About Gomoku Grove

Gomoku Grove is the classic five-in-a-row strategy game on a 13×13 board. Black and white take turns placing stones; the first to connect five in a row — across, down, or diagonally — wins. Play online with a friend via one invite link, get matched with an opponent, pass-and-play on one device, or battle JungleBot.

How to play Gomoku Grove

Gomoku Grove is five in a row, one of the oldest strategy games in the world, played here on a 13×13 board. Black moves first; players alternate placing one stone on any empty intersection. Stones never move or get captured — the entire game is placement. The first player to line up five of their own stones in an unbroken row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — wins on the spot. If the board fills with no five, it's a draw. Play a friend by sharing one invite link, get matched with an opponent in seconds, pass-and-play on one device, or take on JungleBot.

Tips & strategy

• An open three — three in a row with both ends empty — is the engine of gomoku. Left alone it becomes an unstoppable open four, so build yours and break theirs immediately.
• An open four (four in a row with both ends free) is already a win: your opponent can only block one end. Spot the move that creates one before your opponent does.
• The strongest attacks are double threats — one stone that creates two open threes at once. Defenders can only answer one of them.
• Play centrally early. Stones near the middle touch far more potential five-lines than edge stones, exactly like the center square in tic-tac-toe — but magnified.
• When defending, block the end that also grows a line of your own. The best defensive stones are quietly offensive.

Frequently asked questions

Is gomoku the same as Connect 4?

They're cousins, not twins. Both are line-building games, but Connect 4 pieces drop to the lowest open slot in a column, while gomoku stones go on any empty point — which makes gomoku far more open-ended and strategic.

Does the first player have an advantage?

Yes — with perfect play, the first player (Black) can force a win on an open board, which is why tournament rules add opening restrictions. In casual play it simply means: swap who goes first between games.

What board size is this?

ToucanPlay uses a 13×13 board — full classic gameplay that still fits comfortably on a phone screen. Traditional boards range from 13×13 up to 19×19.