Connect6
Place two stones a turn. Six in a row wins.
How to play Connect6
Connect6 is a modern relative of Five in a Row, invented in 2003 by the Taiwanese professor I-Chen Wu. One small change makes it much fairer: after the first move, every turn places two stones. It is played on the intersections of a 19×19 board, the same size as a Go board.
Goal
Be the first to get six or more of your stones in an unbroken line — across, down or diagonally. Black and White can both win this way — there are no forbidden shapes and no special rules for either colour.
Turn by turn
- Black starts by placing just one stone.
- From then on, White and Black take turns placing two stones each, on any two empty intersections. The status bar shows how many stones you still have to place this turn.
- The two stones do not have to touch each other. Use one to attack and one to defend, or both to build.
- Stones never move and are never captured.
- The stones placed in the latest turn are marked with a blue dot.
Why one stone first?
After any of Black's turns, Black has exactly one stone more than White, and after White's turn they are equal. This balance takes away most of the first-move advantage that decides freestyle five-in-a-row.
End of the game
The game ends as soon as someone completes a line of six or more. If the whole board fills up without one, it is a draw, but that almost never happens. Undo takes back your whole last turn when playing the computer. Choose "Computer first" to let the computer take Black and open the game.
Strategy tips
- Count threats in stones. A line that needs two more stones to make six is a threat. If you make threats that need three blocking stones, your opponent cannot stop them all with two.
- Watch every four. Four stones in a six-cell window with no enemy stone is one move from winning. Block those windows first.
- Split your stones. One stone can block while the other builds. Two stones in the same area are strong, but don't forget the other side of the board.
- Think in windows of six. A line is only useful if there is room for six. Stones squeezed between enemy stones are wasted.
- Keep the initiative. Each forcing turn makes the opponent spend both stones on defence, which gives you time to set up a winning double threat.
Connect6 FAQ
Why does Black place only one stone at the start?
It keeps the game fair. With one stone first and two afterwards, each player always has the same number of stones or one more after their own turn.
Does a line of seven count?
Yes. In Connect6 any unbroken line of six or more stones wins.
Is Connect6 the same as Gomoku?
No. Gomoku is five in a row with one stone per turn. Connect6 needs six in a row but lets you place two stones per turn, which makes the game more balanced.
Can I undo one stone in the middle of my turn?
Yes. Press Undo after your first stone to take it back. Against the computer, Undo after its turn takes you back to the start of your previous turn.
