Irensei

Infobox_Game
subject_name= Irensei
image_link=
image_caption= Irensei is played on a grid with black painted lines (usually 19 by 19 of them). The playing pieces, called "stones", are played on the intersections of the lines.
players=2
ages= 5+
setup_time= None
playing_time= casual: 5-30 minutes
tournament: 1-2 hours^*
random_chance= None
skills= Strategy, Observation

Irensei ( _ja. 囲連星) is an abstract strategy board game. It is traditionally played with Go pieces (black and white stones) on a Go board (19x19 intersections); but any equipment with which Go can be played is of course also suitable for Irensei.

Black plays first, and players alternate in placing a stone of their color on an empty intersection. 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.

Thus Irensei is a game that unites elements of the game of Go with those of Gomoku. Similar to Atari-Go, it may be played to become familiar with aspects of Go, but is interesting on its own.

External links

* [http://irensei.com/eng/ Japan Irensei Association website(English)]
* [http://irensei.com/ Japan Irensei Association website(Japanese)]

References