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HiveDuel
A sweet strategic duel.
HiveDuel is a one-on-one strategy game played on a tiny ten-cell hexagon board. Each side starts with four bees - a Queen, a Soldier, a Drone and a Worker - and each type moves in its own pattern, a little like pocket-sized chess.
Game overview
What is HiveDuel?
You win by capturing the enemy Queen, and captured bees change sides: you can drop them back onto the board as your own. With only ten cells, every step matters, and a single move can open a capture or a counterattack. Climb a ladder of 20 AI opponents from Bronze to Platinum, or take on real players in live 1 vs 1 matches.
At a glance
- Tap one of your bees, then tap a highlighted cell to move it.
- Move onto an enemy bee to capture it.
- A Worker that reaches the enemy zone is promoted to a V-Bee, which can move in four directions.
- Capture the enemy Queen to win. Captured bees can be dropped onto empty cells on your turn.
The board and the bees
A HiveDuel board has only ten hexagonal cells, stacked in seven short rows. The two rows nearest you are your zone, the two rows at the far end belong to your opponent, and the three rows in the middle are open ground. Each side starts with four bees: a Queen, a Soldier, a Drone and a Worker. Your Queen begins on the single cell at the very back.
Every bee moves exactly one cell per turn, but each type is allowed only certain directions. Think of it as a pocket-sized version of shogi, where the shape of a piece's moves is everything:
any of the six neighbouring cells.
straight forward, or diagonally backward to either side.
diagonally forward to either side, or straight back.
straight forward only.
forward, diagonally forward to either side, or straight back. It cannot step diagonally backward.
Your opponent's bees follow the same patterns, just facing the other way.
Capturing, dropping and promotion
Move onto a cell holding an enemy bee and you capture it. Captured bees are not gone for good: they join your side as prisoners, and on any later turn you can spend your move placing one of them on an empty cell instead of moving a bee on the board. The one limit is that you cannot drop a prisoner into your opponent's zone.
A Worker that walks into the opponent's zone is promoted on the spot to a V-Bee, which suddenly has four directions instead of one. If a V-Bee is captured, it turns back into a plain Worker in the capturer's tray.
How a game is won
There is one way to win: capture the enemy Queen. With only ten cells, a Queen never has much room, and the game warns you when yours is under threat. If the same position appears three times, or the game reaches 150 moves, it ends in a draw. Before a match against the AI, a coin toss decides who moves first.
Controls
Tap one of your bees to see where it can go, then tap a highlighted cell to move.
To drop a prisoner, tap it in your tray and then tap an empty cell.
An undo button at the top takes back your last move when you play the AI. Undo is not available in live matches.
The question mark next to the board opens the move guide at any time.
Modes
Climbing the AI ladder
The main mode is a ladder of 20 AI opponents split into four tiers: Bronze 1 to 5, Silver 6 to 10, Gold 11 to 15 and Platinum 16 to 20. Win enough games at your current level (three in Bronze, up to ten in Platinum) and you earn a promotion match against the next opponent. Your very first game is against a friendly tutorial AI that suggests good moves.
Live 1 vs 1 matches
The 1 vs 1 Match button pairs you with another player in real time. You can use quick matching or open a room, either public or private, and invite a friend with a link. Each turn has a 20 second clock, and if it runs out the game makes a move for you so the match keeps going.
Games cost a few coins to enter and pay out more when you win. A new player starts with 200 coins, a daily login adds more, and if you ever run low the game tops you up, so you will not be locked out of playing. Draws refund the entry fee, and long win streaks multiply your winnings.
Tips for new players
It can only go forward, but the moment it reaches the far zone it becomes a V-Bee with four directions. That is often the first real threat in a game.
The V-Bee cannot move diagonally backward, the Soldier cannot step diagonally forward, and the Drone cannot go straight ahead. An enemy bee standing in one of those spots is safe from that piece.
A captured bee dropped next to the enemy Queen can be stronger than any move on the board. Keep in mind that you cannot drop into the enemy zone.
On a ten cell board, a Queen with no free neighbours can be trapped quickly. Before attacking, check which enemy bees could reach her next turn.
Against the AI, taking back a move to see why it failed is the fastest way to understand the pieces. In live matches you will need to think before you tap.
Why players come back
Features
- Simple rules and real depth on a ten-cell board
- Five bee types: Queen, V-Bee, Soldier, Drone and Worker
- 20 AI opponents in four tiers, live 1 vs 1 matches and win-streak bonuses
- Play free in your browser - also on Google Play
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is HiveDuel free?
Yes. You can play in your browser on this page or download it free on Google Play. The Android app shows ads at some points, such as after a lost game, and offers an optional ad to collect a daily coin gift.
Do I need an internet connection?
Yes. Coins and your ladder progress are kept on our server, so a game needs a connection to start, including games against the AI.
Is my progress saved?
Your level, wins, coins and streak are stored on the server. In the browser, your guest account is tied to that browser, so clearing site data starts a new account.
Can I play with a friend?
Yes. Open a private room from 1 vs 1 Match and share the invite link. Your friend joins the room directly.
Which languages are supported?
HiveDuel is available in 11 languages, including English, Korean and Japanese.
