How to Play Infection
Infection is a fast territory game: stones never leave the board, they just change sides, and one good move can flip half a corner.
The rules
- The board is 7×7. Red has two stones in two opposite corners, Blue in the other two. Red moves first.
- A move takes one of your stones and either clones it into an adjacent empty cell (the original stays) or jumps it to an empty cell two away (the original leaves). Adjacency includes diagonals.
- After the move, every enemy stone touching the arriving stone becomes yours.
- If you have no legal move you pass. The game ends when the board is full, one side has no stones, or neither side can move. The side with more stones wins; equal counts are a draw.
Playing on kawu
Tap a stone, then a dashed cell to clone or a dotted cell to jump. Stones that just changed sides are ringed in yellow. The line under the board counts stones and empty cells. Hint shows the hard computer's move. Play either colour against three levels, or two players on one device. Undo is allowed.
Next: Infection strategy.
Frequently asked questions
When should I jump instead of clone?
Cloning adds a stone and leaves no hole, so it is usually better. Jump when the only way to reach a cluster of enemy stones is two cells away, or to escape a spot the enemy is about to flood.
What happens if I cannot move?
You pass and the other player keeps moving. The game ends when the board is full, one side has no stones, or neither side can move; the larger side wins.
Last updated 2026-10-21