noun
renju; variant of gobang
A board game similar to gomoku (五目並べ) but with additional rules and restrictions for the first player. Often translated as 'renju' in English contexts.
See also: 五目並べ
連珠は、黒に禁手がある五目並べの一種です。
Renju is a type of gomoku where Black has forbidden moves.
彼は連珠の全国大会で優勝した
He won the national renju tournament.
Gomoku is the simpler game without the opening restrictions and forbidden moves that define renju.
From 連 (ren, 'link') and 珠 (ju, 'gem' or 'bead'), referring to the linked stones on the board. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name likely reflects the visual pattern of connected pieces.