Gomoku (Five in a Row)
A simple rule with deep tactics: take turns placing stones on the grid, and the first to line up five in a row wins. Spot your opponent’s threats before they become unstoppable.
How to play Gomoku (Five in a Row)
- The board is a 15×15 grid. Stones go on the line crossings. Black plays first, then players alternate, one stone per turn.
- Stones never move or get removed once placed.
- Make an unbroken line of five of your stones — across, down or diagonally — to win.
- Pick a rule in the menu: Five or more (a line of six also wins) or Exactly five (lines of six or longer do not count).
- If the whole board fills without a winner, the game is a draw.
Controls
- Tap or click a crossing to place a stone. Keyboard: focus the board, move with the arrow keys and press Enter.
- With hints on, a green ring shows where you can win at once and a red ring shows a point you must block.
- Undo takes back your stone and the computer’s reply.
Tips
- An “open three” — three in a row with both ends free — must be answered, or it becomes an open four that can’t be stopped.
- The winning trick is a double threat: one move that creates two lines your opponent cannot block at the same time.
- Defend early. Blocking a two before it grows is cheaper than blocking a three.
- Stay near the action: stones far from the center rarely help.
FAQ
How do you play gomoku?
Two players take turns placing one stone each on the crossings of a 15×15 grid, Black first. Stones never move. The first player to make an unbroken line of five, across, down or diagonally, wins. Under the exactly-five rule a line of six does not count.
Is going first an advantage?
Yes — on an open board the first player has a real edge. Swap colors in the menu to try both sides against the computer.
What does “exactly five” change?
Under that rule a line of six or more stones does not win, so you must aim for a clean five. It makes some attacks fail and adds a little extra care to the endgame.