Quick Tips for Winning in Gomoku: Must-Read for Advancing to the Next Dan

Author: Na Wei et al.
Editor-in-Chief: Pan Jianlin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-09-01
Features: Excerpt: Chapter 1: Basic Knowledge of Gomoku
1. Introduction to Gomoku
Gomoku, also known as "Renju," " Liên ," "Shoushu," "Wugui," "Wuguipeng," and "Wuge," is one of the traditional black-and-white board games originating from ancient China. Before the legend of Yao inventing Go, Gomoku may have already existed in folk culture, and there are also legends that Gomoku originated from Go, initially popular among ethnic minority regions. According to the Zeng Shanyao Jing, it is recorded: "On Xiyou Mountain, there is a stone called the Emperor Tai's Chessboard, five-colored and resembling a pigeon's egg." The ancient Gomoku board had the same number of points as Go, as noted in the annotation by Li Shan to the Yijing of the Wei Dynasty: "The chessboard has 17 lines horizontally and vertically, totaling 289 points, with black and white pieces, and 150 squares." The New Book of Tang Dynasty in the biography of Li Bi states: "The board is square, and the pieces are round." The Cihai dictionary also says: "Gomoku is a board game, with the same equipment as Go, where two players take turns placing pieces, and the first to form a line of five wins." The Chinese call Gomoku "Lianwuzi" or "Lianzhu," perhaps because of the historical phrase "the sun and moon are like a joined jade, and the five stars are like linked pearls" (Book of Han). During the Song Dynasty, people called the lines on the board "ping" and the spaces between the lines "ye" (meaning "square"). For example, Zhang Jing in the Qijing of the Song Dynasty pointed out: "The lines of the board are called ping, and the spaces between the lines are called ye." The Theory of Games also states: "Yet its aim does not go beyond the confines of a single ping, and its pursuit does not extend beyond the boundaries of a square." It is worth mentioning that ancient Gomoku boards were the same as Go boards, and 17-line boards were common during the Han and Wei periods. For instance, in the early 1950s, a 17-line stone chessboard was unearthed from an ancient Han tomb in Wangdu, Hebei. The Tibetan chess still played in Tibet today also uses a 17-line board. According to the book China's Chess by Japanese author An Eisho, in the 1950s, Sikkim still used a 17-line board. By the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, 19-line boards had become popular, which differs from the modern 15-line Gomoku board. Additionally, the ancient Gomoku rule was "white goes first, black follows," likely because white represents the yang and the breath, and breathers take the lead. Taiwan still follows the "white goes first, black follows" rule today, which differs from the modern "black goes first, white follows" rule. Chess is captivating, and the art of playing chess is fascinating, a truth that holds true throughout history and across cultures. For example, in the Song Dynasty Qingshang Quci·Dugu Ge·Thirty-Four, it is said: "Agreed to meet after dusk, but the person I wait for still hasn't come. I hear the joyous one has opened the square board, yet who else do I expect?" Zhao Shixiu, one of the "Four Spirits of Yongjia" in Zhejiang during the reign of Emperor Guangzong of Song, also left immortal masterpieces behind: "Inviting guests during the yellow plum season, the rain is light and the pond is green, frogs croak everywhere. The guest I invited didn't come through midnight, so I idlely tap the chess pieces, and the lamp flowers fall." As for the principles and philosophy of chess, historical records also mention: "To eat all day without applying the mind is difficult! Is there not a game of Go? To play it is better than doing nothing." (Analects) "The rules of chess embody the image of heaven and earth, the principle of yin and yang, the order of stars, the mechanism of wind and thunder, the power of life and death in spring and autumn, and the momentum of mountains and rivers. The rise and fall of the world, the prosperity and decline of human affairs, are all embodied in this. Only the wise can uphold it with benevolence, act with righteousness, organize with propriety, and illuminate with wisdom. How can ordinary arts be taken lightly?" Mencius also said: "If one does not concentrate, one cannot master Go." (Preface to Xuanyuan Qijing by Yu Ji) "The way of chess lies in tranquility, and the choice of action is crucial. Benevolence enables one to complete, righteousness enables one to guard, propriety enables one to change, wisdom enables one to embrace, and trust enables one to overcome. The nobleman knows these five, and only then can he speak of chess."