Software Board-Games - GoMoku Narabe v2.0

Description:

The words GoMoku Narabe, which are pronounced GO-MO-KU-NA-RA-BAY, mean: 5 (GO) stones or pieces (Moku) in a row (Narabe).
GoMoku Narabe is an ancient Japanese game played, traditionally, on a GO* board with GO pieces -- small, smoothly convex black and white stones. The goal in GoMoku Narabe is to get 5 stones of the same color in a row -- which is not easy to reach since your opponent is continually blocking you as he or she tries to do the same.
The game is often described (unfortunately) as Japanese tic-tac-toe.
Nothing could be further from the truth (See âOkay, tell me about the deep Mathematics stuffâ for more on this).
The game is non-trivial and has no known "do this and youâll always win or draw" strategy as in tic-tac-toe.
It has the advantages of being fast (you can play a lot of games in a half an hour), being easy to understand, and requiring practice to play really well.
No one would say that GoMoku Narabe is a complicated as Chess, Shogi (Japanese Chess), or Go, but it offers ample opportunity for players to exhibit and develop strategy and skill.
It has a rich historical and cultural heritage, furnishes an accessible 'jumping-off' point into an interesting area of mathematics, and is playable by even children of age 4 or 5.
Besides, its darn fun! GoMoku Narabe was introduced into Europe in the 1880's where it became very popular.
It is still known there as 'Spoil Five', 'Go-bang', or 'Pegity'.