Pente Game for Beginners

(part from book "Japanese Logical Games")

by Alexander Nosovsky

Game Pente (Ninuki-Renju)

The game Ninuki-Renju is a connecting chain between Go and Renju. As in Renju, the purpose of the game is to construct a continuous, direct line of five stones of the same colour on a vertical, horizontal or diagonal. As in Renju, it is not the only way to win, however, as in Go, it was possible to "eat" stones. "Eaten" stones are referred to as "captured" and, the first to collect five captures wins the game. The Japanese variant of Ninuki had also fouls 3x3 and overline for Black only.

The board for the game had the size 19x19, the first move was made in the center of the board, the second move was made freely, and third move had to be outside of the limits of the central square 5x5.

This game was popular as among the fans of Go, and Renju, the confirmation of that can be found in a novel of the Nobel winner Yasunori Kawabata "Master of Go".

In the twenties of the past century, magazines on Ninuki-Renju have appeared, and tournaments were carried out. Among the most known players of the past playing in Ninuki, was Kizan Kubomatsu - 9 Dan in Renju. In this game competed basically players in Go and Renju, however, disasters, caused by the second world war, have interrupted development of Ninuki. American occupation troops were placed in Japan, which promoted distribution of this game in USA.

This game is known in Korea under the name "Chosen".

In 1978 Gary Gabrel from USA has simplified the rules of this Japanese game, having removed from them the rule of fouls. Now simplified, Ninuki has received the name Pente.

In USA the rules of Pente were patented and then were sold to the company Parker Brothers, which began to make and to sell complete sets.

For its advertising purposes the company carried out championships in America, they were called, however, championships of the "world".

In USSR and Sweden also, some tournaments in Pente were carried out. The players in Renju played rather strongly because in Pente, certainly similar skills are necessary. However, in such a cut down variant, the advantage of moving first in the game is practically not compensated and the player beginning the game can win irrespective of abilities of the opponent. Now enthusiasts of this game try to think up new rules for this game.

Rules and strategy of the game of Pente will be described here.

The given explanations will be concerned with the basic differences connected to rules of capture.

Rules of Pente are the following

1. Two players alternate placing stones of black and white colours on free intersections of an originally empty game field formed by crossing 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines. Up to the end of a game the stones remain on the intersections, except for a case, when they during game will "eaten" according to a rule of capture. The first move in Pente is to play white in the center of a board.

(In Ninuki-Renju the first move is black).

The stones are put on intersections, instead of squares !

2. The second move can be made on any intersection.

3. The third move (second move of white) should be made outside of the central 5x5 square.

4. The contender who first constructs "five" (continuous horizontal, vertical or diagonal line from 5 stones of their own colour) or collects five captures first, is the winner. An Overline (6 or more in a row) is considered identical to five.

5. The game can be drawn under the agreement of both sides. Either of the contenders, as the next move, can refuse to place a stone. A refusal to place a stone by both sides simultaneously automatically admits a draw.

6. A capture can be made, when it is possible to enclose two stones of the opponent from both sides of the stones. In this case, the enemy stones are removed from the board and are announced by capture, see figure 1.

7. Winning the game is the player who first collects five captures, ( first to capture 10 stones of the opponent) or first to make a "five".

In more detail strategy and tactics of game will be described below.

Examples of captures, move 1 in figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1 figure 1-2

The move 1 in figure 1-2 is not captured.

The Forms

As well as in Renju and Go, in Pente it is important to be able to construct the correct forms.

Most typical for Pente is the construction of the triangle.

Other Forms used in Renju, can be rather easily attacked in Pente .

The triangle (figure 2-1) - a the successful Form in Pente, it allows in one move to proceed in attack and can not be attacked by the opponent. This fragment (figure 2-2), also is a good Form for fast transition to attack, and is rather difficult for the opponent to attack.

Figure 2-1 figure 2-2

Three "Tobi-San"

"Tobi" from Japanese means stones with gap, as in fig. 2-2

"San" translated from Japanese means "three".

This three needs special item for consideration.

Three "Tobi-San" does not carry in many cases a large threat, as constructed it requires one strengthening move in reply to its blocking.

In figure 3 it is shown by two variants of blocking the three, such as Tobi-san. Thus, it is possible to note, that development of attack using a three such as Tobi-san, is rather problematic, however from a rule always there are exceptions.

Figure 3 figure 4

Let's enter the concept Atari, known to us from Go.

"Atari" is such a situation on a board, when there is an opportunity on the following move to "eat" two or more stones of the opponent (to make a capture or two). The similar situation is represented in figure 4, where a move in point 1 - is Atari.

Now we have to say that making a Four is equal Check in Chess, so sometimes we will use this meaning to define Four.

Depending on an arrangement of external stones on a board and quantity of captures in a game, atari it is possible to distinguish on Atari-san and Atari-Check. Depending on a level of threats contained in Atari, it can require immediate reaction, or on the contrary, can be ignored.

Figure 5-1 figure 5-2

In figure 5-1 move 1 - Atari-San, and in figure 5-2 move 3 - Atari-check.

Atari-San , represented on figure 5-1, differs from Atari-Check, given on figure 5-2, in that the level of attack varies.

If on Atari-San it is possible to extend to Atari-Check with a victory by series of Fours, Atari-Check requires immediate reaction. Only building of five or "eating" of the fifth capture can stop such an Atari-Check.

The Atari-Capture - any Atari at quantity of captures equals four, becomes equal to Atari-Check and requires protection.

Playing Fours - Contrary to Renju, making fours in Pente is useful. Black, in a position in figure 6, has made a fork 3õ3, however, white, played four by a move 2, then made 3õ3, creating the threat Atari-Check in point A . Now, if black will continue attack by move 5, white will "eat" on A, and black is compelled to close the four, losing the necessary tempo.

Figure 6

If black at once protects from Atari-Check on A, white wins, continuing one of the threes.

Double Check-Capture

As well as in Renju, the victory in Pente is brought by construction of a fork from two simultaneous threats.

It is possible to use forks 4õ4, forbidden for black in Renju, but in Pente without restriction.

Figure 7

In figure 7 black moves to 1 to create a fork 4õ4 (Check-Check).

Besides these forks well known from the Renju part of this book, forks can be made using rules of captures.

In figures 8-1 and 8-2 the endings are given, in which black specially creates by the moves a situation where black can capture two stones blocking Fours at once.

Figure 8-1 figure 8-2

Counter-Four-Capture (version of double Check-Capture)

Counter-Four has Japanese name "nori", so it can be called also Nori-Capture

Let's consider a position in figure 9.

The move 1 creates a fork 4x3, however, white answers with 2 and forms a three; if to play 3-4, white, having occupied point A, "eats" at once two stones from diagonal four and thus wins, as white has a diagonal three.

However, the move 3 allows black itself to capture and win the game.

Figure 9

San-San

Forks 3õ3 (san-san) are most widespread in the game of Pente.

The examples of forks are given in figure 10.

Depending on presence of threats of the contender, the forks San-San (3õ3) can bring a victory or defeat.

Really, depending on quantity and ratio of captures in a game, the same position can be played in various ways ! Thus, it is necessary at all times to have in view the quantity of your own captures and number of opponent captures. Some advantageous combinations become losing when the opponent has four captures. And at the account of captures 2-2, some forks, such as San-San, appear losing.

Figure 10

Let's consider figure 11-1: the account of captures is 1-1, the move in point 1 is an advantageous fork 3õ3. If white tries to block by move 2, black easily wins in figure 11-2. Other variant - to "eat" diagonal stones by a move 2, shown on figure 11-3; then black again occupies point 1 by move 3, in figure 11-4, and now nothing can stop them.

Figure 11-1 (Account of captures 1-1) figure 11-2 (1-1)

Figure 11-3 (Account of captures 2-1) figure 11-4 (2-1)

Let's consider the same position of figure 11-1, but under condition of change in number of captures. Let's present, that in a position in figure 11-5, account of captures 2-2.

Figure 11-5 (Account of captures 2-2) figure 11-6 (Account of captures 3-2)

Now, a variant with captures is shown in figure 11-6, white can play the following variant shown in figure 11-7 and 11-8. The move 8 is a move Atari-capture, and allows white to win the game, having collected 5 captures first or having compelled black to protect 9 and constructed white open four 10.

Figure 11-7 (Account of captures 4-2) figure 11-8 (Account of captures 4-2)

Thus, part of the knowledge and skills acquired by you in the study of the Renju part of this book is useful to you in initial stages of a game, and at the same time, it is necessary to remember presence of Atari-captures in a final stage of a game.

Figure 12-1 (W-3, B-2) figure 12-2 (W-4, B-3)

One more forced attack on gaining 5 captures.

In a position in figure 12-1, black begins the attack with the purpose to win by double Atari-Check. They easily make double Atari-Check by a move at 3. However, white already has three captures and now they play Atari 4. In figure 12-2 it is visible, that after a move 6 for white there is an Atari-capture in point A. And now black is obliged to play in A to not lose. Let's notice, that with fewer captures by white, black is able to play 7-, 9- and win.

Advice for Beginners. Carefully calculate the attack, having looked, that the opponent cannot create counter-play or opportunity of interception with the help of captures.

Counter-Check-Three

Figure 13-1 figure 13-2

In figure 13-1 white, apparently, has a victory: they have made atari-check move in point 2. Playing horizontal black four, as it is shown in figure 13-2, only will result in an increase in the number of captures for white, as they simply will receive diagonal capture by move 4.

However, black can make a counter-check-three, created by a move 3 in figure 13-3.

Figure 13-3 figure 13-4

White captures the black pair, and black must block the diagonal white four by moving to point 5. As a result, black is left with a horizontal counter-check-three which needs to be blocked. White is obliged to play point 6, it is necessary to block the three (see figure 13-5). This move, is familiar to us from the section on Renju.

A move 7 atari-san. If to play 8-9, black will transform the vertical three into a four. To win back the four, as it is shown in figure 13-5, black captures with move 9, and now black has three independent threes.

Apparently, for white it is preferable to close the vertical three by a move 8, shown on figure 13-6 then an exchange of captures, moves 9 and 10 in this case, follows, and then black plays 11-6, and the position is estimated to benefit black.

Figure 13-5 figure 13-6

One more kind of protection, with the help counter-check-three, is given in figure 14.

It would seem, the move 1 is created by two threes, from which there is no protection, and it is time for white to surrender. Nevertheless, for white there is a move 2 - counter-check-three.

And it is valid, if black will continue with A, the capture - check in B will follow. If there will be a move to C, white threatens D. Black has to lose tempo in closing the three.

Figure 14-1 figure 14-2

"Carousel"

Figure 15

There is a kind of atari, the protection from which allows you to "eat" additional stones of the opponent and again to put before the opponent a problem of protection from atari.

In figure 15 black has made Atari-check by a move 1; to not lose, white tries to protect by a move 2, however black "eats" a capture in move 3, and for white it is necessary to be protected not only from double Atari-check, but also from an open diagonal three.

Figure 16-1 (B-1 W-1) figure 16-2 (B-1 W-2)

Figure 16-3 (B3 W-2)

Let's consider the attack by black in figure 16-1, by a move 1 black tries to decoy white in point 3 and "eat" a capture. Black can at once play 3-7, however, prefers to make, instead of a horizontal tobi-san known for its weakness, a strong four. White counter attacks, "eating" on 4. Black again completes a horizontal four, and already white is compelled to close it with loss of tempo.

Captures by black follow, and white is compelled again to close the four by a move 8. By move 9 black makes Atari-check, which capture will result in loss of two other stones (4-th capture), and ignoring it will result in necessity to lose tempo for closing dread horizontal four.

Game on counter threats

Frequently on your Atari to "eat" any pair, the opponent creates atari on your pair or threatens to construct an advantageous three.

In figure 17-1 black has made an Atari by a move 1, having attacked a white pair ;

in the answer, white has made an atari with move 2, having attacked on the diagonal pair of black; simultaneously, on the board has appeared a three tobi-san. Closing it, black simultaneously creates an atari.

Already on a board there are three atari!

Figure 17-1 figure 17-2

Let's consider an example of game on counter courses submitted in figure 18-1.

Figure 18-1 (W1-B2) figure 18-2 (W2-B2)

Black attacks with move 1, the Split four is extremely unsuccessful in Pente, as it allows white, in closing it, to make at once two atari. However, black plays on counter threats, neglecting protection, 3! - four and Atari-check. Now, if white will try to close four, they are met by double check-capture in point .

The only answer is "eating" in point 4 (see figure 18-2). The move 5, playing four, is important for subsequent tempos of attack.

Move 7 is an atari-check and three tobi-san. If there was not an Atari-check in point 8 (figure 18-3), white could "eat" the black pair, however, they are compelled to close the check.

Figure 18-3 (2-3)

Now black builds a four and, despite the desperate attempts by white, move 10 - A capture; black finishes with a final attack 11-7.

Adzi

Adzi- concept is similar in Go and Shogi, when there is no necessity to spend the moves on "eating" of stones of the opponent. It is much more important to not lose the initiative.

Take into account, that in "eating", you frequently lose tempo, and it can give your opponent a chance. Adzi- struggle for tempo, for the initiative in a game.

Figure 19-1 figure 19-2

In figure 19-1 black could capture by a move A, but for white in this case there are enough of worthy answers - moves B, C, D.

Black, not losing tempo, played fours 1, 3 and plays 5 three!

Now, independent from what side white closes the three, Black plays 7 and capture 9 and double check.

In a real game some prescription ( items in this part of book) can meet simultaneously. For instance, both game on counter rates and adzi, look figures 20-1, 20-2.

Figure 20-1 figure 20-2

In conclusion I want to say great thanks to Mark Mammel, who helped me to translate this part from my book into English. You can read and use it free for private learning of Pente, but if you want to publish some part of this book, or whole book; translate on another languages - you need my written consent.

If you can read Russian you can ask me about my book "Japanese Logical Games" (book for learning Renju, Go, Pente, Ottello, Shogi, Hasami-Shogi, Karuta, and some information how to play Hanafuda, Mah-Djong.

My e-mail stigma.ltd@g23.relcom.ru