Abstract A stereo algorithm which matches connected chains of edgels (curves) between images is described. It is based on representing the curves as elastic strings/snakes, and measuring the amount of deformation the strings have to undergo to transform between corresponding curves, and incorporates the ideas of the disparity gradient, and the fact that matching sections of curve have to be of a similar shape. This explicit use of shape information means that a precisely known epipolar geometry is no longer crucial. Pairs of potentially corresponding curves which lead to a large deformation energy, are eliminated, and the greatly reduced number of potentially matching pairs are passed on to a tree search stage. A typical result of running the algorithm on a stereo triple is presented.