Play Gomoku Online for Free | Five in a Row (Japanese: 五目)

Welcome to our free online Gomoku game! Also known as "Five in a Row" or "Gomoku" (五目), this is a classic Japanese strategy board game where the goal is to be the first to get five of your stones in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. You can play Gomoku right here against a friend in two-player mode, or test yourself against the computer. No download required!

What is Gomoku?

Gomoku (五目) literally means "five stones" or "five marks" in Japanese (五 go = five, 目 me = eye/dot/mark). The game is played on a 15x15 grid (though a 19x19 board is also common in Japan). Two players take turns placing black and white stones on the intersections of the grid. The first player to get five stones in a row — in any direction — wins the game.

Black (the first player) places the opening stone, traditionally in the center of the board.
White follows, and players alternate thereafter.
A row of five (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) wins.

How to Play Gomoku

Take Turns: Players alternate placing one stone per turn on any empty intersection.
Get Five in a Row: Form an unbroken line of five stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Win the Game: The first player to achieve five in a row wins.

If the board fills up completely with neither player achieving five in a row, the game is a draw.

Game Controls and Options

Our Gomoku game is designed to be intuitive and responsive.

Mouse and Touch Controls:

Place a Stone: Click or tap on any empty intersection on the grid to place your stone (black or white).
New Game: Click the "New Game" button to reset the board and start a new match.

On-Screen Buttons:

2P / vs Computer: Toggle between playing against a second player locally or against the AI.
Easy / Normal: When playing against the computer, choose the AI difficulty. "Easy" plays randomly (with basic defense), while "Normal" uses a pattern-scoring strategy.
Hint: Highlights a strong move suggestion for the current player.
New Game: Resets the board with the current mode and difficulty settings.

Your running result is tracked, and the winning line is highlighted when the game ends.

Why Play Our Japanese Gomoku?

Learn Japanese Culture: Gomoku is a traditional Japanese strategy game with a rich history. Learning the name (五目) is a great vocabulary boost!
Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: The rules are simple, but the strategy runs deep — perfect for quick sessions or deep thinker games.
Play Anywhere: Play Gomoku on your desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.
Completely Free: Enjoy unlimited games against friends or the AI at no cost.

Start playing our free online Gomoku now and see if you can line up five!