How to Play Gomoku
Gomoku — also known as Five in a Row, Gobang, or Omok — is one of the simplest strategy games to learn, yet it offers surprising depth. You can master the basics in under 3 minutes and start enjoying meaningful games right away.
Step-by-Step: How to Play Gomoku
1 Set Up the Board
This site's game is played on a grid of intersections. Formal Renju uses a 15×15 board, while this site also offers smaller 9×9 and 13×13 boards for faster practice. You'll need black and white stones, or simply two marks on paper.
2 Take Turns Placing Stones
Black always goes first. Players take turns placing one stone per turn on any empty intersection on the board. You cannot move a stone once it's placed — gomoku is a placement game, not a movement game.
3 Form a Line of Five
The goal is to be the first player to form an unbroken line of exactly 5 stones in any direction: horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. The first player to achieve this wins. If the entire board fills up with neither player making five in a row, the game is a draw.
Try It Now — Play While You Learn
The best way to learn gomoku is to play! Try a game on the 9×9 board below — it's quick and perfect for beginners.
Interactive Gomoku board. Click an empty intersection to place a stone. Keyboard users can use the arrow keys to move and Enter or Space to place a stone.
What You Need to Start Playing
One of the best things about gomoku is how little equipment you need. Here are your options:
🖥️ Play Online
Just open this page and start playing — no download, no signup. The board above is ready to go.
🖨️ Print a Board
Print a free gomoku board and use coins, buttons, or a pencil to mark moves. Get printable board →
📦 Buy a Set
A Go board and stones work perfectly. The standard 15×15 Go board is the tournament size for gomoku.
A Sample Game, Move by Move
Reading the rules is one thing; seeing a short game unfold makes the logic click. Here is a condensed 9×9 example. Coordinates are written as (column, row), center is (5,5).
- Black (5,5) — opens near the center, a practical choice on an open casual board because it leaves room in several directions.
- White (5,4) — blocks the vertical line above Black, a natural defensive reply.
- Black (6,5) — extends right, building a horizontal two. Now Black threatens to grow that line.
- White (4,5) — blocks the left side, so Black's horizontal run is contained on both ends for now.
- Black (5,6) — starts a new vertical line downward, creating a second threat. This is the seed of a "double threat."
- White (6,6) — tries to build its own line while keeping an eye on Black.
- Black (5,7) — now has three vertically (5,5)(5,6)(5,7). White should check the available endpoints and Black's other threats before choosing a reply.
- White (5,8) — blocks the vertical three, as forced.
- Black (7,5) — abandons that line and opens a diagonal from (5,5) through (6,5) toward (7,5), setting up the next threat.
The lesson: strong players rarely chase a single line. They keep two or three half-built lines alive so the opponent can never block them all. That is the essence of "double threats" below. Try spotting Black's diagonal plan on the board above as you read.
Playing Against the AI vs a Human
- Versus AI: Our game page offers Easy, Medium, and Hard. The AI never gets tired or distracted, so it is perfect for drilling patterns. Start on Easy, move to Medium once you can force a win, and treat Hard as a sparring partner.
- Versus a friend (pass-and-play): Two people share one device, alternating turns on the same board. Great for teaching kids.
- Versus a remote opponent: Many players use iMessage apps or online platforms to play across distances. See our iPhone play options for the mobile choices, or try the live private browser room.
- Versus yourself for practice: Place stones for both sides and try to find the winning line for each color. It is a surprisingly effective training drill.
Understanding the Board
The gomoku board is a grid of intersecting lines. Stones are placed where the lines cross (at intersections), not inside the squares. A standard 15×15 board has 225 intersections where you can place your stones.
The board has small dots called star points at key intersections. These are just visual guides — they have no special meaning in the rules. On an otherwise empty casual board, the center star point is a practical starting point, but it is not a universal rule for every variant or tournament opening.
For detailed information about board sizes and setup, see our gomoku board guide. For complete rules including variants, see gomoku rules.
Quick Strategy Tips for Beginners
- Consider the center — On an open casual board, central moves leave room in more directions. Formal opening procedures can require something else.
- Create "double threats" — Set up positions where you threaten to make five in two directions at once. Your opponent can only block one.
- Don't just defend — If you spend all your moves blocking your opponent, you'll never build your own winning line. Balance offense and defense.
- Think ahead — Before each move, ask: "If I place here, what are my next 2-3 possible threats?"
Which Board Size Should You Use?
The board size changes the feel of the game more than most beginners expect.
9×9 — Fast & friendly
Only 81 points. Games end in a few moves, so it is ideal for children, classrooms, and learning the basic patterns without a long commitment.
13×13 — The middle ground
169 points. Long enough for real strategy, short enough to finish in one sitting. A good "training wheels" board before the full size.
15×15 — Standard
225 points. This is the board size specified by formal RIF Renju rules and is a common size for longer games.
You can grab a free printable version of any size from our printable board page.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Chasing one line. Beginners lock onto a single row and ignore everything else. Meanwhile the opponent builds a quiet double threat elsewhere and wins.
- Missing immediate threats. An open three can become dangerous, but check the full position before deciding whether to block, counterattack, or win immediately.
- Ignoring available space. Central areas often give more room on an open casual board, but a good move depends on the position and the rules in use.
- Forgetting diagonals. Half of all wins sneak in on a diagonal. Scan all four directions after every move.
- Building a six instead of a five. Because overlines do not win in standard rules, overshooting your line wastes the winning move.
Etiquette & Fair Play
- Black moves first — and in casual play that is a real advantage, so many groups alternate who takes Black between games.
- No take-backs. Once a stone is placed, it stays. "Undo" is for practice mode, not real games.
- Call your win. In person, it is polite to point out your five-in-a-row before clearing the board.
- Resign gracefully. If you are clearly lost, conceding is faster and friendlier than playing every stone to the end.
For the broader context and history of the game, the Gomoku article on Wikipedia is a useful reference.
Quick Reference
Two players, black and white, take turns placing one stone per turn on any empty intersection. Under this site's exact-five rule, first to make exactly five in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) wins. Review both players' immediate threats, use open space when it fits the position, and create double threats when the rules allow them. Ready to try it? Play a game now →
Winning Patterns to Watch For
Once you know the rules, recognizing a few key shapes is what turns random stone-placing into real strategy. Here are the patterns that decide most games:
The open four
Four in a row with both ends empty. Unblockable — your opponent can only cover one end, and you win on the other. If you ever make one, you've won.
The open three
Three in a row with both ends open. Dangerous because your next move makes an open four. Block these the moment you see your opponent building one.
The double threat (fork)
One move that creates two open-threes (or an open-three and an open-four) at once. Your opponent can block only one, so the other wins. This is the number one winning tactic.
The broken four
A four with a gap, like X_XX. Looks incomplete but becomes a win in two moves and is easy to miss. Watch for these forming on your own lines and your opponent's.
For a deeper look at these patterns and how to chain forcing moves, see our beginner strategy guide and the intermediate guide.
What to Do After Your First Game
Once you have won or lost a game or two, the real learning begins. The single best next step is to understand why you won or lost — almost always it comes down to double threats or a missed open three. Read our beginner strategy guide to turn instinctive play into deliberate strategy, and explore the full rules if any situation in your game puzzled you. When you feel ready for a tougher opponent, the AI on Hard is waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a game of gomoku take?
A typical game lasts 3-10 minutes. On a 9×9 board, games are even faster (2-5 minutes). Tournament games on a 15×15 board can last 15-30 minutes.
Can I play gomoku by myself?
Yes! You can play against our AI opponent with adjustable difficulty. Easy mode is great for learning, while hard mode will challenge experienced players.
Is gomoku related to Go (Weiqi)?
They use the same board and stones, but the games are completely different. In Go, the goal is to surround territory. In gomoku, the goal is to make a line of five. Gomoku is much simpler and faster to play.
Do I need to know the rules perfectly to enjoy gomoku?
Not at all. The core rules take about a minute: take turns, place stones, make five in a row. Everything else — Renju forbidden moves, opening theory, tournament procedure — is optional depth you can pick up later.
What is the best way to teach gomoku to a child?
Start on a 9×9 board, let them win a few games, and keep it light. The "five in a row" idea is intuitive for kids; the strategy comes later. Our beginner guide is written for exactly this stage.
Can a gomoku game end in a tie?
In theory, yes — if the board fills with no five-in-a-row, it's a draw. In practice this almost never happens on a 15×15 board because someone breaks through first. On tiny boards it's more possible, which is one reason tournament play uses the full size.
Is gomoku good for your brain?
Yes. It builds pattern recognition, planning ahead, and the habit of balancing offense and defense — skills that transfer to chess, Go, and problem-solving generally. It's also low-stress: no reading, no setup, no timer unless you want one.
Can I play gomoku on my phone?
Easily. Our play page runs in any mobile browser — tap to place stones, no app needed. For iMessage and app options, see our iPhone guide. To understand why Gomoku is different from Go, see our Gomoku vs Go comparison.