What is Go

The board game of black and white stones — surround territory, capture by cutting off air.

0–00–0

Black to play.

Go is the board game played with black and white stones on the intersections of a grid. Players build shape, fight over liberties, surround space, and remove whole groups when the last liberty is gone. If you know the names Weiqi, Baduk, or Igo, those are not separate games on this site; they are simply different language doors into the same one. If all you really want is a clean answer to “what is Go?” this page is meant to explain it without forcing you to read an essay before touching the board.

When to use this board

Use this page when someone asks what Go actually is and you want a one-screen answer that includes a board they can touch instead of just a paragraph they will forget.

When not to

You already know and want a fight -> home or vs computer. You need the full beginner loop -> how to play. You meant western chess or Xiangqi -> wrong site.

How

01Start by noticing the geometry: stones sit on intersections, not inside the squares, and that changes the whole logic of the game.
02Place a black stone, watch how liberties appear and disappear, and notice how capture happens through surrounding rather than through piece-specific moves.
03If the short answer is not enough, open how to play and then come back to the live board.

Gotchas

Go is not western chess and not Xiangqi. Similar search traffic does not make them the same game.
This page is here to explain and let you play, not to sell wooden sets or rank you in an online ladder.

FAQ

Is Go a different game from Weiqi or Baduk, or just another name for the same thing?: Just another name. Go, Weiqi, Baduk, and Igo all point to the same game family here. The language changes; the board does not.
What actually makes Go different from western chess or Xiangqi?: The whole logic is different. Go has no piece types and no king to trap. Stones all move the same way because they do not move at all after placement; the game is about liberties, surrounding, connection, and capture.
Do I need to finish reading before I can tell whether this game clicks for me?: No. The board above is live. For a lot of people, placing one stone and seeing how the board answers explains more than another paragraph would.
Do I need an app or account just to try what Go looks like?: No. This page is meant to work as a browser board, not as a sign-up wall. Open it, place a stone, and decide afterward whether you want to keep reading.