Pentago is an abstract strategy game for two players with four 3×3 grids arranged into a larger 6×6 grid. This game reimplements the well known Connect 4 with a twist: After placing a marble, the player has the option to twist one of the grids by 90°, thus changing the board after every turn. The first player to get five marbles in a row wins.
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Game intelligence
1. Place the game board in the center of the playing area. The board starts completely empty. 2. One player takes all 18 black marbles; the other takes all 18 white marbles. 3. Decide who goes first. The starting player places the first marble.
Each turn has exactly two mandatory steps, performed in order: 1. PLACE: The active player places one of their marbles on any empty space on the board. A placed marble may never be moved again. 2. ROTATE: The active player rotates any one of the four quadrants exactly one notch (90 degrees) either clockwise or counterclockwise. Exception: If placing the marble completes a five-in-a-row, the rotation step is skipped and the game ends immediately.
The first player to complete an unbroken row of exactly five of their own marbles wins. There is no point scoring — it is a single-game win/loss/draw outcome. Target score: 5 in a row Scoring sources: Five marbles of the same color in an unbroken horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row
Source: Rulebook
The most useful rules for getting a first game right.
At the start of the game, the 6×6 board (divided into four 3×3 quadrants) is completely empty. No marbles are placed during setup.
Before the game begins, one player takes all 18 black marbles and the other takes all 18 white marbles. Each player's supply of 18 marbles is their total for the entire game.
The first action of every turn is to place one marble from your personal supply onto any currently empty space anywhere on the 6×6 board. Once placed, a marble cannot be moved for any reason.
The second mandatory action of every turn is to choose any one of the four 3×3 quadrants and rotate it exactly one notch (90 degrees) in either direction — clockwise or counterclockwise. The player may freely choose which quadrant to rotate and in which direction. Both steps (place then rotate) are required each turn, unless the placement itself wins the game.
Once a marble has been placed on a space, it is fixed to that space and cannot be deliberately moved or removed by either player. However, rotating a quadrant that contains the marble will physically carry that marble to a new position on the board as part of the rotation.
A player wins immediately when five of their own marbles form an unbroken row. The row may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, and it may pass through two or three quadrants. The five-in-a-row can be completed either by placing a marble or as a result of rotating a quadrant.
If the marble placement (the first step of a turn) directly results in a five-in-a-row for the placing player, that player wins immediately. The mandatory rotation step is waived — it does not need to be performed, and the game ends right there.
There are 36 spaces on the board and 36 marbles total (18 per player). If all 36 marbles have been placed and neither player has achieved five in a row at any point, the game ends immediately as a draw.
Every rotation you make also affects your opponent's marbles and your own. Always check whether your chosen rotation accidentally completes a five-in-a-row for your opponent before committing, since doing so hands them the win.
If you can complete five in a row with your marble placement, you win immediately without rotating. This is the safest form of victory because it eliminates any chance of your forced rotation backfiring.
A five-in-a-row can span two or three quadrants, making it much harder for the opponent to disrupt using a single rotation. Rows confined to one quadrant are especially vulnerable to being broken by rotation.
There are only four quadrant choices and two directions per quadrant, giving your opponent eight possible rotations. Building threats that make all or most of those rotations either complete your row or worsen their position is a winning strategy.
Each player only has 18 marbles. As the board fills, the draw condition by exhaustion becomes relevant. If you are ahead positionally, avoid situations where you might be forced to fill spaces that help your opponent, since a full board results in only a draw, not a win.
Yes. If rotating a quadrant creates a five-in-a-row for the opponent (and not for the rotating player), the opponent wins. If it creates five-in-a-row for both players simultaneously, the game is a draw.
No. If your marble placement directly completes a five-in-a-row, you win immediately and the rotation step is skipped entirely.
Yes. You may rotate any of the four quadrants, including ones containing your own marbles. You are free to choose any quadrant and any direction, even if it is strategically disadvantageous.
No. A five-in-a-row can span two or even three quadrants. Only the row of five marbles matters — the quadrant boundaries are irrelevant for determining a win.
If all 36 marbles are placed without either player completing a five-in-a-row, the game ends as a draw. No tiebreaker is used.
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