Exo-Hex is played using black and white stones and a “hexhex” board (a hexagonal-shaped board made of hexagonal cells). For the setup, on the exterior of the board, just outside of each of its six sides, equal and alternating strings of the two colors (one black string, one white string) are placed. These exterior stones are known as the "exo-stones." On each turn, a player places a single stone of his/her own color into any empty cell; once placed, stones never move. Play continues until the board is full or both players pass, at which point the game is scored. Any group of own-color stones has a score equal to the number of "exo-stones" that it contains. The owner of the highest scoring group wins. If there is a tie for highest scoring group, then the tied groups are set aside and the remaining groups are compared; the owner of the highest scoring group among the remaining groups wins. If these groups are also tied, then the process is repeated (that is, the tied groups are set aside and the remaining groups compared) until a winner results. (It is impossible for group scores to be tied “all the way down.”) The “Pie Rule” applies: After Player 1 plays the first stone to the board, Player 2 can decide whether to play his/her own color to the board, or alternatively, switch colors with Player 1. (The purpose of this rule is to offset the first player advantage: if Player 1 plays too strong of an opening move, then a rational Player 2 will decide to switch colors and make the just-played stone his/her opening move.) —description from the designer