The Rules of Go

The web is full of excellent pages explaining Go rules.
Some of them are listed on my Alternatives page.

If you just want some quick and dirty ideas about how to play the game, read this page. The rules I present are very simple, even simplistic, and they do not claim to be full or exhaustive, or even cover every possible weird position which may (or may not) appear on a go board within next few centuries. The purpose of this page is to get you stated, give you enough knowledge so you can go out there and start enjoying games on 9x9 board without getting into too much trouble.

More advanced issues are covevered in the Go Basics section.

Contents:

• Page-01 — The rules of Go - simple and simplistic.
• Page-02 — Description of standard board sizes.
• Page-03 — What does it mean to "surround things"?
• Page-04 — Valid and invalid moves explained.
• Page-05 — A detailed explanation of the Ko rule.
• Page-06 — Explains two position: bent-four and seki.
• Page-07 — What is so special about 19x19 board?
• Page-08 — Go ranking systems, komi, and handicap.
• Page-09 — An example Go game on 9x9 board.
• Page-10 — The scoring process for an example position.

The Rules of Go — Supplements

Supplement #1 — Endgame Pointers

• s1-Page-01 — About endgame conditions
• s1-Page-02 — But what if they disagree?
• s1-Page-03 — How to know when to pass?
• s1-Page-04 — What are complete(d) teritorries?
• s1-Page-05 — What are secure(d) teritorries?
• s1-Page-06 — What are weak points?
• s1-Page-07 — Expansions into neutral areas
• s1-Page-08 — Status of groups
• s1-Page-09 — The art of resigning.

Supplement #2 — Rules and Scoring

• s2-Page-01 — Formal rules and scoring methods.
• s2-Page-02 — Example of area scoring method