Build a Classic Gobang Game with Python Tkinter – Step‑by‑Step Tutorial

This tutorial demonstrates how to implement a basic Gobang (Five‑in‑a‑Row) game for beginners using Python and the Tkinter GUI toolkit.

Setup and Style Creation

First, import the required packages and define a chessBoard class that creates the main window, sets its size, disables resizing, and draws the board grid and initial stones.

''
@Auther : gaoxin
@Date : 2019.01.01
@Version : 1.0
''
from tkinter import *
import math

# Define chess board class
class chessBoard():
    def __init__(self):
        self.window = Tk()
        self.window.title("五子棋游戏")
        self.window.geometry("660x470")
        self.window.resizable(0, 0)
        self.canvas = Canvas(self.window, bg="#EEE8AC", width=470, height=470)
        self.paint_board()
        self.canvas.grid(row=0, column=0)

    def paint_board(self):
        # Draw horizontal lines
        for row in range(0, 15):
            if row == 0 or row == 14:
                self.canvas.create_line(25, 25 + row * 30, 25 + 14 * 30, 25 + row * 30, width=2)
            else:
                self.canvas.create_line(25, 25 + row * 30, 25 + 14 * 30, 25 + row * 30, width=1)
        # Draw vertical lines
        for column in range(0, 15):
            if column == 0 or column == 14:
                self.canvas.create_line(25 + column * 30, 25, 25 + column * 30, 25 + 14 * 30, width=2)
            else:
                self.canvas.create_line(25 + column * 30, 25, 25 + column * 30, 25 + 14 * 30, width=1)
        # Draw corner points
        self.canvas.create_oval(112, 112, 118, 118, fill="black")
        self.canvas.create_oval(352, 112, 358, 118, fill="black")
        self.canvas.create_oval(112, 352, 118, 358, fill="black")
        self.canvas.create_oval(232, 232, 238, 238, fill="black")
        self.canvas.create_oval(352, 352, 358, 358, fill="black")

Game Logic Implementation

The Gobang class encapsulates the game state, including the board matrix, move order, current player color, and flags for win/empty status. It provides methods for switching colors, handling mouse clicks to place stones, boundary checks, counting consecutive stones, win detection, undoing moves, clearing the board, and starting a new game.

# Define Gobang game class
# 0 = black stone, 1 = white stone, 2 = empty
class Gobang():
    def __init__(self):
        self.board = chessBoard()
        self.game_print = StringVar()
        self.game_print.set("")
        # 16x16 board to avoid index errors
        self.db = [([2] * 16) for i in range(16)]
        self.order = []
        self.color_count = 0
        self.color = 'black'
        self.flag_win = 1
        self.flag_empty = 1
        self.options()

    # Switch between black and white
    def change_color(self):
        self.color_count = (self.color_count + 1) % 2
        if self.color_count == 0:
            self.color = "black"
        elif self.color_count == 1:
            self.color = "white"

    # Handle mouse click to place a stone
    def chess_moving(self, event):
        if self.flag_win == 1 or self.flag_empty == 0:
            return
        x, y = event.x - 25, event.y - 25
        x = round(x / 30)
        y = round(y / 30)
        while self.db[y][x] == 2 and self.limit_boarder(y, x):
            self.db[y][x] = self.color_count
            self.order.append(x + 15 * y)
            self.board.canvas.create_oval(25 + 30 * x - 12, 25 + 30 * y - 12,
                                          25 + 30 * x + 12, 25 + 30 * y + 12,
                                          fill=self.color, tags="chessman")
            if self.game_win(y, x, self.color_count):
                print(self.color, "获胜")
                self.game_print.set(self.color + "获胜")
            else:
                self.change_color()
                self.game_print.set("请" + self.color + "落子")

    # Ensure the click is inside the board
    def limit_boarder(self, y, x):
        if x < 0 or x > 14 or y < 0 or y > 14:
            return False
        else:
            return True

    # Count consecutive stones in all directions
    def chessman_count(self, y, x, color_count):
        count1 = count2 = count3 = count4 = 1
        # Horizontal
        for i in range(-1, -5, -1):
            if self.db[y][x + i] == color_count:
                count1 += 1
            else:
                break
        for i in range(1, 5, 1):
            if self.db[y][x + i] == color_count:
                count1 += 1
            else:
                break
        # Vertical
        for i in range(-1, -5, -1):
            if self.db[y + i][x] == color_count:
                count2 += 1
            else:
                break
        for i in range(1, 5, 1):
            if self.db[y + i][x] == color_count:
                count2 += 1
            else:
                break
        # Diagonal \ 
        for i in range(-1, -5, -1):
            if self.db[y + i][x + i] == color_count:
                count3 += 1
            else:
                break
        for i in range(1, 5, 1):
            if self.db[y + i][x + i] == color_count:
                count3 += 1
            else:
                break
        # Diagonal /
        for i in range(-1, -5, -1):
            if self.db[y + i][x - i] == color_count:
                count4 += 1
            else:
                break
        for i in range(1, 5, 1):
            if self.db[y + i][x - i] == color_count:
                count4 += 1
            else:
                break
        return max(count1, count2, count3, count4)

    # Determine if the current move wins the game
    def game_win(self, y, x, color_count):
        if self.chessman_count(y, x, color_count) >= 5:
            self.flag_win = 1
            self.flag_empty = 0
            return True
        else:
            return False

    # Undo the last move
    def withdraw(self):
        if len(self.order) == 0 or self.flag_win == 1:
            return
        self.board.canvas.delete("chessman")
        z = self.order.pop()
        x = z % 15
        y = z // 15
        self.db[y][x] = 2
        self.color_count = 1
        for i in self.order:
            ix = i % 15
            iy = i // 15
            self.change_color()
            self.board.canvas.create_oval(25 + 30 * ix - 12, 25 + 30 * iy - 12,
                                          25 + 30 * ix + 12, 25 + 30 * iy + 12,
                                          fill=self.color, tags="chessman")
        self.change_color()
        self.game_print.set("请" + self.color + "落子")

    # Clear the board
    def empty_all(self):
        self.board.canvas.delete("chessman")
        self.db = [([2] * 16) for i in range(16)]
        self.order = []
        self.color_count = 0
        self.color = 'black'
        self.flag_win = 1
        self.flag_empty = 1
        self.game_print.set("")

    # Start a new game
    def game_start(self):
        if self.flag_empty == 0:
            return
        self.flag_win = 0
        self.game_print.set("请" + self.color + "落子")

    # Bind events and add control buttons
    def options(self):
        self.board.canvas.bind("<Button-1>", self.chess_moving)
        Label(self.board.window, textvariable=self.game_print, font=("Arial", 20)).place(relx=0, rely=0, x=495, y=200)
        Button(self.board.window, text="开始游戏", command=self.game_start, width=13, font=("Verdana", 12)).place(relx=0, rely=0, x=495, y=15)
        Button(self.board.window, text="我要悔棋", command=self.withdraw, width=13, font=("Verdana", 12)).place(relx=0, rely=0, x=495, y=60)
        Button(self.board.window, text="清空棋局", command=self.empty_all, width=13, font=("Verdana", 12)).place(relx=0, rely=0, x=495, y=105)
        Button(self.board.window, text="结束游戏", command=self.board.window.destroy, width=13, font=("Verdana", 12)).place(relx=0, rely=0, x=495, y=420)
        self.board.window.mainloop()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    game = Gobang()

Running the Program

Copy all the code above into a single Python file and execute it. The GUI window will appear, allowing you to start a new game, place black and white stones by clicking on the board, undo moves, clear the board, and end the session.