Renju

Board and Forbidden Moves

Renju is played on a 15×15 grid. Black moves first.

• Black Restrictions: Black is strictly forbidden from playing:
• Overline: 6 or more consecutive black stones.
• Double-Four (4×4): Simultaneously creating two or more fours.
• Double-Three (3×3): Simultaneously creating two or more real open threes.
• Real vs False Threes: Under RIF rules, an open three is only real if it can be turned into an open four (.XXXX.) by a legal (non-forbidden) black move. If that point is forbidden, the three is a 'false three' and does not count towards a 3×3 violation.
• Winning: Black wins ONLY with an exact five. White wins with five OR MORE.

Taraguchi-10 Opening

The game uses the RIF-approved Taraguchi opening:

1. Move 1: Black plays h8 (center). 2. Move 2: White plays within the central 3×3 square. 3. Move 3: Black plays within the central 5×5 square. 4. Move 4: White may choose to swap colors, or play within the central 7×7 square. 5. Move 5: The player with Black may swap colors or play the 5th move.