Edge templates

Hi there!

I'm cataloging a lot of edge templates I've found by seeing them a lot of times in my games, and by reviewing games by strong players and play a kind of "next move" game ;) Some of them are to be found in David King's page.

My question is, what do you think about naming them? I don't really like the naming in Browne's book (also used in hexwiki), but what's the popular thought about that naming policy?

I think a new naming system is not a bad idea. However, you should know that having a large collection of templates is not the best way to improve at Hex. I don't really have many templates memorized - I usually re-derive most of them as I need them. There are also some important connection patterns that don't necessarily qualify as templates:

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,b2b3d3c3g4a3i5c4h7d4g9e4f11f4e13f5f12g5g10h5h8j5i6k4d13l3c13m2b13a2a13a1f13

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2b8a4c7a6d6a8e5a9f4a10g3a11h2a12i1a13j1b13k1c13l1d13m1e13

In both cases black is connected. (By the way, these patterns don't continue forever. this is winning for white. Can you see how?)

Let me show you one shocking escape :)

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,h9h9j7h10f9e11g10f12g11g13g12f13k11j12k8

Or correct me please if there is another way of doing the same!

I'm still shocked for that winning for White. And still haven't found the answer. THAT is a cool problem :D

Thanks a lot, Shalev. And please, people, don't spoil the fun ;) I'm still trying, hehehehe (that was not meant for you, Arek.... as long as it's link, I'm free to click on them or not, hehe)

Gregorio, Arek's link isn't related to my puzzle. He's just giving an example of a very strange escape.

Arek, that's really cool! I cleaned up the escape to turn it into a puzzle: Black to move and win.

ah, ok! great! Now I have two puzzles! :D

Nice puzzles.

By the way, this is why the first pattern I mentioned doesn't generalize (white wins in this position).

Sporuler
1st probem?

Hum no after 35.g4 I can't find a continuation.

Shalev, I'm missing Black's defence for your second template. How does Black play after this: http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2b8a4c7a6d6a8e5a9f4a10g3a11h2a12i1a13j1b13k1c13l1d13m1e13a7b7c4c5b3

?

Hahaha, Marius, that's awesome! I never realized this. I guess my template is wrong!

Marius, what about 31.c3?

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2b8a4c7a6d6a8e5a9f4a10g3a11h2a12i1a13j1b13k1c13l1d13m1e13a7b7c4c5b3c3d3b5

Forget about it :P

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2b8a4c7a6d6a8e5a9f4a10g3a11h2a12i1a13j1b13k1c13l1d13m1e13a7b7c4c5b3c3d3b5b4

yeah, that's why I said "forget about it", hehehe

1st pattern non-generalization new tries:

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2a3b3b4c4c5d5d6e6e7f7g7f8h6f9i5f10j4f11k3f12l2f13m1g13d7h13c6i13b5j13a4k13e2f6g3f3g1h3g4f4h2d3e5h5i3f5e3 here

and

http://www.trmph.com/hex/board#13,a2a3b3b4c4c5d5d6e6e7f7g7f8h6f9i5f10j4f11k3f12l2f13m1g13d7h13c6i13b5j13a4k13e2f6g3f3f4h4g5e5d3e4g1d4c3f2f1g2h1h2i1j2i2i3h3 here

on right tracks?

Carroll, e2 is not the intended first move. It might still work, I didn't check, but there's a much simpler solution. Here's the intended solution: SPOILER

Yes clever, would you say the mediatrice is usually a good way to join two segments?

Good, Shalev, I really didn't find a defence against those moves - glad you agree there were none! :-)

The template works if you reduce the size of the board with one row, though. Then my suggested attack falls just short of connecting, I think.