Havannah

   

The connection game 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.

http://www.mindsports.net/Arena/Havannah/pics/HavannahBoard.GIF

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.

  • "Frame": unbreakable connection in the last phase of the game; in contrast to hex, it is only winning, if the opponent is not able to complete his frame faster.
  • 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.

"Unprogrammable"...

...for the same reason as go: missing intuition especially during the first moves, to recognize influence and 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 and to connect (during running/pushing fight, invading territory and breaking 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.


Where to Play?

(1) "Offline"-Play

[ext] http://www.mindsports.net/Arena/Havannah/ excellent site; Tutorials+Server for Playing ("offline play")

(2) "Online", 2 Players

new URL: [ext] http://141.57.11.163/havannah/ !!

A simple java applet to play against each other (live) and a simple computer opponent

  • Port 1962 for very simple computer opponent,
  • Port 1964 size 4,
  • Port 1966 size 6,
  • Port 1970 size 10 (full size)

Both players have to press "Start Game" 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!

Download source (applet and server):
cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@141.57.11.163:/var/lib/cvs/havannah checkout havannah


To arrange a game, you can use public chat on [ext] http://www.k2z.org (twixt-server) or [ext] http://www.kurnik.pl/en (room hex) etc...


Other Links

  • [ext] HavannahGui 0.6a *new*, written in Java
    • loading/saving/editing of havannah game records (saved as sgf) with variations is possible
    • provides a framework (gui) for programming/attaching a computer player (if you want to write one, you can do so with adding only ten lines of java-code; every other language is also possible!)

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.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About