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