Chromatix 2015

Chromatix is a connection game (in the vein of Hex) for three players. The game is played on a “hexhex” board (a hexagon shaped board made of hexagonal cells). Opposite sides of the board are labeled in the three secondary colors orange, purple, and green. One player owns the orange sides, another owns the purple sides, and the final player owns the green sides. The playing stones are the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. Each player plays the primary colors that mix to form his/her secondary color (e.g. the player who owns the orange sides plays the red and yellow stones). On his turn, a player must play a single stone in one of his/her two primary colors ("own-stones") to any empty cell. Once placed, stones do not move. Corner cells belong to both of the sides that meet there.

A player can win in two ways: if there is (a) a group of own-stones that connects his sides; or (b) a group of own-stones that connects three non-adjacent sides. If more than one win criterion is achieved simultaneously, then the winner is the first player in move order (beginning with mover) who has thus fulfilled a win criterion. A player who is blocked from both ways of winning is eliminated from the game (but his/her stones remain on the board).

One last rule is the “STOP-NEXT” rule: A player may NOT play in a way that leaves the next player with an immediate win on his/her next turn. (In other words, you must block the next player if possible.)

Chromatix was inspired by the three player connection game Triskelion, designed by Bill Taylor and Joao Neto.