⚫Gomoku

Difference between Gomoku and Renju

Both Gomoku and Renju are games where you win by aligning your stones vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Renju is a competitive rule set that prevents Black (first player) from having too much advantage by restricting certain Black moves.

• Double-three and double-four：In Renju, Black cannot create both a three-pattern and a four-pattern simultaneously in a single move - this is a forbidden move that results in immediate loss.
• Overline：In Renju, Black cannot create six or more aligned stones. Only exactly five aligned stones counts as a win.
• This tool's rules：This tool uses standard Gomoku rules without forbidden moves. Aligning six or more stones also counts as a win.

Why the first player has an advantage and basic defensive strategy

In Gomoku, Black (first player) always has one more move than White, making the first player advantageous in games without forbidden moves. A key defensive strategy for White is to block the edges of the opponent's line before it extends to five.

• Block the four：When your opponent aligns four stones, you must immediately place a stone at the edge to prevent them from reaching five.
• Block the open three：An open three (three aligned stones with both ends empty) becomes an open four if left alone. You must block one end at the three-stone stage, as blocking at the four-stone stage still results in a loss.