How to play
- Pick a level and press Start. You play dark stones; the computer plays light ones.
- Tap a point where the lines cross. Tap the same point again, or press Place, to put your stone there.
- Take turns. Five or more of your stones in one straight line, across, down, or diagonally, wins.
- Block the computer's lines before they reach five. A full board with no line is a draw.
About this game
Five in a Row is one of the oldest board games for two players, known in many countries under many names. Players take turns placing a stone on an empty point where the lines of the grid cross. Stones never move once they are placed, so every move stays on the board for the rest of the game.
This version uses a smaller 11 × 11 board so that a game fits a phone screen and lasts a few minutes. Any line of five or more stones wins, with no special opening rules. Who goes first switches every game; going first is a real advantage, so a fair series alternates.
The computer looks at every empty point near the stones already on the board and scores how much it would help itself and how much it would block you. On Easy it is often careless and only reacts to the biggest threats. On Normal it weighs attack and defence evenly, and on Hard it also checks your best answer before it commits. On every level it always takes a winning point and always blocks a line of four that you could finish on your next move.
The key idea is the open three: three stones in a row with both ends empty. If it is not blocked it becomes an open four, which cannot be stopped. Making two threats with one stone is how most games are won. Your wins, losses, and draws on each level are saved in this browser.