Gomoku

Gomoku is an abstract strategy board game. Also called Omok or Five in a Row, it is traditionally played with Go pieces (black and white stones) on a go board with 15x15 intersections; however, because once placed, pieces are not moved or removed from the board; gomoku may also be played as a paper and pencil game. This game is known in several countries under different names.

Black plays first if white did not just win, and players alternate in placing a stone of their color on an empty intersection. The winner is the first player to get an unbroken row of five stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Origin

It is said to have originated in China with the name Wu Zi Qi (五子棋). The name "Gomoku" is from the Japanese language, in which it is referred to as gomokunarabe (五目並べ). Go means five, moku is a counter word for pieces and narabe means line-up. The game is also popular in Korea, where it is called omok (오목 [五目]) which has the same structure and origin as the Japanese name.