Basics

  • The most common board size is 19x19 intersections, however, beginners usually start with 9x9
  • The dots that you see on the board don't have any special effect on the game - they're just cosmetic
  • Most of the Go basics are heuristics that derive from the rules, rather than something set in stone

Eyes

  • You can't play a stone that would have no free liberties the moment it was played
Black can't play a stone at the square - it would be a suicide
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Black can't play a stone at the square - it would be a suicide
  • However, there is 1 exception: you can play a suicide stone, as long as it captures a nearby stone, thus freeing a liberty for itself
White has no outside liberties, just the one in the centre - take it
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White has no outside liberties, just the one in the centre - take it
  • An inside liberty like this is called an eye
  • A group with two eyes is rendered irremovable for the board
  • Such group is colloquially said to be alive
Even though white has no outside liberties, black can't play at both A and B at the same time
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Even though white has no outside liberties, black can't play at both A and B at the same time
  • An intersection is only considered to be an eye if there is no way to capture part of it
  • Such intersections are colloquially called false eyes
It may appear that the right side of the white's group has an eye, but it's not an eye. Capture part of it
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It may appear that the right side of the white's group has an eye, but it's not an eye. Capture part of it

Game objective

  • The objective of the game is to get more points than your opponent has, even if it's by just 1 point
  • For going second, white gets compensation in points, which generally equals to 6.5 points
  • Certain rulesets are used for counting the points and determining the winner

Obtaining points

  • There are 2 ways to obtain points in the game: by capturing opponent's stones and by surrounding territory (intersections)
  • Captured stones count as 1 point each
  • Surrounded intersections count as 1 point each
In this game, black has surrounded 35 intersections, which yields him 35 points. White has surrounded 19 intersections, plus compensation for going second (6.5 points), gets him to 25.5 points. There were no captured stones. Black wins the game by 9.5 points
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In this game, black has surrounded 35 intersections, which yields him 35 points. White has surrounded 19 intersections, plus compensation for going second (6.5 points), gets him to 25.5 points. There were no captured stones. Black wins the game by 9.5 points
  • To surround an intersection, the group that covers it must have two eyes or enough room to form two eyes
White's group on the right side only has 1 eye and no room for making the 2nd eye. Therefore, it doesn't really occupy the point A. The entire group is assumed to be "dead" and will be counted as points towards black. The point A will also count as being black's
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White's group on the right side only has 1 eye and no room for making the 2nd eye. Therefore, it doesn't really occupy the point A. The entire group is assumed to be "dead" and will be counted as points towards black. The point A will also count as being black's
  • Intersections that lie between two living groups of opposing colours belong to nobody
White's group is alive (it has two eyes), but so is black's. Therefore the point at A belongs to nobody and isn't counted as points
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White's group is alive (it has two eyes), but so is black's. Therefore the point at A belongs to nobody and isn't counted as points

End of the game

  • The game of Go can end in 3 ways: by the resignation of either side, by either side running out of time, or by counting
  • Most of the time white get at least 0.5 points of compensation, as to prevent draws
  • Either player can resign at any time during the game and subsequently lose it
  • If both players consecutively pass (skip their turn), it is agreed to begin the counting of the board
  • Many assumptions are made at the time players agree to begin the counting. It is not necessary to play out every single move and occupy every single intersection to end the game

You're good to go now. Want to play the game?

Proceed to the Play section