五子棋

Gomoku, also known as Five in a Row, is a traditional abstract strategy board game. Two players take turns placing stones on a grid, trying to create an unbroken row of five stones while blocking their opponent from doing the same.

Be the first player to get exactly five (or more in some variants) of your stones in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

The game is played on a 15x15 grid (sometimes 19x19, the same as a Go board). The board starts empty. Black plays first and players use black and white stones.

1. Players alternate turns, placing one stone of their color on any empty intersection.
2. Once placed, stones never move or get removed.
3. The first player to create five consecutive stones in a line wins.
4. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
5. In standard rules, exactly five wins. Overlines (more than five in a row) may not count depending on the variant.
6. Block your opponent's threats while building your own winning position.

Create an unbroken line of exactly five stones of your color (or five or more, depending on rules). If the board fills without a winner, the game is a draw.

• *Control the center of the board - it provides the most opportunities for five in a row.
• *Look for double threats (open threes or fours) that cannot be blocked in one move.
• *An 'open four' (four in a row with both ends open) is an immediate win if unblocked.
• *A 'double open three' creates two open threes simultaneously and usually wins.
• *Block your opponent's open threes immediately; open fours are already too late.
• *Think several moves ahead - the winner often sets up winning positions many turns in advance.
• *As Black, take advantage of the first-move advantage; as White, play defensively early.

• Renju: Professional rules for Black to balance first-move advantage. Black cannot make double fours, double threes, or overlines.
• Standard: Any five or more in a row wins for both players.
• Opening rules: Swap or swap2 rules help balance the strong first-player advantage.