PENTAGO

The Board

Pentago is played on a 6×6 grid divided into four 3×3 quadrants. Each quadrant can spin independently.

A Turn

On your turn you do two things, in order: (1) place one marble of your color on any empty square, and (2) rotate any one quadrant 90° — clockwise or counterclockwise. You must rotate a quadrant, even if it hurts you.

Winning

Get five of your marbles in a row — in any direction — to win. The win is only checked after the rotation, so the rotation can make or break a line.

Draws

If a rotation creates five-in-a-row for both players simultaneously, the game is a draw. If the board fills up with no five-in-a-row, it is also a draw.

Strategy

Threats in Pentago are fluid — a quadrant rotation can instantly turn a harmless cluster into a winning line, or scatter your opponent's row of four. Watch for rotation traps: your move might set up the enemy's next rotation.