Go Rules
The rules of Go are very simple, but the variations they produce are endless. This is exactly what makes Go fascinating.
Basic Concepts
Board and Stones
- Board: The standard board is 19x19 lines; beginners often use 9x9 or 13x13
- Stones: Black and white colors; Black plays first
- Placement: Stones are placed on line intersections, not in the squares
Game Objective
The objective of Go is to surround territory. At the end of the game, the side with more surrounded empty space wins.
The Concept of Liberties
Liberties are the most important concept in Go. Liberties are the empty intersections around a stone - they are the stone's "lifeline."
Liberties of a Single Stone
A single stone has different numbers of liberties in different positions:
| Position | Number of Liberties |
|---|---|
| Center | 4 liberties |
| Side | 3 liberties |
| Corner | 2 liberties |
Connected Stones
When stones of the same color are adjacent (connected horizontally or vertically), they become a single unit and share all their liberties.
Connected stones share the same fate. If this group is captured, all connected stones are removed together.
Capturing
When a group of stones has all its liberties blocked by the opponent (liberties = 0), the group is "captured" and removed from the board.
Steps for Capturing
- The opponent's stones have only one liberty left
- You play to block that last liberty
- The opponent's stones are captured (removed from the board)
Atari
When a group has only one liberty remaining, this state is called atari. The opponent must then try to escape or abandon the stones.
Illegal Moves (Suicide Rule)
Some positions cannot be played - these are called illegal moves or forbidden points.
Determining Illegal Moves
A position is an illegal move if both conditions are met:
- Playing there would leave your own stones with no liberties
- AND you cannot capture any opponent stones
If playing there would capture opponent stones, it's not an illegal move.
Suicide
Playing a move that leaves your own stones with no liberties without capturing any opponent stones is called "suicide." Go rules prohibit suicide.
Ko Rule
Ko is a special shape in Go that would create an endless loop.
What is Ko
When both sides can alternately capture a single stone, and after capturing, the other side could immediately capture back, this forms a ko.
The Ko Rule
No immediate recapture. After a ko capture, you must play elsewhere first (called "finding a ko threat"), and only then can you recapture.
The Ko Process
- Player A captures the ko
- Player B cannot recapture immediately; must play elsewhere
- Player A responds to Player B's move
- Player B recaptures the ko
- This continues until one side gives up
Without the ko rule, both sides could infinitely capture back and forth, and the game would never end.
Eyes and Living Groups
Eyes are one of the most important concepts in Go. Understanding eyes means understanding life and death.
What is an Eye
An eye is an empty point completely surrounded by your own stones. The opponent cannot play on an eye point (it would be an illegal move).
Conditions for a Living Group
A group must have two or more true eyes to live.
Why two eyes?
- With only one eye, the opponent can gradually reduce liberties from the outside
- Eventually that eye becomes the last liberty, and the opponent can capture the entire group
- With two eyes, the opponent cannot occupy both eye spaces simultaneously, so the group can never be captured
True Eyes and False Eyes
- True eyes: Complete eyes that the opponent cannot destroy
- False eyes: Look like eyes but have defects and may be destroyed
Determining true vs. false eyes requires looking at the diagonal positions - this is advanced life and death knowledge.
Scoring
At the end of the game, you need to count both sides' territory to determine the winner. There are two main counting methods.
Territory Scoring (Japanese/Korean Rules)
Count the number of empty points each side has surrounded.
Calculation method:
- Empty points (territory) surrounded by each side
- Stones on the board are not counted
Winner determination: The side with more territory wins.
Area Scoring (Chinese Rules)
Count the total of stones and territory for each side.
Calculation method:
- Number of living stones on the board
- Plus empty points (territory) surrounded
Winner determination:
- A standard board has 361 intersections
- The side with more than 180.5 points wins
Komi (Compensation)
Because Black plays first and has an advantage, White receives compensation points called "komi."
| Rules | Komi |
|---|---|
| Chinese Rules | 7.5 points (Black gives 3.75 stones) |
| Japanese Rules | 6.5 points |
| Korean Rules | 6.5 points |
When first learning, don't worry too much about scoring details. First understand the concepts of "liberties" and "eyes" - this is the most important foundation.
End of Game
When Does the Game End
When both players agree there are no more useful moves to make, the game ends. In practice, both players pass consecutively.
End of Game Procedure
- Confirm all dead stones
- Remove dead stones from the board
- Count each side's territory
- Determine the winner according to the rules
Resignation
During the game, if one side believes there is no possibility of winning, they may resign at any time. Resignation is a common and polite way to end the game.