Five Row
Place stones on a 13 by 13 board and be first to line up five in a row, across, down or diagonally. Three computer levels, and the hardest one hunts for forced wins.
How to play
- You play the blue stones and move first. Tap any empty point to place a stone.
- Players take turns. Stones never move once they are placed.
- Make an unbroken line of five or more of your stones, across, down or diagonally, to win.
- If the board fills up with no line of five, the game is a draw.
Tips and strategy
- Start near the centre. Stones in the middle have room to grow lines in every direction.
- An open three (three in a row with both ends free) forces a reply. Ignore it and it becomes an unstoppable open four.
- Look for a move that makes two threats at once, such as a four and an open three. The computer can only block one.
- Block the computer's open threes early rather than waiting for a four.
FAQ
- Does a line longer than five still win?
- Yes. Five or more in an unbroken line wins, so there is no penalty for overshooting.
- Why is the first move an advantage?
- Whoever moves first gets a head start building threats, which is why you always move first and can pick an easier computer level to practise.
- How strong is the hard level?
- Hard looks one reply ahead and searches for chains of four-threats that cannot be defended. It is a real challenge, but it does not see everything.