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Frosted Board

Puzzle #24: Five in a Row

  • DifficultyMedium
  • To moveDark
  • TaskWin in 3
  • Main line5 half-moves

Dark to move. 12 stones are on the board, 6 dark and 6 light.

Make five in a line within 3 moves. Every move of the solution is a four, so the opponent's answers are forced.

What the position is about

  • chain of fours — Each move of the solution makes a four, so every reply is forced.
  • open four — The final shape is four in a row with both ends free, which cannot be blocked.
  • forcing sequence — The solution is a series of threats, each one leaving the defence a single answer.

Finding the way in

Look for a four that forces a block in a useful place; the next four should land next to it and create two threats.

Take your time. There is no clock on the result, and a wrong move is simply taken back so you can look again.

Show the first move

Start with h9. Played out against the stiffest resistance, the whole line goes: h9 j9 g8 l12 f7.

Solve it and the next puzzle of the same game is one tap away. Your solved puzzles are ticked in the list, in this browser only.