In this topic, you will be introduced to the concept of resources. Let’s look at the constructions already familiar to us from the previous topic:

non-troikas

We agreed that they cannot be called triplets, since none of them can be completed in one move to an open four. However, each of them can be turned into a regular four by making a move to any point marked with an “X”, so these constructions can be very useful and it would be nice to designate them somehow.

Resources are constructions that can be turned into threats already known to us in one move (three or four).
It is customary to refer to resources as structures of three stones (like those above), called triplets, and structures of two stones, called pairs.

Troyak – a construction of three stones of the same color, which can be completed in one move to a four.

triplets

Trinity examples

Another construction is also distinguished, which is called a pseudo-triple.

Pseudo triple – a continuous row of three stones of the same color with two free fields on the sides, which, however, is completed only to the usual four in one move.

pseudo triple

Pseudo triple examples

In fact, a pseudo triple is the same triple, but due to a very curious feature – free margins on the sides, it is distinguished separately. Most often, pseudo triples are found in the corner, constrained by natural boundaries – the edges of the board. But sometimes a pseudo-triple can appear in the center, the reason for this may be the white stones that limit it.

Note: it is important to remember one feature that all triples without exception have – each of them can be completed to a quadruple in two ways, which is well shown in the first figure.

I think it is not necessary to say that in order to build a triple we need a couple, so the resources also include constructions of two stones.
Pair – a construction of two stones of the same color, which can be completed in one move up to three.

couples

Pair Examples

Like triples, couples are solid (vertical) and discontinuous (horizontal and diagonal). However, there is a slight disagreement here: sometimes discontinuous pairs include only those that can only be built into a discontinuous triple (diagonal), while the other two can be built both into a solid triple and into a discontinuous one. Also, a horizontal couple is sometimes called discontinuous through a cell.

This concludes the structures of interest to us. Let’s remember that a five comes from a four, a four from threes and threes, and threes from twos. At the debut stage, instead of building threats, triples and quadruples as soon as possible, it is recommended to increase the resource base, i.e. build triplets and pairs. Ultimately, the more pairs and triplets you have, the more opportunities to build threats and the more chances to win. It is also very important to keep track of all the opponent’s resources and be able to correctly determine their exact number and direction of attack in order to understand what is threatening right now.

The next topic will be devoted to the important concept of a fork.

In this thread, you learned:
What are resources and why are they needed?
What is a triplet and a pseudo triplet
What is a couple and what are the types of couples