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Go
Go is an ancient territorial game that originated in China more than 2,500 years ago, known as weiqi in Chinese, igo in Japanese, and baduk in Korean. Two players place stones on the intersections of a grid, aiming to control the most territory. Despite simple rules its possibilities exceed those of chess by an enormous margin.
Go Rules
Players take turns placing a stone on an empty intersection of the board, traditionally 19×19 but also 13×13 or 9×9 for shorter games. Black plays first. Once placed, stones do not move. Each empty intersection orthogonally next to a stone is called a liberty.
A stone or solidly connected group is captured and removed when its last liberty is filled by enemy stones. You may not play a stone that would have no liberties (suicide), and the ko rule forbids an immediate move that recreates the previous board position, preventing endless recapture.
The game ends when both players pass consecutively. You then score the area you control: your territory (empty points surrounded by your stones) plus, depending on the ruleset, your captures or stones on the board. The higher total wins, with komi points added to White to offset Black's first-move advantage.
Go Strategy & Tips
Take corners, then sides, then center
Corners need the fewest stones to enclose territory because edges do part of the work. Stake out corners in the opening, extend along the sides, and only fight for the center later.
Keep your groups alive with two eyes
A group with two separate internal empty points (eyes) can never be captured. Always make sure important groups can form two eyes before you commit to a fight.
Value influence and thickness
Walls of stones facing open space project power across the board. Don't grab every point of territory — strong outward-facing shape often pays off bigger later.
Know when to sacrifice
Trying to save every stone is a beginner trap. Let a few stones go to seize a larger point elsewhere; whole-board balance matters more than any single group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Go harder than chess?
By most measures yes. Go's 19×19 board produces vastly more possible positions than chess, and computers only surpassed top humans in 2016 with AlphaGo, two decades after chess engines did.
How do you win at Go?
You win by controlling more of the board than your opponent when both players pass. Your score combines surrounded territory with captures or stones, plus komi compensation for White.
What does ko mean in Go?
Ko is a rule that prevents a player from immediately recapturing in a way that repeats the previous board position. The threatened player must play elsewhere first before retaking, avoiding infinite loops.
Can beginners play on a smaller board?
Yes. The 9×9 board is ideal for learning — games are quick and the core ideas of capturing, territory, and life and death all appear. Players move to 13×13 and then 19×19 as they improve.