SANQI

Overview

SANQI (“The Game of Three”) is a two-player abstract strategy board game designed by L. Lynn Smith, played on a hexagonal grid. Inspired by the Chinese divination system, the game uses three colors of stones. Players take turns either placing a new stone or changing the color of an existing stone to match its neighbors. One player’s goal is to create a circle of six stones of the same color, while the other player tries to create a triangle of six same-colored stones. Despite its apparently simple rules, SANQI offers considerable strategic depth.

Components

• 1 Hexagonal game board (hexagonal grid pattern)
• Stones in 3 colors (e.g., red, blue, yellow)

Setup

Place the empty hexagonal board between players. Decide which player will pursue the circle goal and which will pursue the triangle goal. Divide stones by color and place them within reach. The circle player goes first.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On each turn, a player must perform exactly one of the following actions:

1. Place a Stone: Place a stone of any of the three colors on an empty hex on the board.
2. Change a Stone’s Color: Change the color of an existing stone on the board to match the color of one of its adjacent neighbors.

Actions

Placing a Stone

• Select any of the three available colors.
• Place the stone on any empty hex.
• Placement is unrestricted in terms of color or position (any empty hex is valid).

Changing a Stone’s Color

• Select any stone already on the board.
• Change it to the color of one of its immediately adjacent neighbors.
• The stone must have at least one adjacent neighbor whose color it can adopt.
• This allows players to transform the board state without adding new pieces.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Circle Player wins by forming a circle (ring) of 6 stones of the same color. The six stones must form a connected hexagonal ring on the board.

Triangle Player wins by forming a triangle of 6 stones of the same color. The six stones must form a triangular shape on the hexagonal grid.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Three Colors: The use of three colors (rather than two) creates complex strategic interactions. A move that helps your goal may inadvertently help your opponent.
• Color Changing: The ability to change existing stones’ colors makes the board state highly fluid. No position is permanent.
• Asymmetric Goals: The two players pursue different geometric shapes, creating asymmetric gameplay.
• Stalemate: If the board fills completely without either player achieving their goal, specific tiebreak rules apply.
• Strategic Depth: Although the rules are minimal, the interaction between three colors and two different target shapes creates deep strategic possibilities.

Player Reference

Action	Description
Place	Put a stone of any color on any empty hex
Change	Alter an existing stone’s color to match a neighbor’s

Circle Player Goal: Ring of 6 same-colored stones.

Triangle Player Goal: Triangle of 6 same-colored stones.