/Havannah/ excellent site; Tutorials+Server for Playing ("offline play")
Play (2)
http://141.57.11.163/havannah/online/ A simple java applet to play against each other (live) & a simple computer opponent
(STATUS: Did work, but now the server seems to be down.)
How to play:
Port 1962 very simple computer opponent
Port 1964 size 4
Port 1966 size 6
Port 1970 size 10 (full size)
Both players have to press "Spiel starten" about at the same time (during 60 seconds). Wait a short moment. If it doesn't work reload the page containing the applet within the browser!
To arrange a game, use public chat on http://www.k2z.org (twixt-server) or http://www.kurnik.pl/en (room hex) (I'm xurux!!)
Other Links
-
HavannahGui 0.6a is now available for download; support for loading/saving/editing sgf-files (havannah game records) with variations + a framework for experiments with a computer player.
See also
Other Games Considered Unprogrammable
Connecting Techniques (in Go)
Connection Games
This is a copy of the living page
"Havannah" at
Sensei's Library.
2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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