How to Play Go
Go is one of the oldest and most profound board games in history, originating in China over 4,000 years ago. Known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China, this elegant game of territorial control has captivated minds for millennia. Despite simple rules, Go offers virtually infinite strategic depth, making it the last classic board game where humans competed with computers at the highest level.
Objective
The goal of Go is to control more territory than your opponent. Territory consists of empty intersections completely surrounded by your stones. You also score points for capturing opponent stones. The player with the higher total score wins.
Setup
Go is played on a grid of intersections. This version uses a 9x9 board, perfect for beginners and quick games. Black plays first, placing stones on the intersections (not in the squares). White receives 6.5 points (komi) to compensate for going second.
Gameplay
Players alternate placing one stone on any empty intersection. Stones cannot be moved once placed. A stone or connected group of stones is captured and removed when all adjacent intersections (liberties) are occupied by opponent stones. You cannot play a move that would result in your own stone having no liberties (suicide), unless it captures opponent stones first.
Winning
The game ends when both players pass consecutively, indicating neither wants to play further. The score is calculated by counting each player's territory (empty points surrounded by their stones) plus captured stones. White adds 6.5 komi points. The player with the higher score wins.
Learn, Play, and Have Fun!
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