10 Games Like Gomoku — Free 5-in-a-Row Board Games
Gomoku (also called Five in a Row or Renju) originated in Japan during the Heian period (794-1185). The objective is simple: place stones on a 15×15 grid; first to make 5 in a row wins. Black always plays first and has a winning advantage (proven by Victor Allis in 1993). Here are 10 free browser games with the same line-up-stones strategic DNA.
1. Gomoku
The 15×15 classic. Black and white stones. First to 5-in-a-row wins. Our AI uses threat detection and pattern scoring Play Gomoku.
2. Connect Four
Drop discs; line up 4. Different board (7×6), simpler depth Play Connect Four.
3. Tic-Tac-Toe
3-in-a-row on 3×3. The simplest line-up game Play Tic-Tac-Toe.
4. Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe
Nested tic-tac-toe with meta-board. Strategic depth in the meta Play Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe.
5. Reversi (Othello)
Different mechanic (flip discs) but same long-range board strategy Play Reversi (Othello).
6. Checkers
Move-and-capture board game with deep middle-game strategy Play Checkers.
7. Chess
The benchmark for two-player abstract strategy Play Chess.
8. Hex
Connect opposite sides with a chain of stones. Pure positional strategy Play Hex.
9. Dots and Boxes
Connect dots to claim boxes. Endgame chain-counting Play Dots and Boxes.
10. Mastermind
Different format but similar ‘narrow down possibilities’ logical thinking Play Mastermind.
Is Gomoku really ‘solved’ for Black?
Yes — in standard Gomoku (no restrictions), Black always wins with perfect play. This was proven by Victor Allis in 1993. He published the full proof in his PhD thesis.
To restore balance, tournament Gomoku uses Renju rules: Black is forbidden from making ‘double-three’ or ‘double-four’ formations. These restrictions even out the game. International Renju Federation tournaments use these rules.
Strategic principles
Three key concepts. Threats — any line of 3-4 of your stones that could become 5 forces the opponent to block. Double threats — creating two separate 4-in-a-row threats forces opponent to block one; you win with the other. Open threes — three stones in a row with both ends open. Opponent must block immediately or you’ll have an unblockable 4.
Practice creating double-threats. They’re the engine that wins games at intermediate level.
