Pente

Pente is a term with multiple meanings. In French, pente denotes a slope or incline, used in geography, construction, and everyday language to describe an angle of ascent or descent. Etymologically, it derives from the idea of a graded incline. In English-language contexts, pente is most commonly encountered as the name of a two-player board game.

Pente (board game) is a two-player abstract strategy game derived from Gomoku. It is typically played on a square grid, commonly 19x19, though smaller boards are used in some variants. Players take turns placing stones on empty intersections. The objective is to either form a line of five stones in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) or to capture the opponent’s stones by sandwiching two consecutive opponent stones with two of your own stones along a straight line. Captured stones are removed from the board and count toward the captor’s total score. A common rule set declares victory when a player achieves five in a row or reaches ten captured stones (equivalent to five captures). Variants exist with different board sizes and win conditions.

History and reception: Pente emerged in the United States in the 1970s as a modern variant of Gomoku and gained popularity in casual and competitive play. It has been published in several editions and adapted into digital formats, contributing to its international reach within abstract strategy gaming communities.

See also: Gomoku, Renju, Five-in-a-row.