on 23-Feb-2026 (Mon)

Scale At The Right Time
It is important to apply any scaling transforms at the right time. For example, if you have a series of quantities that is non-stationary, it may be appropriate to scale after first making your data stationary. It would not be appropriate to scale the series after it has been transformed into a supervised learning problem as each column would be handled differently, which would be incorrect.

The object of Hive®is to completely surround your opponent’s Queen Bee, while at the same time blocking your opponent from surrounding your Queen Bee. The winner is the first player to reach this objective. Please note that the pieces surrounding the Queen can belong to either player. You are not required to surround your opponent’s Queen solely with your own pieces. In Figure 1.1 by moving Ant #3 into space A, White surrounds the Black Queen and wins.

Draws are possible. If, for example, the final move surrounds both Queens simultaneously, the game is declared a draw. Please look at Figure 1.2 where both Queens are surrounded when White Hopper #3 jumps into space A. The game is also declared a draw when the exact same position, with the same player having the next move, occurs three times. Finally, a game can be declared a draw by mutual agreement.

The game begins with the first player, playing White, placing any piece other than the Queen.* Next, the second player, playing Black, places any piece other than the Queen, adjacent to White’s first piece.

By rule, the Queen cannot be placed on the first turn* and must be placed no later than a player’s fourth turn. Until the Queen is placed, a player’s bugs already in the hive may not move.

A player with no legal placement or move must pass. A player cannot pass if a legal placement or move is available.

When a new bug is added to the hive, its initial placement must meet two requirements. First, the new bug must be placed adjacent to a friendly bug. Second, its initial placement cannot be adjacent to any enemy bugs.

Standard bug movement is performed by sliding from one space to an adjacent space. A bug may only slide through the gap between two bugs if there is clearly enough room for the moving bug to fit.

The number of bugs of each type available to each player (as shown in Figure 1.10) is as follows: one Queen, two Beetles, two Spiders, three Ants, and three Hoppers. When the Mosquito, Ladybug and/or Pillbug are used, then the bug count of each of these bugs is one.

Queen Bee - Q

Beetle - B