This guide gives new Gomoku and Cyber Gomoku players a repeatable way to choose a move. The first half applies to ordinary Gomoku; the second covers the information game created by Stealth Stones, Stone Bombs, and Stone Radar. If double-threes, double-fours, and overlines are unfamiliar, start with the illustrated rules and forbidden-moves guide.
The five checks to make before every move
Beginners usually lose more games by overlooking the opponent's next move than by not knowing an opening pattern. Before placing a stone, scan the board in this order.
- Can the opponent complete five next turn? If they have a four, block its winning point first—unless you can complete your own five immediately.
- Does the opponent have an open three? If left alone, an open three can become a straight four with winning points at both ends. Close one side and reduce the threat to one direction.
- Can you make a four? A four forces a response because one more stone completes five. It is normally stronger than simply extending a group of two or three.
- Can one move create two threats? Look for horizontal-and-vertical or horizontal-and-diagonal attacks that one reply cannot cover. The first player must avoid forbidden double-threes and double-fours, so a legal four-three is the standard target.
- If there is no urgent move, play toward the center. A central stone can grow vertically, horizontally, and along both diagonals, preserving more future options than an edge stone.
Threat priority at a glance
| Shape | What it threatens | Beginner response |
|---|---|---|
| Five | The game ends immediately | Complete yours if possible; otherwise stop the opponent one move earlier |
| Four | Five on the next move | Block it as the default priority |
| Open three | A straight four with two winning ends | Close one side before continuing your plan |
| Two or separated stones | Needs multiple setup moves | Consider only after fours and open threes are handled |
In-game reminder: Check the opponent's four, your four, the opponent's open three, then your own compound attack—in that order.
1. Opening play: develop stones with options
As in ordinary Gomoku, central points are useful early. On a 15x15 board, an edge stone has fewer directions in which it can grow, while a central stone can contribute vertically, horizontally, and along both diagonals. Cyber items add two further considerations.
- Do not spread too far or cluster too tightly: Widely separated stones struggle to form a threat, while a dense 3x3 group is vulnerable to a Stone Bomb. Build intersecting lines without putting every useful stone inside one blast area.
- Infer the opponent's item: Their chosen ability is hidden. An unusual gap may conceal Stealth, patience around a dense group may suggest a Bomb, and cautious scanning patterns may suggest Radar.
Adjust for first-player and second-player rules
The first player (CYAN) may not make a double-three, double-four, or overline; see the illustrated rules page. A legal four-three—one move that creates a four and an open three—is therefore an important first-player winning pattern. The second player (MAGENTA) has no forbidden moves and may also use double-threat shapes that are illegal for CYAN.
2. Midgame offense, defense, and bluffing
As the board fills, each player has more plausible attack lines. Cyber Gomoku adds bluffing because the visible board may not be the complete board.
With Stealth selected, you can place a normal stone on a secondary line to draw attention away from your real plan. Once the opponent spends a move defending that line, a hidden fourth stone can create a threat elsewhere.
When defending, treat an unexplained gap or a sudden attack as evidence—not proof—of a hidden stone. Strong play comes from distinguishing the board you can see from the board your opponent may have created.
3. Practical tactics for each ability
Stealth Stones: hide the decisive part of a line
Stealth is most effective near the end of an attack, when hiding one stone changes whether the opponent recognizes an urgent threat.
- Hide the fourth stone: If three visible stones already form a line, using Stealth for the fourth can leave the opponent seeing only a three while you threaten five.
- Occupy a defensive point: A hidden stone can sit on a point the opponent expects to use. If they play there, however, the Stealth Stone is detected and removed, so this works only when the lost move is worth the disruption.
- Risk: The opponent's stone replaces a detected Stealth Stone. Avoid points they are already very likely to play unless forcing that move is part of your plan.
Stone Bombs: trade a turn for a future reset
A Bomb can reverse a crowded position, but placing it does not add a stone to your line. Use it where a future 3x3 blast will be worth the setup turn.
- Trap an attack line: Place a Bomb on a point the opponent needs to extend through. Triggering it can remove a nearly completed formation.
- Reshape a blocked area: A planned blast can clear stones from both sides and open a new route, but only if the resulting position favors you.
- Risk: Setup consumes one move and the blast removes your stones too. Count both costs before choosing the Bomb.
Stone Radar: spend information where it changes a decision
Radar counters hidden items, but a scan is useful only when the result changes how you attack or defend.
- Scan an unexplained gap: Prioritize a 5x5 area where a hidden stone would complete an attack or where a Bomb would punish your natural reply.
- Use the threat of scanning: An opponent who expects Radar may delay Stealth or place it away from the strongest visible line, narrowing their options.
- Risk: A scan can find nothing. Look for a concrete reason to suspect a hidden item before committing a use.
4. A practice plan using CPU matches
Practice the decision order without matchmaking pressure. Cyber Gomoku offers EASY, NORMAL, and HARD CPU levels.
- EASY: Learn the controls and deliberately test detection, detonation, and scanning.
- NORMAL: Practice spotting the opponent's open threes and fours before pursuing your own attack.
- HARD: Test information-reading decisions against a CPU that can respond to hidden-item play.
Missions such as winning with Stealth or with a Bomb give you a reason to practice abilities you would otherwise avoid. Try one ability per session rather than changing plans every match.
5. Review losses by cause
Separate basic board-reading mistakes from item-reading mistakes. If you missed a visible four, practice the five checks at the start of this guide. If the visible board was safe but a hidden item changed the result, review which clue suggested Stealth, a Bomb, or Radar. This distinction makes the next practice goal concrete. See the rank and points guide for progression rules.
How this guide was verified
General Gomoku and Renju terms were checked against public rules from the Japan Renju Federation. Cyber abilities and CPU behavior were play-tested in the public build on August 20, 2026. These tactics are a decision framework for beginners, not a promise of a forced win.
Written and play-tested by Gotsuinu. Use the contact address on the author page to suggest a correction or share a position that was unclear.
First, try the techniques in this article one by one against the CPU.