How to Win at Pentago, by Barry J. Stiefel
How to Win at Pentago will help everyone from beginner to expert quickly start winning more Pentago games.
The book contains:
- 14 specific attacks and their defenses, with detailed explanations
- Dozens of specific tips, tricks, and "Do's" and "Don'ts" from experienced players
- Hundreds of helpful board diagrams to show you exactly what's going on
- Complete games commented and analyzed
This book will both explain and then visually show you the underlying logic and strategies in Pentago.
Master explainer Barry J. Stiefel has organized the material into eleven lessons that follow logically from total beginner to experienced tournament player.
If you're one of the millions who've become hooked on this award winning five-in-a-row with a twist board game out of Sweden, How to Win at Pentago is a must read!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Lesson 1: The Rules of Pentago
Lesson 2: Specialized Pentago Vocabulary (Used Extensively Throughout This Book)
Lesson 3: The Standard Pentago Game Notation (Used Extensively Throughout This Book)
Lesson 4: Beginner Attacks and Strategies
4.1. The Five-in-a-Row Attack
4.2. The Five-in-a-Row-With-a-Twist Attack
4.3. The Central-Focus Strategy
4.4. The Four-in-the-Middle-of-Six Attack
4.5. Lesson Summary
4.6. Test Your Skills With This Lesson Quiz
4.7. Answers to Lesson Quiz
4.8. Completed Beginner Games With Detailed Analysis
Lesson 5: Intermediate Attacks and Strategies
5.1. The Diagonal Three-in-a-Row-on-a-Single-Quad Attack
5.2. The Center Three-in-a-Row-on-a-Single-Quad Attack
5.3. The Edge Three-In-A-Row-On-A-Single-Quad Attack
5.4. The Cluster-Your-Marbles-Early Strategy
5.5. The Four Centers Attack
5.6. The Minor Diagonal Attack
5.7. Lesson Summary
5.8. Test Your Skills With This Lesson Quiz
5.9. Answers to Lesson Quiz
5.10. A Completed Intermediate Game with Detailed Analysis
Lesson 6: Advanced Attacks and Strategies
6.1. The Reducing Freedom of Movement Strategy
6.2. The One-Two-Punch-Combination Attack
6.3. The Inside-Flying-Elbow Strategy
6.4. The Outside-Flying-Elbow-Strategy
6.5. Lesson Summary
6.6. Test Your Skills With This Lesson Quiz
6.7. Answers to Lesson Quiz
6.8. A Completed Advanced Game with Detailed Analysis
Lesson 7: Game Strategy and Best Practices
7.1. A Step-by-Step Strategy for Making a Move
7.2. Six Search Shortcuts to Help You Quickly Evaluate the Board
7.3. Strategies for First-Movers
7.4. Strategies for Second-Movers
7.5. Pentago Best Practices
Lesson 8: The Standard Pentago Openings
Lesson 9: Expert Analysis - More on WinThreats and Their Defenses
Lesson 10: Expert Analysis - More on Forks and Their Defenses
Lesson 11: How to Keep Improving Your Skills as a Pentago Player
About the Author: Barry J. Stiefel (Pronounced "Shtee-ful" in German-speaking countries and "Stee-ful" in the U.S.) lives and works in San Francisco and does business internationally.
He would appreciate your comments and feedback about this book at BarryStiefelAuthor@HowToWinAtPentago.com.
He recently placed fourth at the Official U.S. National Pentago Tournament at the Gen Con gaming conference in Indianapolis. He wants a rematch.
He is the world's leading Pentago researcher and is the creator of Deep Queue (DeepQueue.com), the world's strongest Pentago computer game engine.
He was nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Award for Graduate Students at the University of California and much of his career involves researching, implementing, writing about, developing courseware for and teaching advanced technical subjects to mid-career professionals from all over the world.
He studies Pentago so he can stay one step ahead of his many Pentago-playing friends and colleagues.
With the publication of this book he fears he's created a monster by giving away all his secrets and now his opponents will find it much easier to defeat him.
During idle moments in Burmese restaurants, he absent-mindedly arranges drinking glasses into five-in-a-row patterns.
