Visavis 1995

An abstract strategy game played on a special board. Two players, X and O, take turns placing a bridge between any two of their adjacent pegs not blocked by an existing bridge. The first player to complete a connected chain of bridges between their sides wins. Ties are not possible.

Visavis is a Shannon switching game on the edges and belongs to the same class of connection games as Bridg-It and TwixT (and to some extend Trellis). Even though a trivial winning strategy has been found for Bridg-It (called Connexxions on the server) Visavis consists of a more complex system of overlaid triangular grids that allows richer variety of play, and no winning strategy is known.

Michail Antonow points out that different tactics must be applied when blocking an opponent's rightward path as opposed to a leftward path. The path can be abruptly cut by a single piece in one direction only; in the opposite direction a single bridge will only divert the path and two bridges are needed for a successful block.

The rules state that a bridge can be placed between any two adjacent pegs of the same colour. However since it can never help to place a bridge between the opponent's pegs, then it is assumed that all moves are made between the current player's pegs. This also simplifies the board notation.