2019-06-24 newest contents, 2024-05-23 last update, 1996-07-01 first day, Robert Jasiek

INDEX | GO | RULES | DEFINITIONS - KO - END - TOURNAMENT

Go (Weiqi, Baduk) Rules




Conventions for this Page


Guide to this Page

What to read as a

Player

Look here. If you know exactly what you are looking for or search advanced information, go back to the contents above.

Beginner

Welcome to this highly interesting, entertaining, and demanding board game of strategy and tactics! First you need Simple Rules. Then its Commentary assists you. That's it! All further rules information is advanced. If you have heard about different rule sets and really want to know about details, please start with the Basic Comparison. As soon as having learned the rules you might want to know more about the game.

Publisher

You spread the game among beginners, hence you apply information suitable for them. They need short rules, that can be easily learned without further assistance and that are valid for any game position. Such are the Simple Rules. A Commentary is available. The rules are so concise that you might wonder whether something is missing. The opposite is true: Various other rule sets are traditionally designed complexly. The nature of the game is always the same. Much information about differences of rule sets is offered. This includes details that do not belong to the core of the rules of play (like compensation methods or strategy). All this is covered on basic comparison, general information, and - less important - rule text commentaries, links.

EGF International Referee

Please go here immediately.

Scientist

Probably, no guidance is necessary. But three hints shall be given: Very much information is hidden in follow-up links. For downloading go to index. Some browsers allow saving diagrams via context menu.

German

Siehe [hier].

Guide for the Regular Player

Rulesets and Commentaries

Official Area Scoring Rulesets (Chinese Style)

Area Scoring rulesets allow a simple playout in one move-sequence because approaching liberties of strategically dead strings is free. If you don't know official Chinese Rules or original Ing Rules yet, consider yourself lucky. Read the above rulesets instead and you get a better understanding.

Japanese / Korean Rules

Traditional Territory Scoring rulesets do not allow any simple playout because approaching liberties of strategically dead strings would fill one's territory and therefore be costly. The official rulesets are inapplicable. Read the applicable model rulesets instead:
You like difficulties? Read about the official ruleset then: Of intermediate difficulty are verbal rules:

Ikeda Scoring

Ikeda Scoring realizes Territory Scoring with just one playout move-sequence.

General Introductions

Strategy

Tournaments


Basic Information


Rule Texts

Here you can find complete go rule sets. For tournament rules and further variants refer to links.

Short Rules

International Rules

Agreement Area Rules

Ikeda Style Rules

Japanese Style Rules

Go Server Rules

Variants


Rule Text Commentaries


General Discussion


General Analysis, Commentaries, Examples

The topics are treated in detail with rule texts, analysis, interpretation, comments, and examples.


Information


Links

My Pages

Other Collections

Tournament Rules

Award


[Deutsche Texte]

Es gibt [einfache Regeln] und einen [Kommentar]. Diese Regeln sind kurz, leicht verständlich und für jede Brettstellung anwendbar. Sie sind daher im Besonderen für Anfänger und für Verleger geeignet. Der Charakter des Spiels ist wie bei allen anderen Regelwerken.

Erheblich schwerer verständlich sind japanische Regeln. Sie werden im [Deutschen Go-Bund] verwendet und können daher nicht ignoriert werden. Hier ist die originalgetreueste [Übersetzung]. Speziell für Anfänger ist eine leichter verständliche [Einführung] geschrieben. Die tiefgehenden Kommentare sind nur in Englisch verfügbar.


If you understand everything, you must be misinformed. (Japanese proverb)