Renju

Renju is a two-player abstract board game that belongs to the N-in-a-row family of games. It is a professional variant of traditional Gomoku that includes different restrictions for making the game fair. Renju was named by Japanese journalist Ruikou Kuroiwa in December 6, 1899, in a Japanese newspaper “Yorozu chouhou”. The name “renju” means “connected pearls” in Japanese. The game is played with black and white stones on a 15×15 gridded go board.

Why is Renju Popular?

Renju is a popular game in Japan and has a significant following worldwide. It is a game that requires strategic thinking and planning, making it a popular choice for those who enjoy board games that challenge the mind. Renju is also significant because it is a professional variant of Gomoku, which is a popular game in its own right.

Game Components of Renju

A 15×15 gridded go boardBlack and white stones

Game Setup of Renju

A game begins with an empty board. Each player has an allocated color, usually black and white.

Gameplay Mechanics of Renju

The objective of Renju is to place five stones in an unbroken row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). The first player to achieve this goal wins the game. For making the game fair (i.e., reducing the advantage of the first move), some restrictions apply to possible moves of the black player. The white player has no restrictions. In addition, the white player wins a game by forming an “Overline” (6 or more white stones in a row).

Game Objective of Renju

The objective of Renju is to place five stones in an unbroken row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). The first player to achieve this goal wins the game.

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