What is the formula for winning at Pentago? Pentago is a board game, and you can think of it as a highly advanced version of tic-tac-toe.
With the aid of supercomputers, it has been strongly solved. Just like tic-tac-toe, it is possible for the player who starts first to always win.
I'm looking for a formula to always win at Pentago if I'm the first player. For tic-tac-toe, always mark the central square. For Pentago, never touch the 4 corners.
Tic-tac-toe is simple enough, but what is a formula for winning Pentago that can be applied by humans anytime?
Just like once someone memorises the algorithm, they can solve any Rubik's cube problem.
 A: Here's an interactive game where you can see where to go to win, draw, or lose. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you the optimal move to win as fast as possible, or to lose as late as possible as player 2. I'd really like to see a list of moves sorted by how soon you'd win/lose.
A good strategy seems to be to go in the center of as many squares as possible, then for the places adjacent to your center-held spots, trying to get a line of 3 on a single square. You force your opponent to play defensive the entire time.
A: I believe I have found the optimal strategy. It wins for white every time, within the first 5 moves. As far as I know, it is unstoppable (if you can combat it please say I would love to know).
Glossary:

*

*block - 3x3 rotating unit

*corner - the top left, top right, bottom left or bottom right of a block

*side - the left, right, top or bottom of a block

Moves for white)

*

*place on side of any block

*place on any free side of the same block that is adjacent to (1)

*place on side of the block diagonally opposite to (1) and (2)

*place on any free side of the same block that is adjacent to (3)

*place on any corner of the other 2 blocks

(With suitable rotation - you win)
It should look something like this:

*

*0X0000

*00X000

*000X00

*0000X0

*00000X

*000000

I hope this is clear and I have understood the rules of the game
