- BGG rank
- BGG #182
- BGG rating
- 7.8
War Chest
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2018
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- BGG rating
- 6.8
Hexagonal Chess
1936
Rules assistance for Hexagonal Chess
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 40 min
- 10+
- Complexity 3.9/5
Rules assistant for Hexagonal Chess
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hexagonal Chess is a board game released in 1936 for 2 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Władyslaw Gliński and its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
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About the game
Over the years a number of chess variants have been proposed for boards featuring hexagonally shaped cells (commonly called hexes). The most popular of these is Hexagonal Chess which was invented in 1936 by Wladyslaw Glinski of Poland. David Pritchard says, in the Encyclopedia of Chess Variants, that Glinski's game is played by over half-a-million people, mostly in Eastern Europe. It features a hexagonally-shaped (of course) 3-colour board. Otherwise, it differs from traditional chess in that it has 9 pawns and three bishops--one for each colour. The set-up naturally varies from that of a square board, but beyond that, much of the play is fairly similar.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- John Jaques of London
- WOSI "Wspólna Sprawa"
- Spółdzielnia Pracy "Jedność" Cieszyn
- Catamount Games
Questions and answers
Hexagonal Chess supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Hexagonal Chess is 40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Hexagonal Chess for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Hexagonal Chess has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Hexagonal Chess belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Hexagonal Chess are: Władyslaw Gliński. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Hexagonal Chess as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.