Winning line
Count consecutive stones horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Caro: exactly five, with at least one unblocked end. Edges block.
Gomoku
Caro is a five-in-a-row game on a 15×15 board. Make exactly five marks horizontally, vertically or diagonally, with at least one open end. ChessPlayX also supports Standard and Freestyle Gomoku; their winning-line rules differ.
No one is playing yetOpen the first table
Start with an empty board
Black (X) plays first. White (O) follows. There are no pre-placed stones in a regular game.
Blocked ends
Exactly five, with at least one unblocked end. An opponent's stone or the board edge immediately beyond the row blocks that end.
Overline
In Freestyle, yes. In Caro and Standard, that row does not win. An exact five on another axis can still win on the same move.
Loss
Your opponent completes a valid line first, you resign, or your time expires in a timed game.
Draw
A full board without a winner is a draw. Where a draw offer is available, both players must accept; a non-winning five does not itself end the game.
Read the full guide
Board setup, special rules and winning conditions for Gomoku.
Two players; Black (X) starts on an empty 15 × 15 board. Renju and Swap2 are tournament conventions, not rules automatically applied in these three modes.
A quick guide to Gomoku
Read the Gomoku rulesWhat is Gomoku?
Caro is a five-in-a-row game on a 15×15 board. Make exactly five marks horizontally, vertically or diagonally, with at least one open end. ChessPlayX also supports Standard and Freestyle Gomoku; their winning-line rules differ.
Does a five blocked at both ends win in Caro?
No. In ChessPlayX Caro, exactly five in a row wins only if at least one end is open. If an opposing stone or the board edge sits directly beyond each end, the five does not win and play continues. Standard and Freestyle ignore blocked ends.
Does six in a row win in Gomoku?
Only in Freestyle. Caro and Standard require exactly five in a row, so a line of six or more (an overline) does not win and the game continues. Freestyle accepts five or more. The Gomoku page plays Caro; Standard and Freestyle are chosen in the game picker.
Are double-three and double-four moves forbidden in Gomoku?
No. ChessPlayX Caro, Standard and Freestyle do not apply Renju forbidden moves, so either player, including Black, may create 3–3 and 4–4 threats. Only each mode's winning-line rule applies. The rules page explains Renju restrictions for comparison.
How can I play with a friend?
Share one device for a local game, or choose the friend option above to create an online room and send its invitation. Online games need an internet connection. Local games are saved in this browser.
Play Gomoku on one deviceWhich rules apply here?
Caro on the Gomoku page · Standard or Freestyle from the game picker. Read the setup, legal moves, special rules and end conditions before starting. The guide describes the variant used on ChessPlayX, including differences from other versions where relevant.
Read the Gomoku rulesCan I play against AI?
Choose AI mode to practice at your own pace. Start with a lower difficulty while learning the moves, then increase it when you can spot threats and plan your replies.