Omok (Gomoku) guide — rules, AI, and two-player mode
Open app → omok.try-dabble.com
What this app does
Omok (Gomoku) is won by the first player to line up five stones of the same color — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It uses a grid like Go, but there is no territory: every move is a threat. Try Dabble Omok is that game in the browser, with nothing to install.
The board is 15×15. Black plays first. Click or tap an empty intersection to place a stone. There is no account. Opening the page is enough to start a game.
The rules, briefly
A win is a consecutive five. This version ends the game as soon as five in a row appears. It does not enforce Renju-style restrictions such as a ban on Black’s double-threes. The point of the page is a quick game, not a tournament ruleset.
- Black goes first, White second. Stones sit on intersections.
- Five in a row in any of the eight directions ends the game.
- Only empty points are legal. Occupied points are ignored.
AI or two players
The start screen offers AI and two-player. AI has three levels. Beginner sometimes misses an open three. Advanced almost always blocks an open four, so wins come from making two threats at once. Two-player is hot-seat on one device — useful on a tablet on a table.
If a game stalls
The center matters first. Playing only on the edge lets the opponent build an open three in the middle. Block an open three immediately; after yours is blocked, grow a second line toward a four. A single dedicated line rarely beats the stronger AI.
When people actually open it
The common visit is one game at lunch, then the tab closes. There is no account, so opening the page is enough to sit as Black. Beginner AI often finishes in five minutes; medium and hard run longer. Use it to clear your head. Do not expect a rating. Refreshing the page throws the game away.
Two-player on a shared tablet shows up a lot — a café table or a sofa, tapping Black and White in turn. It needs no network, so airplane mode is fine. Do not let one person play both colors. The only setup that matters is an angle where nobody blocks the board.
People also hand the beginner AI to someone who does not know the rules. It misses an open three now and then, so “make five” lands in the hands. Jumping straight to hard only produces blocked games. With a child, win a few on beginner, then step to medium.
FAQ
The repeating questions are about install, save, and tournament rules. This page is for a quick game.
Do I need an account or an app?
No. Play in the browser. It works on a computer, a tablet, or a phone. There is no saved login. Ads may appear.
Are games saved? What about take-backs?
Games are not kept on a server. Close the tab or refresh and the board is gone. Take-backs matter in two-player; we have not decided on them versus AI. If one slip stings, start a new game in the same seat.
Are Renju bans like double-three enforced?
No. The game ends when five in a row appears. Black’s double-three and double-four bans are not in this version. Practice tournament Renju somewhere else. The bans stayed out so the ruleset stays short.
Stones will not sit on a phone?
Tap the intersection, not the middle of a square — stones sit on the crossing. On a large finger, zoom a little and aim nearer the center of the board than the edge. Two fingers at once can drop the move.