Tips meadow

For the rules of meadow, see GamehelpMeadow

Strategy

• Because your opponent can only place 2 stones each turn, she can't smother any group touching at least 3 empty spaces.
  • So ensure your most important groups always touch least three empty spaces.
• It's possible to create situations where a group has 3 or more empty spaces your opponent can't ever fill.
  • This makes the group un-smother-able, a big advantage.
  • The methods for achieving this are complicated and still poorly understood, but be on the lookout for opportunities to do this.
• The board consists of concentric rings of hexagons.
  • The the second-outermost ring is important, because groups with lots of stones on that ring are hard to capture without losing a lot of stones in the process.
  • Therefore, in the game's opening phase, place most of your stones on that ring.
• When you make a size-5 group, it can no longer evolve, which reduces your flexibility.
  • Don't make a size-5 group unless what you gain from it is more valuable than the lost flexibility.
• If your opponent has two size-5 groups of different colours that both touch the same empty space, she can't place a stone there without overgrowing and losing one of her groups.
  • Therefore, if one of your groups is adjacent to that same space, your opponent can't smother it without overgrowing, giving you an advantage.
  • Such empty spaces are called strong liberties.
  • Try to force your opponent to make strong liberties for you, and avoid making strong liberties for them.
• The size-4 pinwheel shape seems powerful.
  • Try building it often.