Getting started

Click any intersection on the board to place a stone. Black moves first. Once placed, stones remain unless captured. Your status bar shows whose turn it is, captures, and other helpful info.

To finish a game, both players pass in succession. You can play on a 9×9 board here, which is ideal for learning core ideas before moving to 19×19.

Toolbar: Pass · Undo · Reset

Pass tells your opponent there are no profitable moves. Two passes end the game and allow scoring.

Undo reverts the position one step. Use it to take back a misclick or explore variations.

Reset clears the board and starts a fresh game.

Scoring & Endgame

This simulator uses "area scoring" as in China: stones on the board + surrounded territory. White receives Tiēmù (komi). a handicap to balance Black’s first move. Adjust the value in Settings → Tiēmù.

Estimate Score shades neutral points that are controlled by Black or White and shows a running tally, including Tiēmù. This helps you see who is leading.

Mark Dead lets you toggle captured/defeated groups at the end. Click a stone to mark or unmark it, then re‑estimate. When both sides agree, click Finalize Score to end the game.

Computer Opponent

Open Settings → Computer Opponent and click Play vs Computer. Choose the bot’s color and strength:

• Beginner explores simple shapes and center‑bias.
• Intermediate uses pattern‑based choices for stronger play.
• Advanced evaluates captures, connections, and liberties heuristically.

Click Bot Move if you want the computer to play immediately on its turn. The status will show “Computer is thinking…” briefly.

Hints & Dǎchī (Atari) preview

Use Hint to draw a dashed blue circle on a suggested intersection with a short reason like “captures 2” or “connects.” Hovering your cursor previews dǎchī (atari) situations: red rings show opponent groups in dǎchī and orange rings show your groups in dǎchī if you place there.

Settings panel

Click ⚙️ Settings to open options:

• 贴目 Tiēmù (komi): White's bonus points.
• Show intersection dots: display small guide dots at each point.
• Show 打吃 Dǎchī (atari) warnings: enable hover previews of dǎchī.
• Sound effects: toggles placement, capture, pass, and finalize sounds.
• Use Chinese Menus: switch UI labels to Chinese.
• Scoring & Dead Stones: Estimate · Finalize · Mark/Clear dead groups.
• Computer Opponent: start/stop bot, set color/level, ask for a Bot Move, or request a Hint.

Beginner tips

Start in the corners, then extend along the sides before venturing into the center. Connect weak groups, avoid self‑dǎchī, and watch liberties. On a 9×9 board, small decisions have big consequences, which makes it perfect for learning.

Key terms: tièmù (komi) and dǎchī (atari). Try a few games with the bot, estimate the score, then replay and compare choices.

Common Vocabulary

• 收官 Shōuguān → finalize the endgame score and end game.
• 哎呀 (āiyā) — "a common exclamation for undo, like "oh no!" or "oops!" in English.
• 吃子 (chīzǐ) → carrying out a capture (removing the opponent's stones).
• 打吃 (dǎchī) literally means 'hitting to eat' and it refers to putting the opponent's stones in danger.
• 贴目 Tiēmù (komi) A handicap given to white to balance black's first move.
• 劫 Jié (ko): A board situation creating a perpetual repeating pattern that is limited by rules.
• 氣 Qì (liberty) — an empty point adjacent to a stone or group. It means "breath or vital energy. (same character as in qigong)".

Notes

• Two players, Black and White, take turns placing stones on an empty board at intersections. Players aim to surround more territory and captured stones than their opponent by strategically placing stones to create secure territories and surround opponent's stones. Stones are captured when all their adjacent, unoccupied points (called "liberties") are filled by the opponent. The game ends when both players pass consecutively.
• Liberties: A stone's "liberties" are the empty intersections immediately next to it, either horizontally or vertically.
• Surrounding: If you play stones such that you occupy the last remaining liberty of an opponent's stone or group of connected stones, you capture them.
• Removal: Captured stones are removed from the board and kept by the capturing player as points.
• No Suicide: You cannot play a stone on an intersection if that move leaves your own stone with no liberties, unless that move also captures your opponent's stones.
• Passing: If a player believes there are no more advantageous moves to make, they can pass their turn.
• Game End: The game ends when both players pass consecutively.