Renju

Renju or Lianzhu (Japanese/Chinese: 連珠) is the professional variant of Gomoku, a board game originated from Japan in Heian Period. It was named Renju by Japanese journalist Ruikou Kuroiwa (黒岩涙香) in December 6, 1899 in a Japanese newspaper Yorozu chouhou (萬朝報) . Lianzhu is a Chinese translation of Renju. It is played with black and white stones on a 15x15 intersection Go board. Renju eliminates the "Perfect Win"-situation in Gomoku by adding special conditions for the first player (Black).

Rules

Unlike Gomoku, Renju has a unique sequence of opening moves:

1. The first player places 2 black stones and 1 white stone on the board.
2. The second player now chooses whether to play black or white.
3. White then places one more stone on the board.
4. Black places 2 stones on the board.
5. White removes one of the two black stones from the previous move.
6. White places a white stone.

After this sequence is complete, Black and White continue to take turns to place their stones.

There are certain moves that Black is not allowed to make:

• Double three - Black cannot place a stone that builds two separate lines with three black stones in unbroken rows (i.e. rows not blocked by white stones).
• Double four - Black cannot place a stone that builds two separate lines with four black stones in a row.
• Overline - six or more black stones in a row.

Black can win the game only by placing five black stones in a row (vertically, horizontally or diagonally).

White can win by either:

• getting five (or more) white stones in a row
• forcing Black to make a forbidden move (see below).

World Championships

World Championships in Renju have occurred every second year, since 1989.[1]

Previous World Championships have taken place in the following places:

• 1989: Kyoto, Japan
• 1991: Moscow, USSR
• 1993: Arjeplog, Sweden
• 1995: Tallinn, Estonia
• 1997: Saint Petersburg, Russia
• 1999: Beijing, China
• 2001: Kyoto, Japan
• 2003: Vadstena, Sweden
• 2005: Tallinn, Estonia
• 2007: Tyumen, Russia
• 2009: Pardubice, Czech Republic

The next World Championship will take place probably in Japan.

See also

• Game complexity
• Connect6
• Go (board game)
• Five in a Row (game)
• Irensei

References

• Renju International Federation

External links

• jjie.net (renju software PDF ebook, China)
• Renju International Federation has complete rules and history of the game
• Nihon Renju Sha Japanese Renju Federation
• Korean Omok Association (omok is the Korean name of the game)
• China Renju federation (RIF China)
• Svenska Luffarschackförbundet
• Online Renjuclass You can learn renju and play online games there
• Renju Offline Site for playing renju
• LLIO Renju Globe can playing renju
• Russian Renju Association RIF Russia page
• Finnish Renju Federation (Suomen Renju ry)
• Renju.com (Renju.com)
• Zjrenju.net (Zhejiang renju, China)