Irensei

The game commences with the Go board vacant of counters.

Alternate Names

囲連星

No. of Players

Two

Equipment

Irensei is traditionally played on a Go board, or goban, with the standard number of Go stones (180 white and 181 black).

History

Irensei may be thought of as a hybrid of Go and Gomoku. This is very likely how the game came about. It almost certainly originated in Japan.

Objective

The winner is the first player to get an unbroken row of seven stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

There are two restrictions on this: (1) A line of seven stones which covers any point on the outer two lines of the board is not a win, and (2) Black cannot make a line of eight or more stones. However, when a group of stones is enclosed by the enemy as by the Go rules, the stones are removed (remember that diagonal is not considered a connection for capturing but is considered a connection for a win). Also, the suicide and Ko rules apply, and indeed are often crucial in winning the game.

Play

The game commences with the board vacant of stones. Turns alternate with black placing first. On their turn, each player places a single stone of their own color at any vacant intersection on the board.

Strategy

Variations

Sources