Gomoku Online

Learn Gomoku (Five in a Row)

Gomoku, also known as Five in a Row, is a traditional abstract strategy board game. Originating in China as Wuziqi and popularized in Japan, it is played with black and white stones on a grid. While it uses rules and symbols reminiscent of Tic Tac Toe, Gomoku is vastly deeper, comparable to chess in its tactical complexity.

Official Game Rules

The rules of Gomoku are elegant and easy to learn:

• The game is played on a grid (our board is 12x12 intersections).
• Players alternate turns placing a stone of their color (Black or White) on any vacant grid intersection.
• The first player to form an unbroken line of exactly five stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally wins the game.
• If the board is completely filled and neither player has achieved five in a row, the game is declared a draw.

Winning Tactics & Gomoku Strategy

To win at Gomoku, you must build attacking lines while proactively shutting down your opponent's configurations. Key strategies include:

• The Open-Ended Three: An open three consists of three stones in a line with open spaces at both ends. Once placed, your opponent is forced to block one end, allowing you to build an unblockable open four on your next turn.
• The Double-Four Fork: The primary offensive move to secure victory. Setup two overlapping lines containing open four-stone configurations. Since the opponent can only block one line per turn, the other line is guaranteed to win.
• Proactive Defense: Always count your opponent's stone lines. Block any line containing three stones immediately unless you have an immediate four-stone threat of your own.