⭕ Gomoku
Five in a row on a fifteen-line board. Simple rules, brutal tactics.
AI
STATUS 0W/L/D 0
How to play Gomoku
- Players take turns placing stones on the intersections of a fifteen-line board.
- You play Black and move first.
- The first player to line up five stones in a row — horizontal, vertical or diagonal — wins.
- Unlike noughts and crosses, stones are never moved or removed once placed.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click / tap | Place a stone |
| H | Show the last move marker |
| R | Start a new game |
| F | Enter or leave full screen |
| Esc | Leave full screen |
Tips & strategy
- An open three — three in a row with both ends free — forces a reply. Build them relentlessly.
- A double threat, where one stone creates two open threes at once, is usually game over. Aim for it.
- Block open threes immediately, but ignore closed ones that cannot reach five.
- Play towards the centre early. Edge stones have fewer directions available and are worth far less.
Frequently asked questions
Does the first player always win?
In theory, perfect play by Black wins on a free-style board, which is why competitive rules add opening restrictions. Casually, the advantage is real but small.
Do more than five in a row count?
Yes, an overline of six or more still wins here. This is the free-style ruleset rather than the stricter Renju rules.
How does the AI choose moves?
It scores every candidate point by the threats it creates and blocks, searching a shortlist of strong replies rather than the whole board.