Who goes first? Traditionally white moves first, but players may use any method to decide the first player. Play progresses clockwise from the first player.

How many pieces are you using? Typically you choose from a "short game" setup of 7 pieces, a "medium game" setup of 10 pieces, or a "long game" setup of 13 pieces (14 in the three-player game). However, one of the fun things about NXS is that you can really use any board setup you like. Try playing with 9 pieces and your own custom setup.

How much territory is required to win? The default is 10 spaces, but any reasonable amount could be used. Want a short, fast-paced game? Play to 8 spaces. Want a longer, more difficult to win game? Try 13 spaces (or even 19 when playing the long game). A more experienced player can even offer a handicap to a less experienced player (for example; the less experienced player might need 9 to win, while the more experienced player would need 10 or more).

The long center-line marking on the board is a guide to help arrange the pieces The image below demonstrates how the center-line helps you arrange the pieces for the standard short game setup.

The center-line is also a guide to arranging the boards relative to each other. To begin a game, push your board together with your opponent's board so that your opponent's center-line lines up with the small alignment mark on the left side of your board (the angled mark on the right is only used in the three player game).

The image below shows the standard setup for the medium game.

The image below shows the standard setup for the long game.

Learn about the sequence of play.