Go

About Go

Go, the board game, is played with black and white stones on the lines of a grid. Take turns placing a stone; stones never move, and a group with no empty point beside it is captured. When both players pass, you count your stones and the empty points only your stones surround, and White adds komi for moving second. Play the computer at five levels on a 9, 13 or 19 line board, or pass the device to a friend. Scoring counts area, so playing inside your own territory costs nothing.

How to play Go

1. Black moves first on an empty board; in a handicap game Black’s extra stones are already placed and White moves first.
2. On your turn, place one stone on an empty point, or pass. Stones of one color joined along the lines form a chain; its empty neighboring points are its liberties.
3. A chain left with no liberties is captured and removed. You may not play a stone that leaves your own chain without liberties unless it captures.
4. You may not repeat an earlier board position. This rule settles every ko: retake only after the position has changed elsewhere.
5. Two passes in a row end play. Both players mark the dead stones, then each scores their stones plus the empty points only they surround; White adds 7.5 points of komi. The higher score wins.