7moku Rules

Table of Contents

7moku is a two-player abstract strategy game played on a 19×19 board. The objective is to be the first player to create an unbroken line of seven of your symbols (X or O) in any direction.

Game Setup

Board

The game is played on a 19×19 grid, initially empty.

Players

Note: Each tile contains both X's and O's, so both players' symbols appear on every turn.

Tiles

There are six tile configurations. Each tile is a 2×2 grid containing exactly two X's and two O's:

XX OO
OO XX
XO XO
OX OX
OX XO
XO OX

Tile Names:

How to Play

Taking a Turn

  1. Choose one of the six tile configurations
  2. Select any empty 2×2 region on the board
  3. Place the tile (all four cells must be empty)

Important: A tile placement is only legal if all four cells in the target 2×2 area are empty.

Illegal Moves

A tile cannot be placed if:

Winning the Game

Standard Win

A player wins by creating an unbroken line of seven or more of their own symbols in any of these directions:

The game ends immediately when a player achieves this condition.

Mutual Win

A unique feature of 7moku is the mutual win scenario. Since each tile contains both X's and O's, it's possible for a single tile placement to create a line of seven or more for both players simultaneously.

When this occurs, the game ends in a mutual victory - both players win!

Draw

The game ends in a draw if no legal moves remain and neither player has achieved seven in a row.

Event Horizon

In rare endgame scenarios, a player may be forced into an Event Horizon - a state where any legal move leads to the same inevitable outcome (either a solo loss or a guaranteed mutual win). Learn more about this theoretical state.

Strategy Tips