Comparison
Pente vs Gomoku: What Captures Change
Updated October 6, 2026
Pente is an American game developed from Gomoku. The goal is still five in a row, but it adds captures: you can sandwich and remove pairs of your opponent’s stones, and capturing five pairs also wins. That one rule turns Gomoku’s block-only defence into a game where defenders can strike back.
The differences at a glance
| Pente | Gomoku | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 19×19 | 15×15 |
| How to win | Five in a row, or capture five pairs of enemy stones in total | Five in a row |
| Captures | When a line reads yours–theirs–theirs–yours, the two enemy stones in the middle are removed | None |
| Opening | White moves first and must play the centre point; White’s second stone must be at least 3 points away from the centre | No opening restriction |
| Rules on this site | Only exactly two stones are captured; placing your own two stones into a sandwich is safe | Freestyle: six or more in a row also wins, and there are no forbidden moves |
Four things captures change
- Pairs are vulnerable: when two of your stones sit side by side with one end already blocked, your opponent can capture them by playing on the other end. In Gomoku you never have to worry about this.
- Defence gets a new tool: if your opponent has four in a row and you can capture two of those stones, the line is broken. In Pente, capturing is often better than blocking the end.
- There is a second way to win: even without five in a row, capturing five pairs wins the game. Attack along both routes at once and your opponent will struggle to cover everything.
- The first-move advantage is reduced: White’s second stone cannot go inside the 5×5 area around the centre, which gives Black a chance to take good points near the middle.
Moving from Gomoku to Pente
Your Gomoku line skills — open threes, fours and double threats — still work in Pente. What has to change is your habits: before each move, check whether it leaves a pair your opponent can capture, then check whether you can capture one of theirs. Remember that only exactly two stones are captured; yours–theirs–yours or yours–theirs–theirs–theirs–yours captures nothing.
Play both on this site
Pente and Gomoku both start right in your browser here, with AI games, ranked matchmaking, friend invites, spectating and replays. In Pente the page shows how many pairs each side has captured, and the server checks the opening restriction automatically.