Capture Five
Also known as: Ninuki Renju / Ninuki-renju
Capture Five is a board game for 2 to 4 players that takes about 15 minutes. Line up five stones, or capture five pairs (10 stones) of your opponent's, to win. Free. In-browser. No account.
Play with friendsJust send the invite link. No sign-up for them either
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Play over time
Find an opponent onlineComing soon (October)
Capture Five in 30 seconds
- Set upA 15×15 board (19×19 also available). Black plays first, then white (blue and red join with 3 or 4 players).
- Take turnsPlace one stone on a crossing. Flank two adjacent enemy stones from both ends and you capture them.
- WinLine up five in any direction, or capture five pairs (10 stones).
- 3 or 4 playersThree players or four playing solo need four in a row or four pairs (8 stones). Four-player teams count their captures together.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–4 players |
| Play time | About 15 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-23 |
How to play Capture Five online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2–4 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Two to four players. Alone, you can play the CPU.
- You play on a 15×15 board, or 19×19 as a local rule.
- Stones are black, white, blue and red in turn order. The first seat starts; if you keep playing, the start passes to the next player each game.
- With four players you can play solo or in teams: partners sit across from each other (1st and 3rd, 2nd and 4th in turn order). Teams use two colours, a black team and a white team.
How to play
- On your turn, place one stone on an empty crossing. Stones never move.
- If the stone you place and another of yours flank two adjacent enemy stones from both ends, you capture those two. All eight directions count.
- Flank in two or more directions at once and you take them all. With 3 or 4 players, a pair mixing two different opponents can be captured too.
- Moving into a flanked spot yourself is safe: only the player who places a stone captures.
- In the team game your partner's stones are your colour, so they can never be captured by your side.
Winning
- Two players and four-player teams: line up five of your stones up, across or diagonally, or capture five pairs (10 stones). A team counts both partners' captures.
- Three players, or four playing solo: line up four, or capture four pairs (8 stones).
- By default only exactly five (exactly four in the smaller game) wins. A local rule lets longer lines win too.
- If the board fills and nobody has won, the game is a draw.
- Local rules add overtime captures, moving into a flank, mixed-colour captures and opening rules. If two or more players meet a winning condition at once, they all win (a draw if everyone does).
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board size | Choose 9×9, 13×13, 15×15 or 19×19. Smaller boards finish faster. | 15×15 | Yes |
| Game type (4 players) | Applies with four players only. In teams, partners sit across from each other (1st and 3rd, 2nd and 4th). Five in a row, or 10 stones captured between you, wins. | Solo | Yes |
| Longer lines win | Lines longer than five (four in the 3–4 player solo game) also win. When off, only exactly five (four) wins. | Off | Yes |
| Forced capture | When you flank stones you must take them. When off, you choose which stones to take — or none — as you place. | On | Yes |
| Capture threes | Three enemy stones in a row can be taken too if you flank both ends. When off, only pairs. | Off | Yes |
| Moving into a flank | What happens when you place a stone between enemy stones so that it is flanked. “Captured”: the flanking player takes it (capture-three and mixed-colour rules apply too). “Not allowed”: you may not place there, even if the move would capture. | Nothing | Yes |
| Mixed-colour captures | Applies with three or more players. When on, a pair (or three) mixing different opponents can be captured. When off, only stones of one colour. | On | Yes |
| Overtime captureOvertime captureBecause captures can break a line of five in this game, this decides whether the next player gets a chance to do so. With “None”, five in a row wins at once, which is simple and quick. With the other two, a line the next player can capture does not win straight away, so you must build lines that cannot be taken, and comebacks happen more often. | If a line wins but the next player could stop it by capturing, the win waits for the next player’s move. “Break the line”: a capture that breaks the line stops the win. “Take the whole line”: when one end of the line is the next player’s stone and the other end is open, playing at the open end takes the whole line. No overtime after a capture win, with two or more lines, or when two or more players win at once. | None | Yes |
| Forbidden move (double three)Forbidden move (double three)A three is a line that becomes an open four (a four that makes five at either end) with one more stone. A double three creates two threes at once; the opponent can block only one, so it is very strong. “First player” trims the first player's advantage; “Both” restrains both sides' attacks and makes a more defensive game. | Applies to two players and teams only. A double three cannot be played; a move that makes five, or blocks the opponent's five, still can. | None | Yes |
| Opening ruleOpening ruleWith two players the first player has a big advantage, and these rules reduce it. “From the centre” and “Centre, far” keep the first player's second stone away from the centre, making an early attack harder. In “Place four, choose” and “Place three, choose” the other player picks a colour after seeing the stones, so the placer aims for a position that is even for either side. | Two players only. “From the centre”: the first player’s first stone goes in the centre and the second at least 3 points away (4 for “Centre, far”). “Place four, choose”: the first player places two black and two white stones and the second player picks a colour. “Place three, choose”: the first player places two black and one white; the second player picks black or white, or adds one of each and lets the first player choose. | None | Yes |
| Pass the start | Pass the first move to the next player after each game. | On | Yes |
| Show coordinates | Show coordinates on the edge of the board (letters across the top, numbers down the side). The rules do not change. | Off | Yes |
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FAQ
How many can play?
Two to four. Three players, or four playing solo, need four in a row or four pairs. Four players can also play in teams of two.
How is it different from Gomoku?
You can capture. Flank two adjacent enemy stones from both ends to take them, and five pairs (10 stones) also wins.
Can I practise alone?
Yes. Press Play vs CPU to play against the computer.
Is it free?
Yes — free, in your browser, with no account.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A table ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Board)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-23 · Run by Qdan, Inc.