to become an open tria or an L shape. It is the weakest of the "letter" shapes and is largely valuable for its potential rather than its strength as a pattern. The L The L shape, pictured left, builds off the I shape by forming another split two using one of the stones from the I shape and forming an L shape. The L shape is protected from capture because of its utilization of stretch twos, but it also has more potential for threats than the I shape. The I shape can be blocked from forming an open tria by placing a stone in between it, however if the opponent tries to do the same with the L shape, then the player who formed can immediately use the stretch two not blocked to form an open tria in two different ways forcing the opponent to respond. The h A play that creates an open tria in the middle of the L shape forms the h shape. The h shape is powerful because when it has been formed the opponent must immediately respond to the open tria threat. This begins actively using the potential for threats that began with the I shape and gives the first player initiative. From the h shape a player can immediately form three other open trias. One of open trias available forms the X shape. If the opponent fails to stop this from happening they'll lose the game by allowing the attacking player to form an unstoppable open tessera. The X The x shape continues the momentum given to it by the h shape. The x shape allows the player to choose from upwards of four open tria threats, but more importantly gives the player enough initiative to form the H shape. The H The H shape is the most powerful of the advanced letter shapes. When done in the correct order the H allows the player who made it to end the sequence of letters in a double open three, at least one of which will end in an open tessera. The H shape is made by choosing two of the four open tria threats available to the player in the X formation. If an open tria is made on opposite ends of the X shape so that a pattern resembling a capital H is formed, then the middle of the H creates an open