Gomoku
Line up five before your rival - pure skill.
What you are trying to do
Create a legal unbroken line of five stones before your rival does.
Claim a point
Black begins, then turns alternate. Preview an empty intersection and confirm the placement.
Build pressure
Open threes and fours force replies; intersecting threats can produce two winning continuations.
Apply the selected rule
Exactly five, five-or-more, or Caro's open-five restriction determines which line actually wins.
Complete rules for Gomoku
These are the disclosed rules used by the room—not a simplified summary that changes once the match begins.
- 01
Two players: Black and White. Black places first, then you alternate.
- 02
Tap an empty point to preview a stone, then press Confirm to place it.
- 03
Make an unbroken line of five of your stones (row, column or diagonal) to win.
- 04
Standard rule: exactly five wins. A line of six or more does not count.
- 05
Freestyle rule (host option): five or more wins.
- 06
Caro rule (host option): a five blocked by your rival on both ends does not win.
- 07
Balanced opening (host option): evens out Black's first-move edge. Black's first stone is the center and the second must be at least three points away. (This is an opening restriction only - not the full Renju forbidden-move rules.)
Modes & room settings
Every setting below is validated by the server. The default is marked so a new host knows exactly what will run without changing anything.
Board size
Changes the amount of space available for threats and defense.
Uses the 13 x 13 layout for this match.
Uses the 15 x 15 layout for this match.
Uses the 19 x 19 layout for this match.
Win rule
Defines which five-stone lines count as a win.
Only exactly five stones in a row wins; an overline of six or more does not.
Any unbroken line of five or more stones wins.
A line of five does not win when the opponent blocks both ends.
Opening
Controls only Black's opening placement restrictions.
Black may place the opening stones on any empty points.
Black starts at center and the second Black stone must be at least three points away; this is not full Renju.
Three useful habits
Defend an open four immediately; it usually has two winning ends.
Build threats that cross so one defensive stone cannot stop both.
Check the room's win and opening settings before treating an overline as a victory.
