Gomoku
Also known as: Five in a Row, Gobang
First to line up five stones takes the game.
Black moves first, and the two sides take turns placing a stone on an empty intersection; stones never move again. The first line of five in any direction wins. These are free-style rules, and the game uses no chips.
- Players
- 2 players
- Ways to play
- Friend rooms · Play with bots
- Clubs
- Club rooms supported
- Chips & scoring
- No chips
- Category
- Board games
- Platforms
- Web · Telegram · iOS · Android
Fair play in Gomoku, without exploitation
There is no shuffle or hidden hand. Both players see the same board. The server validates turns, moves and five-in-a-row wins. The rules are freestyle, with the first player alternating between games.
Fair play without exploitation: funded by memberships, not player losses. No manufactured hands or advantages for sale. Membership never changes the deal, rules, or outcome. No real-money play.
See fairness mechanisms and verification scope →Learn the basics. Then take a seat.
- 01
The board is 15×15. Black moves first; players alternate placing a stone on an empty intersection, and stones never move.
- 02
Lining up five stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally wins, and an overline of six or more wins as well.
- 03
A full board with no line of five is a draw. A room plays match after match, swapping colours each time.
Gomoku · Rules and scoring
These are the rules used by BluffKing. Regional variants can differ; check the game settings before playing.
How results are settled
Free-style rules: black moves first, and either side wins by lining up five or more stones in any direction. A full board with no line is a draw. This game uses no chips — only results and move counts are recorded.
Playing rules
- The board is 15×15. Black moves first; players alternate placing a stone on an empty intersection, and stones never move.
- The first player to line up five stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally wins, and the match ends immediately.
- Free-style rules apply: an overline of six or more also wins, and black has no double-three or double-four restrictions.
- If the board fills up with no line of five, the match is a draw.
- Each move has a 40-second clock. If you are connected when it runs out, a move is played for you; if you are disconnected on your turn, you have 12 seconds to reconnect or you forfeit the match.
- A room plays match after match: when both players tap “Play again” the next one starts, with colours swapped. Human players may offer a draw.
- Gomoku uses no chips at all — only the result, move count and ending are recorded. Take-back is offered in bot rooms only.
Before you play
Gomoku is also known as Five in a Row or Gobang. BluffKing Gomoku offers Free-style · Alternating first move · No chips. Black moves first, and the two sides take turns placing a stone on an empty intersection; stones never move again. The first line of five in any direction wins. These are free-style rules, and the game uses no chips. Player count: 2 players. Friend rooms are available. Computer practice is also available. Start in a browser without downloading; this page describes BluffKing’s rules, not every regional variant.
Yes. BluffKing Gomoku uses a 15×15 board for two players, with Black moving first. There are no double-three, double-four or overline restrictions; five or more consecutive stones win. Friend rooms and computer practice use no chips. This is freestyle Gomoku rather than tournament Renju with forbidden moves.
No. This is free-style Gomoku: black has no double-three or double-four restrictions, and an overline of six or more also wins.
No. Gomoku uses no chips at all; only the result, move count and ending are recorded.
Yes. BluffKing uses free-style Gomoku: five or more consecutive stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally win. If black places a stone that creates a line of six, black wins immediately; it is not a forbidden overline.
Yes. Open BluffKing Gomoku in a browser on Android, iPhone or a computer. Use this page’s Play button to open the game at https://app.bluffking.ai/games/gomoku without installing an app.
BluffKing Gomoku friend rooms support 2 players. Create a human-player room in the game lobby and share a link from Invite friends at the table, or its 4-digit room code. Friends open BluffKing, tap Join Game and enter the code; they do not need to choose a game first. Playing with other people requires an account; signed-out players register or sign in before returning to the invitation. You can also choose computer practice. See the game-specific rules and scoring on this page.
BluffKing Gomoku lets you invite people you know into the same internet-connected room without using stranger matchmaking. Even when sitting together, each friend connects through their own device. This is not offline play, LAN-only multiplayer or a scorekeeper for a physical tabletop game. See this page’s friend-room answer for invitations; supported count: 2 players.
BluffKing Gomoku is for practice and entertainment, with no real-money bets, deposits, cash prizes or cash-out. Scoring: No chips, with no monetary value. Membership does not change rules or outcomes.
Ready for Gomoku?
Open the game and check its rules and scoring before starting.