While the rules of Gomoku are simple enough to learn in a minute, mastering the game takes dedicated practice and strategic thinking. This guide covers essential strategies that will help you progress from a casual player to a formidable opponent. Whether you are playing your first game or looking to sharpen your skills, these tips will give you a clear edge.
The center of the board is the most powerful position in Gomoku. A stone placed near the center (around the H8 intersection on a 15x15 board) has the maximum number of possible lines extending in all four directions: horizontal, vertical, and both diagonals. Stones placed on the edges or in the corners have far fewer potential winning lines.
As the black player (first move), you should almost always open at or very near the center. As white, your response should also stay near the center to contest control of this critical area. Allowing your opponent to dominate the center unchallenged is one of the fastest ways to fall behind.
An open row is a line of consecutive stones with empty spaces on both ends. A closed row (or half-open row) has one end blocked by an opponent stone or the edge of the board. The difference is critical:
Always prioritize building open rows over closed ones. When placing stones, think about whether your line will have breathing room on both ends.
The most powerful moves in Gomoku are those that create two or more threats at once. If you can force your opponent to deal with multiple problems simultaneously, they will only be able to block one, and you win with the other. Key multi-threat patterns include:
Building toward these combination threats should be your primary strategic goal in the middle game. Every stone you place should ideally serve double duty, contributing to more than one potential line.
Offense wins games, but ignoring defense loses them faster. After every move your opponent makes, scan the board for threats. Specifically, check for:
A good habit is to check your opponent's last move and ask: "What line is this stone part of? Does it create a three? A four? What happens if I ignore it?" Only after confirming there is no urgent threat should you focus on your own offensive plans.
The first several moves of a Gomoku game set the strategic foundation. Strong openings for black typically involve placing the first stone at the center and then developing stones in a way that maximizes future options. Common strong openings include:
As white (the second player), your opening strategy should focus on staying close to black's stones and preventing easy development. Do not play too far away from your opponent's stones in the opening, or they will build an unchallenged position.
A fork is a move that creates two separate threats branching out from the same stone. Think of it as a Y-shaped formation where one new stone extends two different lines. Forks are the most common way to create the double-threat situations described above.
To set up a fork, look for positions where a single stone placement would simultaneously extend two of your partial lines. This requires planning ahead: as you place stones throughout the game, try to arrange them so that future fork opportunities naturally emerge.
When you must play defense, choose your blocking stone wisely. The best defensive moves are those that block your opponent while simultaneously advancing your own position. Instead of simply placing a stone to close off an opponent's line, look for a blocking position that also contributes to one of your own developing lines. This way, even defensive moves bring you closer to winning.
One of the most common mistakes in Gomoku is becoming fixated on one area of the board. While you are focused on building a line on one side, your opponent may be quietly developing a winning threat on the other side. After every move, take a moment to scan the entire board. Check all areas for both offensive opportunities and defensive necessities.
Strong players think several moves ahead, considering not just their next move but their opponent's likely response and their counter to that response. Even reading just two or three moves ahead gives you an enormous advantage over players who only think about the current turn. Practice by asking yourself: "If I play here, where will my opponent respond? And then where will I play after that?"
The best way to improve at Gomoku is to play frequently and review your games. After each game, think about the critical turning points. Where did the winning player gain the advantage? What move could have changed the outcome? With practice and attention, these strategic principles will become second nature. Head to the main page and start applying what you have learned!