Play Online Wuzi Chess
Wuzi Chess, also known as Wuziqi or Five in a Row, is a two-player strategy game from East Asia. Players take turns placing black and white stones on the points of a grid, usually 15 by 15. The goal stays simple. A player wins by forming an unbroken run of five stones in any direction before the opponent does.
Play starts near the center. Early control shapes the fight. Strong moves build open threes and open fours. These are lines of three or four with empty points at both ends. A double three means two open threes formed at once. A fork wins many battles. Two threats at once force a hard choice. Some sets ban lines longer than five and also certain double threes. Good defense blocks the biggest danger and sets a counter threat.
Players often use the board from the game of Go and the same stones. The play speed suits short breaks and quick contests. The game has roots in China, Japan, and Korea, and friends still gather around it in clubs and parks. Many groups use swap rules to balance the first move edge. One player places three stones. The other chooses a color. Play then continues.