The following example shows how a typical game proceeds.

Both players avoid a confrontation too soon:

'O' continues to keep to the left edge, and 'X' to the right edge:

The players still avoid contact…

…and expand along the edges:

'O' places a virus at C6 within three steps of 'X', so 'X' takes the opportunity to kill it:

'O' retaliates by killing the attacking pieces at D5 and E4, but 'X' is again within distance to kill one of 'O's pieces:

A similar sequence is repeated by both players:

…and again:

Now 'X' has become blocked in by a wall of its own killed viruses, and can't reach 'O' in time to infect it again:

'O' can kill 'X' as soon as it tries to get closer:

'X' is now completely blocked from 'O' by a wall of its own killed viruses, and has no hope:

Resistance is futile:

…and finally 'X' has no more available moves and loses: