Gomoku is one of the best games to teach in person: the rules take thirty seconds, the first game takes five minutes, and the strategic depth becomes obvious by the third game rather than the thirtieth.
Setting up
Choose 'Two players, one device' in the opponent selector. The computer is switched off entirely and the board simply alternates between black and white, marking the last stone played so neither player loses track.
Undo works normally and steps back one move at a time in this mode, which is useful when teaching — a beginner can take back an obvious mistake without restarting.
Balancing the game
Black has a real advantage. Three ways to handle it between two people:
- Alternate colours each game and play an even number. Simplest, and fine for casual play.
- Swap2 by hand — one player places two black stones and one white anywhere, the other then chooses which colour to take. Surprisingly effective and needs no rule changes.
- Stronger player takes White if there is a skill gap. This is the cleanest handicap in the game.
Teaching someone in five minutes
- State the rule: five in a row, any direction, stones do not move. Play a demonstration game to five with no strategy.
- Show an open three and ask them to block it. Then show why the block was necessary by playing the open four.
- Show a four-three combination slowly. This is the moment the game clicks for most people.
- Play properly. They will lose the first two and start seeing threats in the third.
The key is step three. Until someone has seen a double threat, gomoku looks like a game about building lines. Once they have seen one, it becomes a game about controlling intersections.
Let them find the block
When teaching, point at a threat and wait rather than explaining. Finding the blocking square themselves is what builds the recognition.
House rules worth trying
Exactly five — an overline of six does not win. Slightly changes endgame tactics and is the standard in some regions.
No first-move centre — Black may not open in the centre. A crude but effective way to reduce the first-move edge.
Timed moves — ten seconds per move. Removes deep calculation and rewards pattern recognition, which makes for fast, entertaining games.
Why it works as a shared game
Unlike chess, there is no memorised knowledge barrier. A complete beginner and someone who has played a hundred games are separated by pattern recognition, not by theory — so the gap closes quickly and the games stay interesting for both. That makes it an unusually good game to introduce someone to.