About Gomoku on Suvi
Gomoku, also called five in a row, is a game of pure strategy for two players. You take turns placing a stone on any empty point of a fifteen-by-fifteen board, and the first to make an unbroken line of five, across, up and down or diagonally, wins. Suvi plays freestyle rules: five or more in a row wins, so a line of six counts too. Play Gomoku online against the computer at three levels (Easy is learning the game, Medium blocks every open three, Hard thinks in threats and spots forced wins several moves ahead) or against a friend on one phone. On a phone, your first tap aims and shows exactly where your stone will land; tap again or press Place to put it down, so a thumb never misplaces a stone. Nothing to download, no account needed.
How to play
- Choose vs Computer (Easy, Medium or Hard) or Two players, and who goes first.
- Take turns placing one stone on any empty point. On a phone, tap to aim, then tap again or press Place.
- Make a line of five of your stones in a row: across, up and down, or diagonally. Five or more wins.
- Block your opponent: a line of three with both ends open becomes an unstoppable four if you ignore it.
Controls
On a phone or tablet: Tap a point to aim (slide your finger to adjust), then tap the same point again or press Place. Undo and Hint sit under the board.
On a desktop: Click a point to place a stone, or move with the arrow keys and press Enter. U undoes, H asks for a hint.
Tips
- An open three (three in a row with both ends empty) must be answered at once, or it becomes an open four that wins.
- The strongest attacks make two threats with one stone: a four and an open three together can't both be blocked.
- Play near the centre and near your other stones; stones on the edge take part in fewer lines.
- When you block, choose the end that also helps one of your own lines.
- The first player has an advantage in this freestyle game, so take turns going first.
Read the full guide: “Gomoku strategy: how to win at five in a row” →
Questions
- Is Gomoku free to play online?
- Yes. Gomoku on the full 15×15 board is free against the computer, with a friend on one phone, or online by link. There's no account and nothing to download, and your results at each level stay on this device.
- Does six in a row count?
- Yes. Suvi plays freestyle Gomoku: five or more stones in an unbroken line wins, so an overline of six or more counts as a win too.
- Can I play against a friend?
- Yes, on one phone or two. Choose Two players to take turns placing stones on the same phone, with both names and the running score at the top. Or choose Online with a friend and send the link to their phone. No account is needed: it asks once for your date of birth, and online play isn't open to under-13s.
- How good is the computer?
- Easy completes its own fives and blocks fours but often misses an open three. Medium blocks every open three and never misses a winning four. Hard also looks for chains of forcing moves for itself and for you, and defends against them before they arrive.
- Why do I have to tap twice on a phone?
- The board has 225 points, so they are close together under a thumb. The first tap shows a ghost stone exactly where yours will go; a second tap or the Place button puts it down. With a mouse, one click places the stone.
- Can I undo a move?
- Against the computer, yes: Undo takes back your last stone and the computer's reply, which is handy on a crowded board. In a game between two people there's no undo, just as there isn't across a real table.
More Gomoku
Similar games
- Four in a Row — Drop discs, line up four. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
- Reversi — Trap discs between yours and flip them. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
- Dots and Boxes — Draw lines, close boxes, take another turn. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
Who made it
Gomoku is a Suvi Original, written and tested by Brasslight Games. Every puzzle is generated and checked by our own tools; nothing is copied from another site.