Gomoku

Take turns placing stones and be the first to line up five in a row against the computer.

⚫ Line up five stones in a row before the computer does!

Board · Ages 6+

Like every game on iplay.free, Gomoku is completely free — no ads, no sign-up, and no downloads. It runs right in your browser, so there's nothing to install and nothing to buy. With no ads and no account, it's safe to hand to a child and easy to pick up any time.

How to play Gomoku

Goal: Be the first to get five of your stones in a row — across, up and down, or on a diagonal.
Your move: You and the computer take turns putting one stone on any empty point where two lines cross. Stones never move and are never taken.

Game modes

Pick the level that suits you — Gomoku offers 3 ways to play:

Easy
Medium
Hard

Skills you'll practise

pattern recognition, planning, spatial reasoning

Did you know?

⚫ Gomoku is played with Go stones: it is 五目並べ (gomoku narabe, “five in a row”) in Japan, where books about it date from the 1850s, 五子棋 (wǔzǐqí) in China and omok in Korea. Its tournament cousin renju (“connected pearls”, named in 1899) adds rules that slow down the first player — and no wonder: in 1994 a computer program proved that on a 15×15 board the first player can always win with perfect play!

Frequently asked questions

Is iplay.free really free?: Yes — every game is completely free, with no ads, no sign-up, and no downloads. There's nothing to buy and no premium tier: it's free forever.
Do I need an account or sign-up?: No. Games play instantly in the browser — no login, no email, and no personal details are ever required.
Are there any ads?: None. iplay.free runs no ad networks, so there are no banners, no pop-ups, and nothing to mis-tap — which is part of why it's safe to hand to a child.
Is it safe for kids?: Yes. Because there are no ads, no chat, and no account, there's nothing inappropriate to stumble into and no personal details to hand over. You can pass a device to a child without worrying about pop-ups or accidental purchases.
Do I need to download or install anything?: No. Everything runs in your web browser — there's no app to install and no updates to manage. Just open a game and play.
What devices and browsers work?: Any modern browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge — on a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, including school Chromebooks.