Gomoku Online

Gomoku is the five in a row game: a turn-based two-player game played on a 15x15 board with light and dark stones. It is also known as Gobang or simply Five in a row. Play Gomoku online here for free, with a friend, against the computer or against other players, and learn how to play in a minute.

Gomoku rules: how to play

Two players take turns placing one stone of their colour on any empty point of the 15x15 board. Once placed, a stone cannot be moved or removed from the board.

The goal is to align 5 stones of the same colour, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. The first player to get five in a row wins. If the board fills up before anyone does, the game is a draw.

The player who starts has a slight advantage over the opponent. It is therefore worth playing an even number of games, alternating the first player.

Gomoku strategy

Open threes and fours

A line of three stones with both ends empty is an open three: if your opponent ignores it, you turn it into an open four, which cannot be blocked at both ends. Every open three you make forces an answer, so use them to take the initiative.

Double threats

Most games of Gomoku are won with one stone that makes two threats at once, such as two open threes or a four and an open three. Your opponent can block only one of them. Build your stones close together so that each new stone can join more than one line.

Defend early

Block an open three before it becomes a four, and look at every stone your opponent places: if it creates two lines at once, it is the one you have to answer.

Play Gomoku online with friends or against the computer

Click "Play with a friend" and share the link to play Gomoku with someone you know, click "Play online" to be matched with another player, or click "Play vs robot" to practice against the computer at any hour. If you like competition, join the daily tournament or organize a private tournament in leaderboard, single elimination, double elimination or round robin mode. It's a great way to engage with teammates over virtual team-building sessions.

Similar games

If you want to relax from Gomoku, you can try to play Tic-Tac-Toe, a more straightforward 3x3 board game with similar mechanics.

Players that enjoy Gomoku may also want to play the Connect 4 game, four in a row with gravity.

If you are seeking a bit of randomness and action, you might want to try our Battleship game version. A colorful game with ships and explosions.

History of the Gomoku game

Gomoku comes from Japan, where it is also called gomoku narabe, "five in a row". It has long been played with the stones of the game of Go on a Go board, which is why its pieces are stones placed on the points where the lines cross. Over time players found that the first player has a strong advantage, and some rule sets, such as Renju, add restrictions for that player. papergames.io plays Gomoku without those restrictions.