Board puzzles
Gomoku — rules and where to play
GOMOKU · Five in a row / Renju
Black and white alternate; first to five in a row wins. Simple rules, but bans and first-move control add depth.
- Origin
- — · China
- Difficulty
- ★★★★★ 1–3 / 5
- Time
- 5–20 min
- Grid
- 15×15
- Sites
- 2
Rules
- A 15×15 board; players alternate one stone.
- First to line up five (any direction) wins.
- In Renju, Black is banned from double-three, double-four and overline.
How to start
Attack and defend in one move
A good move both fills your gap and blocks the opponent's open three.
Build an open four
An open four cannot be blocked at both ends — the strongest threat.
Mind Black's bans
Black may not make double-three, double-four or overline.
Where players get stuck
- Attacking only and letting the opponent connect five.
- Black stepping on a ban and calling it a win.
Play Gomoku
2 sitesRelated puzzles
About this page
- Last updated 2026-09-22
- Source Curated compilation of established puzzle rules and listed third-party play sites
- Audience Players learning Gomoku rules or looking for online sites to play
- Covers Rules summary, how to start, common pitfalls, and the dedicated play sites listed on this page
- Does not cover Hosted puzzles, worked solutions, official contest rankings, third-party uptime or pricing guarantees
- Not advice This page is puzzle reference content only. It does not constitute financial, legal, medical or other professional advice.
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