The rules of Go fit in ten lines, yet the number of possible games is greater than the number of atoms in the universe. These articles are arranged so that a newcomer can read them in order.
If you are new to Go, read these five articles in order.
1. The Rules of Go, Explained — From Placing a Stone to Counting the Score Liberties and capturing, illegal points, ko, territory and two eyes, ending the game and counting, and komi. Also explains how Korean/Japanese rules differ from Chinese rules. Start here if the rules are new to you. 2. Life and Death Basics — Eye Space, Vital Points and False Eyes How to solve life and death by reading rather than by feel. Judging life from the size of the eye space, basic shapes such as straight four, square four and flower six, how to find the vital point, and the false-eye trap. 3. Capturing Techniques — Ladder, Net, Snapback and Connect-and-Die Chasing with atari alone won't capture stones. Ladders and ladder breakers, nets, snapbacks, connect-and-die, and the empty triangle you should avoid — plus how to decide whether to capture or just chase. 4. 8 Common Beginner Mistakes Playing in contact with every stone, chasing with atari, ignoring ladder breakers, adding moves to groups that are already alive — the typical habits that keep your rank stuck, and how to fix them. 5. Go Glossary — Terms You Hear During a Game Atari, ladder, net, ponnuki, hane, placement, tesuji, thickness, sente and gote. The words you need to follow commentary, grouped by situation.Once the rules feel familiar and your big groups stop dying so often, move on to these.
6. Introduction to Joseki — Why the Game Starts in the Corners Why Go is played from the corners first. The different character of the 4-4 point and the 3-4 point, how approaches and pincers unfold, and why understanding joseki matters more than memorizing it. 7. Opening Basics — Big Points, Urgent Points and the Width of an Extension How to play the first 30 moves. How to tell big points from urgent ones, matching the width of an extension to the number of stones, splitting moves, and why influence is not territory. 8. Endgame Basics — Sente, Gote and Counting Move Values The endgame alone can swing a game by 10 points. The difference between sente and gote, why move values are counted double, and the order in which to play the endgame points. 9. How to Play Handicap Go — Choosing the Handicap, and Tips for Black and White How players of different strength can play an even contest. How to set the number of handicap stones, and how the weaker and the stronger player should each approach the game. 10. How to Improve Your Rank — What to Practice and How Much The balance of life-and-death problems, real games and reviewing, goals for each level, and the habits that lead to a plateau. Simply playing a lot will not make you stronger on its own.What you learn from reading only sticks once you confirm it on the board. After reading the rules, play a game against the AI; after reading about life and death, solve a few problems.
Life and death in particular is the most honest part of Go. Each problem has one right answer, and you improve exactly as much as you solve. For beginners and intermediate players it is also the surest way to climb in rank.
Solve life-and-death problems 6,125 problems carefully selected from classic books such as Cho Chikun's Encyclopedia of Life and Death, divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced, all free. Play against the AI Choose an opponent anywhere from about 18 kyu to 9 dan. Start right in your browser — no installation or sign-up required.