Difference between revisions of "Ladder escape"

From HexWiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎Added first example of alternate ladder escape)
m (→‎Related articles: Added link)
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 3: Line 3:
 
<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6      Vh8</hex>
 
<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6      Vh8</hex>
  
−
It allows [[Red (player)|Red]] (the [[attacking player]]) to [[jumping|jump]] a move ahead of the ladder and [[win]] the game. Red can play along the ladder, forcing [[Blue (player)|Blue]]'s response at each step. After move 9 at g8, Red is [[connection|connected]] to the [[bottom edge|bottom]].
+
It allows [[Red (player)|Red]] (the [[ladder handling|attacker]]) to connect the ladder and [[win]] the game. Red can keep [[ladder handling|pushing]] the ladder, forcing [[Blue (player)|Blue]]'s response at each step. After move 9 at g8, Red is [[connection|connected]] to the bottom edge.
  
 
<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6      Vh8    Mc8 Mc9 Md8 Md9 Me8 Me9 Mf8 Mf9 Mg8</hex>
 
<hex>R9 C9 Q1 Ve3 Vd4 Vd5 Vc6 Vc7 Hb8 Hb9 Hd7 He6 Hf6      Vh8    Mc8 Mc9 Md8 Md9 Me8 Me9 Mf8 Mf9 Mg8</hex>
  
−
In general, for a ladder escape to be successful, it should be safely connected to the edge and not [[interfering patterns|interfere]] with the ladder's projected path.
+
A ladder escape can be thought of as a little boost for the attacker, giving them just enough extra space to get past the defender's chain. The h8 piece is called a '''second row ladder escape piece''' because it lets the ladder escape to the bottom edge past Blue's defences.
  
 +
Here is another example.
  
 +
The two red stones on the right in the following position can be used to escape Red's third row ladder and enable Red to win the game.
  
−
To escape a ladder, it is not necessary to have an escape piece on the projected path of the ladder.
+
<hexboard size="9x9"
 +
  coords="hide"
 +
  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R 2:c7 B a8 B 1:b8 B 3:c8"
 +
  />
 +
 
 +
However Blue plays the ladder, Red will somehow be able to use the stones to connect to the bottom edge and win the game. For example
 +
 
 +
<hexboard size="9x9"
 +
  coords="hide"
 +
  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R c7 R 1:d7 R 3:e7 R 5:f7 B a8 B b8 B c8 B 2:d8 B 4:e8 B 6:f8 R 7:h8"
 +
  />
 +
 
 +
or
 +
 
 +
<hexboard size="9x9"
 +
  coords="hide"
 +
  contents="R c2 B d2 B e2 R c3 B i3 R d4 R e4 R c5 B d5 B h5 B e6 R h6 R i6 R b7 R c7 R 1:d7 R 3:e7 E *:g7 B a8 B b8 B c8 B 2:d8 R 5:e8 R 7:f8 E *:g8 R 9:h8 B 6:d9 B 4:e9 B 8:f9"
 +
  />
 +
 
 +
(here Red can connect piece 7 to the group on the right in two ways via the starred hexes, and Blue cannot block both). The two red stones on the right form a '''third row ladder escape template'''. All players should know the basic [[ladder escape template|ladder escape templates]] for second and third row ladders. An external resource listing many ladder escape templates is http://www.drking.org.uk/hexagons/hex/templates.html .
 +
 
 +
=== Creating a ladder escape ===
 +
 
 +
In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece.  Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.
 +
<hexboard size="13x13"
 +
  contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
 +
  />
 +
After the sequence to Red 3, Blue cannot stop both of Red's non-overlapping connections.
 +
<hexboard size="13x13"
 +
  contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:h8 R e9 B f9 B c10 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 3:g10 R b11 B c11 R d11 R e11 B 2:f11 R 1:g11 R b12 B c12 B d12 B e12"
 +
  />
 +
 
 +
=== Another Example ===
  
−
In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the group above as a means of outrunning Blue's ladder.
+
In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group either via Red's second row ladder or higher up.
 
<hexboard size="13x13"
 
<hexboard size="13x13"
 
   contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 R d10 B e10 R c11 B d11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13"
 
   contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 R e9 B f9 R d10 B e10 R c11 B d11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13"
Line 19: Line 53:
 
After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.
 
After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.
 
<hexboard size="13x13"
 
<hexboard size="13x13"
−
   contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:g8 R e9 B f9 R 7:h9 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 5:i10 R c11 B d11 B 6:g11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 R 3:f12 B 2:g12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13 B 4:f13"
+
   contents="R i2 B j2 R m2 B g3 B i3 R k3 R g4 B h4 R i4 R h5 B j5 B f7 R g7 B e8 R f8 E *:h8 R e9 B f9 R 7:h9 R d10 B e10 E *:f10 R 5:i10 R c11 B d11 B 6:g11 R 1:h11 R c12 R d12 R e12 R 3:f12 B 2:g12 B b13 B c13 B d13 B e13 B 4:f13"
 
   />
 
   />
  
 
== Related articles ==
 
== Related articles ==
−
* [[ladder escape template]]
+
* [[Ladder escape template]]
−
* [[ladder escape fork]]
+
* [[Ladder escape fork]]
 +
* [[Near ladder escape]]
  
 
[[category:ladder]]
 
[[category:ladder]]

Latest revision as of 02:00, 8 January 2023

In the ladder situation below, the piece h8 is a ladder escape, or an escape piece.

abcdefghi123456789

It allows Red (the attacker) to connect the ladder and win the game. Red can keep pushing the ladder, forcing Blue's response at each step. After move 9 at g8, Red is connected to the bottom edge.

abcdefghi123456789135792468

A ladder escape can be thought of as a little boost for the attacker, giving them just enough extra space to get past the defender's chain. The h8 piece is called a second row ladder escape piece because it lets the ladder escape to the bottom edge past Blue's defences.

Here is another example.

The two red stones on the right in the following position can be used to escape Red's third row ladder and enable Red to win the game.

213

However Blue plays the ladder, Red will somehow be able to use the stones to connect to the bottom edge and win the game. For example

1352467

or

132579648

(here Red can connect piece 7 to the group on the right in two ways via the starred hexes, and Blue cannot block both). The two red stones on the right form a third row ladder escape template. All players should know the basic ladder escape templates for second and third row ladders. An external resource listing many ladder escape templates is http://www.drking.org.uk/hexagons/hex/templates.html .

Creating a ladder escape

In this example, Red has no third row ladder escape piece. Red 1 provides an escape by threatening to connect to the main group.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112131

After the sequence to Red 3, Blue cannot stop both of Red's non-overlapping connections.

abcdefghijklm12345678910111213321

Another Example

In the example below, Red 1 threatens to connect to the main group either via Red's second row ladder or higher up.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112131

After the sequence to Red 7, Red can now connect 5 back to the main group through either of the spaces marked with *.

abcdefghijklm123456789101112137561324

Related articles

Retrieved from "https://www.hexwiki.net/index.php?title=Ladder_escape&oldid=7934"