To play gomoku, two players take turns placing one stone each on an empty point of a grid, black going first. The first player to line up five of their own stones in an unbroken row, across, up and down or diagonally, wins. You can play it on a Go board, a sheet of squared paper or a phone app in about two minutes.
That's really the whole game. The depth comes from the fact that every move does two jobs at once: it builds your own line and it blocks the other player's. Below you'll find the setup, the rules step by step, the difference between the main rule sets, a few opening ideas and the shapes you need to spot.
What you need
Gomoku needs very little, which is part of the appeal. Here's the full kit:
- A board: the usual size is a 15 by 15 grid of lines. A Go board (19 by 19) works too, and you can just ignore the outer lines if you want a smaller game.
- Stones: one colour for each player, black and white. Coins, buttons or different coloured counters are fine.
- Two players: the game is built for exactly two.
- Paper and pen, if you've got no board: draw a grid of squares and use X and O, placing marks on the squares or the crossings. Just agree beforehand which one you're using.
Stones go on the points where lines cross, not inside the squares. That's the single most common beginner mix-up, and it changes how the board looks, so it's worth settling before you start.
The rules
- Start with an empty board. Black plays first, usually in the centre.
- Players take turns, placing one stone on any empty point.
- Stones never move and are never captured once they're down.
- The first player to get five stones in an unbroken line, across, down or diagonally, wins.
- If the board fills up with no five in a row, the game is a draw. That's rare on a 15 by 15 grid.
Because black moves first, black has an advantage. Plenty of groups reduce it with extra rules, which brings us to the different versions.
Freestyle vs standard gomoku
Most casual games use what's called freestyle: five or more stones in a row wins, so a line of six or seven still counts. It's the easiest version to explain and the one most apps use by default.
Standard gomoku is stricter. You need exactly five. A line of six or more, called an overline, doesn't win. That small change makes you check the ends of your rows before you celebrate, and it takes a little of the speed out of the game.
If you're teaching a friend, start with freestyle. Switch to standard once you've both got the basics, and always say out loud which version you're playing before the first stone goes down.
Renju: the version with restrictions
Renju is the professional version of the game and the one with a long tournament history. It's played on the 15 by 15 board and gives white freedom while limiting black. Black isn't allowed to make certain shapes: a double three (two open threes created by one move), a double four, or an overline. If black plays one of them, black loses, while white can play without those limits.
This makes the game much more balanced, because black's first-move edge is taken away. It also makes it harder to learn, so most beginners ignore Renju for a while. If you get hooked on gomoku, it's the natural next step.
Another common way to balance the game is a swap rule: after the first few stones, the second player can choose to take black instead. It encourages the first player to open fairly rather than aggressively. If your games always go to black, try it.
Opening tips
- Play near the centre. A stone in the middle can join lines in all four directions. A stone on the edge can only go one way.
- Stay connected. Stones that sit one gap apart or touch diagonally make flexible shapes that are hard to block.
- Block early, not late. It's far easier to stop a line of two than a line of four.
- Don't build one long line. A single row is easy to stop. Spread your stones so they can grow in two directions.
- Look at both sides. Before each move, ask what the other player would do if they had this point.
If you enjoy this kind of planning, you'll probably like other thinking games too. Our guide on how to play chess covers the basic ideas, and there's a list of strategy board games for when you want more. For something you can solve alone, try these chess-based puzzle games.
Patterns to know
You'll hear these terms in every gomoku guide. They're simpler than they sound:
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Open three
Three of your stones in a row, with empty points at both ends. If the other player ignores it, you can make an open four. So they have to respond, usually by blocking one end.
Four
Four stones in a row. If one end is blocked, you've got one winning point left, and the other player must block it right away. It's a forcing move: they've got no choice, and you pick the next one.
Open four
Four stones in a row with both ends empty. The other player can only block one, so you win next turn. Getting an open four is the usual way games end.
Double threat
A single move that creates two threats at once, such as a four and an open three, or two fours. Your opponent can only answer one, and the other one wins. Most games between experienced players are decided by who spots a double threat first.
A good habit: before your move, scan the board for the other player's threes and fours, then look for your own. If you can make a four that forces a block and also builds a second line, you're close to a win.
Gomoku vs Connect Four vs tic tac toe
| Game | Board | Goal | Special rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gomoku | 15 by 15 lines (or a Go board) | Five in a row | Stones are placed anywhere on an empty point |
| Connect Four | 7 columns by 6 rows | Four in a row | Discs drop to the lowest free spot in a column |
| Tic tac toe | 3 by 3 squares | Three in a row | Small grid, so a draw is common with good play |
Gomoku is basically tic tac toe grown up: a bigger grid, a longer line and no gravity. That freedom is what makes it harder to read but also more fun to think about.
Where to play
- On paper: the cheapest option. A page of squared paper and two pens is all you need.
- On a Go board: if someone in your family has one, you've got a ready-made gomoku set, since the stones are identical.
- On your phone: iPhone users can try the gomoku game inside GamePigeon in iMessage, and there are many free gomoku apps on both Android and iPhone. Look for one that lets you pick freestyle or standard rules.
- Against the computer: good for practising patterns before you play a person.
App menus and game lists change, so if you can't find gomoku, search the app or the store for the word "gomoku" or "five in a row". Free apps often have adverts, so check what you're installing and play in airplane mode if you want an offline game.
Frequently asked questions
How do you win at gomoku?
You win by getting five of your stones in an unbroken row, across, up and down or diagonally, before the other player does.
Who goes first in gomoku?
Black goes first. Because that gives black an edge, many groups add a swap rule or play Renju, which restricts black.
What size board do you need for gomoku?
A 15 by 15 grid is the usual size. A 19 by 19 Go board also works, and you can draw your own grid on paper.
What's the difference between gomoku and Renju?
Renju is a stricter version where black can't make a double three, a double four or an overline. Gomoku in its basic form has no such limits for either player.
