Learn Triad
Whether you’re learning the rules for the first time, curious about the Ramsey theory that makes a draw impossible, or interested in why minimal games are the hardest — ten articles covering how to play, why it works, and where the game came from.
Play Triad →THE GAME
The Game
Rules, strategy, and what makes Triad tick. Start here if you’re new.
- What Is Sim? Start here
Six dots, fifteen edges, and the rule that makes a draw impossible.
- How to Win at Triad
Think in triangles, not lines. A beginner's guide to surviving the endgame.
- Why Triad Is the Opposite of Tic-Tac-Toe
Reversing one rule creates a deeper game — and one that can never draw.
THE MATH
The Math
Why a draw is impossible, and what it means that Triad is solved.
- The Ramsey Theory Behind Triad
R(3,3)=6: the theorem that makes a draw impossible, explained simply.
- Is Triad Solved?
Yes — the second player wins with perfect play. What that actually means.
- Misère Games
When completing the pattern means you lose — and why that changes everything.
DESIGN & HISTORY
Design & History
Where Sim came from, and what minimal rules reveal about game design.
- The History of Sim
Invented in 1969, beloved by mathematicians, never a household name — until now.
- Why Simple Games Are Often Harder
Fewer rules, fewer excuses — why constraint creates the hardest decisions.
- Elegance in Game Design
Elegance is depth divided by rules. What Go, Chess, and Triad reveal.
- 10 Games Easy to Learn but Hard to Master
From Hex to Nim: ten games you can learn in a minute and study for years.