Renju

Renju is the professional variant of Gomoku, a Japanese board game. It is played with black and white stones on a 15x15 intersection Go board. Renju eliminates the "Perfect Win"-situation in Gomoku by adding special conditions for the first player (Black).

Black can win the game only by placing five black stones in a row (vertically, horizontally or diagonally).

White can win by either:

• getting five (or more) white stones in a row
• forcing Black to make a forbidden move (see below).

The opening sequence differs from ordinary Gomoku:

1. The first player places 2 black stones and 1 white stone on the board.
2. The second player now chooses whether to play black or white.
3. White then places one more stone on the board.
4. Black places 2 stones on the board.
5. White removes one of the two black stones from the previous move.
6. White places a white stone.

After this sequence is complete, Black and White continue to take turns to place their stones.

There are certain moves that Black is not allowed to make:

• Double three - Black cannot place a stone that builds two separate lines with three black stones in unbroken rows (i.e. rows not blocked by white stones).
• Double four - Black cannot place a stone that builds two separate lines with four black stones in a row.
• Overline - six or more black stones in a row.

External link

• Renju International Federation has complete rules and history of the game
• Korean Omok Association (omok is the Korean name of the game)
• Kurnik Online Games has online Renju to play against others; includes games archive, tournaments etc.