Gomoku
Gomoku boils strategy down to one rule: get five of your stones in a straight line before the other player does. The board here is a 15 by 15 grid, and stones go on the points where the lines cross, not inside the squares.
You can learn it in a minute, yet a single careless stone can lose the game. Play a friend by sharing the screen, or try a computer opponent on Easy, Medium or Hard. It runs in any browser tab, with no download, so it is quick to open between classes.
How to play Gomoku
Black plays first, then turns alternate. On your turn, put one stone on any empty intersection. Stones stay where they are for the rest of the game, so the grid only gets busier.
Connect five or more stones of your color without a gap and you win on the spot. It can run sideways, up and down, or along either diagonal. If the grid fills before anyone gets there, the game is drawn.
To face the computer, choose black if you want the opening move or white if you would rather answer, then pick a level. Undo takes back your last stone, plus the computer's reply in a solo game.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place a stone | Arrow keys to a point, Enter | Click an empty intersection | Tap an empty intersection |
| Two-player game | — | Click 2 Player (local) | Tap 2 Player (local) |
| Computer game | — | vs Computer, choose color and level, New game | vs Computer, choose color and level, New game |
| Take back | — | Click Undo | Tap Undo |
| Give up | — | Click Resign | Tap Resign |
Tips
- Pay attention to open ends. Three stones with space on both sides are more dangerous than four that are already capped at one end.
- Look for a single placement that builds two threats at the same time. Your opponent can block one, and you complete the other.
- Never ignore an open three. Left alone it becomes an open four, with two winning spots, and a single turn lets you block just one.
- Start close to the middle of the board. Lines near the edge run out of room before they reach five.
- Split patterns like X X _ X are easy to overlook. Use them to set traps, and watch for them in the computer's stones too.
If you like Gomoku, try these
Four in a RowLines decide this one too, just shorter: four discs that fall down seven columns, so gravity limits where you can play.
HexStill a stone-placing race between two players, but you link opposite edges of a hexagon board instead of making a straight row.
Questions
Does six in a row count in Gomoku?
Yes. This version uses freestyle rules, so a line of five or longer wins the game.
Is it an advantage to go first in Gomoku?
Moving first is a real edge under freestyle rules, because Black gets a head start on building threats. Against the Hard computer, taking black is a good way to learn.
Can I play Gomoku on an iPad or phone?
Yes. The board is laid out for portrait screens and every move is a single tap on an intersection.
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