How to Play Go

Control more territory (empty intersections) than your opponent by surrounding areas with your stones.

Black plays first; players alternate placing one stone per turn on an empty intersection.
Stones do not move once placed.
Liberties: A stone's liberties are the empty intersections directly adjacent (up, down, left, right). A group shares liberties.
Capture: When a stone or group has zero liberties, it is captured and removed from the board.
Ko rule: You cannot immediately recapture a single stone that was just captured (to prevent infinite loops).
No suicide: You cannot place a stone where it would have zero liberties, unless it captures enemy stones.

Pass your turn if you have no useful moves. When both players pass in succession, the game ends.
Scoring uses Chinese rules (area scoring): count your stones on the board plus the empty intersections you surround.
White receives 6.5 points of komi (compensation for going second).

Try to surround large areas rather than chasing individual stones.
Keep your groups connected — isolated stones are easier to capture.
Play near the center and third line from the edge for a balance of territory and influence.

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