Official Hive Rules

Last Updated on March 14, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Hive is an engaging and fast-paced strategy game with no board, which makes it portable and easy to set up. The game is perfect for players who enjoy tactical depth and spatial reasoning!

Looking for a compact and travel-friendly version? Try the Hive Pocket edition.

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Hive game box
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How to Play Hive

Objective

The goal of Hive is to surround your opponent’s Queen Bee with your own tiles while preventing your opponent from doing the same to your Queen Bee.

Number of Players

2 players

Components

  • 11 tiles per player (one color):
    • 1 Queen Bee
    • 2 Spiders
    • 2 Grasshoppers
    • 3 Ants
    • 1 Beetle
  • The tiles are made of hexagonal pieces with different insects, each with a unique movement pattern.

Setup

  1. Each player picks a color and takes their set of 11 tiles.
  2. Players take turns placing tiles on the board. The first player places their Queen Bee tile within their first 3 turns, but they must place it on the board before their third move.

Gameplay

  • Players take turns placing and moving tiles.
  • Placing a Tile:
    • On a player’s turn, they must place a tile from their hand onto the board.
    • The tile must touch at least one other tile (but not diagonally).
    • The tile can’t be placed next to the opponent’s Queen Bee until both players have placed their Queen Bee.
  • Moving Tiles:
    • Queen Bee: The Queen Bee can move one space at a time in any direction.
    • Ants: Ants can move any number of spaces in any direction.
    • Spiders: Spiders can move exactly three spaces, but only along a straight path.
    • Grasshoppers: Grasshoppers jump over one or more adjacent tiles to land in an empty space.
    • Beetles: Beetles move one space at a time and can climb on top of tiles.
  • Restrictions:
    • Tiles can’t be moved in a way that would separate the board into two or more sections.
    • Tiles can’t be moved through other tiles unless allowed by their specific movement.

Winning the Game

  • A player wins by completely surrounding the opponent’s Queen Bee, meaning no open spaces are adjacent to it.

Strategy Tips

  1. Protect your Queen Bee early on to avoid getting trapped.
  2. Use Ants to control the board and prevent your opponent’s movement.
  3. Position Spiders and Grasshoppers carefully to disrupt your opponent’s plans.
  4. Beetles can be a powerful defensive tool, so use them to block or climb on top of tiles.

Prepare for a strategic battle and see who controls the Queen Bee!

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