Five Row

Five Row, also sometimes referred to as Gomoku's "freestyle" variant, is an abstract strategy board game traditionally played with black and white stones on a Go board (19x19 intersections). The game is played by two players who alternate turns placing stones of their color on empty intersections (points) of the board. The goal of the game is to be the first player to create an unbroken row of five stones of their color horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Unlike standard Gomoku, Five Row does not have overline restrictions. This means that making a row of more than five stones still counts as a win. This freedom often leads to more complex and tactical gameplay than in the standard Gomoku variant.

The absence of the overline rule gives the first player a considerable advantage, often requiring countermeasures or rule variations to ensure a fair game. Common countermeasures include swapping rules, where the second player has the option to swap colors after the first player's initial move, or using a "renju" opening that restricts the first player's opening moves to limit their inherent advantage.

The term "Five Row" is sometimes used interchangeably with "Gomoku" in casual settings, but the distinction is crucial in competitive play where the presence or absence of overline restrictions significantly impacts strategy and tactics. The unrestricted nature of Five Row contributes to its higher complexity and the need for specific strategies to counter the first-player advantage.