Ninuki Renju – Game Instructions
Objective of the Game
The objective of Ninuki Renju is to be the first player to form an unbroken line of five of your own stones in any direction on the board, which can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
Materials
- A 15x15 line grid board, similar to the Go board.
- Two sets of differently colored stones (usually black and white) used as playing pieces.
Number of Players
- This game is designed for 2 players.
Game Setup
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Preparation: The board is empty at the start of the game. One player chooses black stones and the other chooses white stones. Black makes the first move.
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Game Turns: Players alternate turns placing one of their stones on any empty intersection of the grid.
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Five in a Row: The first player to align five of their stones in a row wins the game.
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Special Rule (Renju Rules): To balance the advantage of black going first, there are special rules in Ninuki Renju:
- Black is not allowed to create a row of six or more stones (doing so counts as a loss for black).
- Black is not allowed to create double open-three rows (two open rows of three stones simultaneously).
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Black is not allowed to create double open-four rows (two open rows of four stones simultaneously).
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Winning by Capture (Ninuki): Unlike regular Renju, players can also win by capturing five or more pairs of opponent stones. A capture is made by lining up two opponent stones and then surrounding them with your own stones from both sides (like |B|W|W|B| ).
Strategic Tips - Center Control: Try to control the center of the board to react flexibly to the opponent's moves. - Preventive Thinking: Observe possible lines being formed by your opponent and actively disrupt them. - Using Renju Restrictions: Make good use of the restrictions placed on black (if you are playing white) to force your opponent to adapt their strategy.
Special Features - The addition of capture rules changes the dynamics of the game and provides alternative victory paths, distinguishing it from the standard game “Gomoku”.
