Gomoku

THE PLAYBOOK · XH0411

How to play Gomoku

A round of Gomoku at XH0411 begins with understanding the objective. Make five or more connected stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally. A full board without a line is a draw. The learning focus here is careful restarts, supported by the rule notes below.

Careful restarts

Start a fresh round when you want another attempt. Restarting may discard current progress; read the controls rather than assuming an account backup exists.

Your goal

Make five or more connected stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally. A full board without a line is a draw.

Step by step

1. Player 1 places the first stone on an empty intersection.
2. Player 2 places a stone and turns alternate.
3. Look for open lines and block your opponent’s threats.
4. A winning line immediately ends the round.

Controls

Use the on-screen controls with a mouse or touch.

A useful example

Four consecutive stones with an empty point at both ends creates two possible finishing moves.

Watch out for this

This is freestyle Gomoku, not Renju: there are no special forbidden opening or double-three rules.

Common questions