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Shape Basics
See the shapes in order of strength
In Pente, you play with stones to make shapes and each shape is either strong or weak. But let's start with the most basic shape.
Uni-Stone
The single stone is the most elegant and only neutral shape. A single stone can be neither strong nor weak. That is not to say that playing a single stone is not strong or weak. So you learn the first lesson: Every stone's strength or weakness depends on the surrounding stones AND empty spaces. This idea shows the Oriental roots of Pente. But I digress.
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Pair
The pair is extremely weak. Why? Because they can be captured, the pair is the weakest possible shape. A pair is so weak that until you get to the most advanced play, making a pair should be avoided like the Black Death. In fact, it is your job to force your opponent into making a pair to gain the upper hand and win often. The second lesson: If you are not working on winning by capturing pairs as well as making five in a row, you will only be playing half of the game. It should be noted here that the pair in some very rare and advanced circumstances can be advantageous. For instance, if, by making a pair, you force your opponent into making a move that will result in a win. This position is often hard to see for the beginner. The beginner's rule of thumb should be: Avoid pairs.
Stretch Two
The Stretch Two is a neutral to strong shape because it cannot be captured and creates tension for your next move. In one move, you will be able to make an open three and that will force your opponent to respond to you (unless they have a greater threat on the board like a four in a row or split four). Where possible, you should make Stretch Twos to build your offense. It is from Stretch Twos that all other strong shapes are formed.
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Open Three
Open threes are the building blocks of four in a row and therefore are very strong. An open three (that is, three stones in a row without any opponent's stones on either end) will lead to an open four and certain win if not responded to. You can see why an open three is very strong and how it can give you momentum to defeat your opponent because in your next move you can place four in a row or make a Stretch Four. More on Stretch Fours in a minute.
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Stretch Three
Both shapes on the 2 line and the 4 line are Stretch Threes. You can see that they are roughly equivalent to Open Threes because, again, if unanswered, they will become open fours and certain victory. So a Stretch Three must be answered by your opponent which is a good thing. Stretch Threes, though, on the whole, are weaker than open threes because an opponent can place his stone in the middle of the Stretch Three and threaten a capture (for instance at C2 or D4). This can be functionally the same strength as a Stretch Two because you will lose momentum but your opponent will not gain any momentum. Stretch Threes are still more dangerous than Stretch Twos since they can become a certain win in one more move. Not so with Stretch Twos. Learning how to use Stretch Threes effectively is the difference between an intermediate player and an advanced player. Consider this board layout:
This doesn't look like much but with one stone...
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You have two Stretch Threes!
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No matter where your opponent goes next, you will have an open four and a certain victory. Pretty Slick!
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Open Four
This one is pretty obvious and doesn't need much explanation. No matter what your opponent does in his next turn (except for making a five in a row), you will win. If your opponent puts a stone on either end of an open four, you simply put one on the other end and you have five in a row and a win.
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Split Four
The Split Four is clearly a positive position in one respect only, one move to five in a row. However, your opponent need only place a stone right in the middle and now, in one move, he will have a pair of your stones. Except for its immediacy in terms of threatening your opponent with a win, the split four should be avoided and usually is avoided in regular play.
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Stretch Fours allow for some curious events to occur during a normal game and their use marks an intermediate player. Obviously, you need only one more stone to make a five in a row and, even when your opponent places a stone in the middle of a stretch four, you will not lose any pairs. In fact, when your opponent places his stone in the middle (for instance, she plays at C2 or E4), you have the option to place a stone at the end of your three in a row and make a four in a row. A much better situation! But there is a great aspect to the Stretch Four. Consider this layout:
Your opponent must respond to your open three on line 4 by playing at either C4 or G4. Either of those plays will lead to a capture like this:
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Black plays at C4...
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White captures Black which forces Black to stop the same open three.
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Black plays clever and places a stone at the same point so as to avoid another capture, but you will see he can't.
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Black plays at C4 again...
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You make a Stretch Four...
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Black stops your five in a row...
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White captures Black which forces Black to stop the same five in a row threat.
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Two captures on the same shape! Plus by playing at either H3, H6 or E3, you can make an open three and you now have a lot of momentum to win. Stretch Fours are very strong shapes and should be used as often as possible to win.
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Pente
Pente is the goal and goes without explanation. This is the strongest of all shapes. There are Stretch Fives but they are really variations on Stretch Fours with an added threat to be captured instead of capturing. Stretch Fives are rare. But you should be aware of one shape that happens every once in a while and is extremely strong. I call it the Scorpion's Tail because it will sting you if you don't watch out.
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Scorpion's Tail
This looks deceptive because it doesn't look like a win and it isn't if your opponent counters correctly. There is only one correct response to this shape. The reason why this shape is dangerous is because a stone at E2 means that you win in the next move.
Your opponent can place a stone at either C2 or G2 to block but you can place your stone at the other opening for five in a row. In this way, you can see that the Scorpion's Tail is really two overlapping Stretch Fours. The only correct response is for your opponent to play at E2 first. This shows a general rule of thumb in Pente. Wherever your opponent's best place to play is, you should put your stone there.
This is a listing of all the shapes in order of strength from weakest to strongest:
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Uni-Stone
(technically neutral)
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Pair
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Stretch Two
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Stretch Three
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Open Three
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Split Four
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Stretch Four
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Pente
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