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Frosted Board

Puzzle #31: Five in a Row

  • DifficultyHard
  • To moveDark
  • TaskWin in 4
  • Main line7 half-moves

Dark to move. 28 stones are on the board, 14 dark and 14 light.

Make five in a line within 4 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

Four-move wins chain fours across two or three directions. Try each four you can make and see where the forced block sends the defence.

Before you touch a piece, list every forcing move you have and every threat the opponent has; the answer is almost always on that short list.

Show the first move

Start with f11. Played out against the stiffest resistance, the whole line goes: f11 e11 k11 j11 j10 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.