On this page, you can learn the general information of the game including how to win, size of the board etc.
Territory game
You can win the game if you make a bigger territory than that of your opponent.
Basic rules
- Start from the player with black stones. More details here.
- You can place a stone on the board when your turn comes.
- A stone needs to be placed on an intersection. (although a chess piece is placed in a section.)
- You will win if your territory is bigger than your opponent’s in the end. (although you can win a chess match if you catch the king of the opponent.)
The size of the board
The proper size of the board is 19 × 19. See below. There are smaller boards for beginners and people who want to play it quickly as it would take at least around 30 minutes if you play on a 19 × 19 board: They are 13 × 13, 9 × 9, 6 × 6.
A 4 × 4 board is rare but you can have it for infants.
