Your learn-to-play path
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Place your first stones
Go is played on the intersections of a 9×9, 13×13, or 19×19 grid. Black plays first, then players alternate one stone at a time. Stones stay where they are unless captured; the goal is to surround territory and capture stones to finish with more points.
Recognize territory
Empty space belongs to a player only when it is bordered by that player’s stones. Board edges can complete a boundary. A region touching both colors is neutral and scores for neither player.
Count liberties
A liberty is an empty intersection directly above, below, left, or right of a stone. Diagonal points are not liberties. The board edge leaves a corner stone with only two possible liberties.
Find a connected group
Same-color stones joined along board lines form a group and share their liberties. Stones that touch only at a diagonal are separate groups.
Capture stones
A stone or group with one liberty is in atari. Playing on that final liberty removes the whole group from the board.
Know which moves are legal
You may not play a stone that leaves your own group with no liberties. The move is legal, however, when it first captures opposing stones and thereby creates liberties.
Stop endless recapture
Some captures could repeat the same two positions forever. The ko rule forbids an immediate recapture that would recreate the board position from before the last move.
End and score the game
Two consecutive passes end play. Both players agree which stones are dead, then count surrounded territory, captures, and White’s 6.5-point komi. If they disagree about dead stones, play resumes.