PENTE

A classic game of beauty, strategy and skill.

pENTe

A.k.a. ‘Greek Chess’, a classic game of beauty, strategy and skill.

CAUTION: Small game pieces are a swallowing hazard to children of all ages. PLEASE always game responsibly.
1 x 19x19 Goban board. the game starts on an open field.
2 sets of colored stones.
First player is randomly selected.
First move is in the center intersection.

Players take alternating turns placing stones on any intersection of the board, borders and hemisphere spaces are included in play.
A capture can be made by enclosing a pair within a pair. It must be exactly two adjacent stones encased between 2 opposing stones. For example, if X00_ is on the board, a placement of X00X would effectively remove the inner pair, leaving X_ _ X. A player may voluntarily move into an encased pair position with no penalty. It is the outside stone placement that validates a capture. The 2 captured stones are removed from the board , and left visible on the outside edge. 5 sets of captured stones ( a total of 10) is an alternative way to win.

The original game offers a three player variation, with a third color of stones, but I think this version of the game play lacks fairness and civility.

I think Pente has a most interesting history, and its kind of sleazy too. I remember Pente was marketed as ‘Greek Chess’ when I first learned about it. And it was very believable, with the designs in the 4 hemispheres of the roll up board in a tube. The designs depicted sets of Greek warriors , women, artists, and elders playing as if it was part of their everyday life.
In reality, it was invented by a man named Gary Gabrel in the early 1970’s , as he was working as a bus boy and dishwasher in a pizza joint in Oklahoma. He showed customers how to play his game on the red and white checkered table cloths of the restaurant as they waited for their take out orders to be made. He has a captive audience too, as they had to order and wait for it. Remember, this was way before the mobile phone, the Internet, and online ordering, so don’t judge! Us old schooler had to wait and make our own fun without scrolling endlessly thru the NOISIA.
He took the mechanics of several oriental games, including Go, Gomoku, and Renju to make the westernized rules for Pente.
As he tried to get his game published and picked up by major game companies, they recommended to change the origins, At the time, and still too soon following the Vietnam War, tensions were high with public perception. So they made up a Greek origins and marketed it that way.
It is still sold and trademarked by Hasbro Inc. If you can find it in the original black tube, get it! This is a great game.

Regardless of its shady history, Pente is a true classic game of beauty, strategy and skill.
I recommend you start with games like Tic-Tac-Toe and Gomoku to better understand the strategies behind this game.
If you have the advantage of being the player to move first, keep the advantage by ‘connecting the dots’ to make threats that your opponent will have to address.
A stone placed alone is a statement. 2 stones in alignment have potential. 3 stones in a row is a threat, and should be announced by declaring ‘Tria’ (Greek three), 4 stones in a row are a serious threat and should be announced as ‘Tesera’ (Greek four). 5 in a row is the winning condition, ‘Pente’.
Recognize there are multiple ways to make 3s and 4s in a row- as a solid line or split with a space between stones.
There are so many life lessons that can be learned from this game. Pause and reflect after a round to discover them.
Once you’re played Pente proficiently and confidently, it is time to introduce you to my favorite game, Renju, an ancient game of the Samurai.