Learning Go goes much faster with a little structure. This plan is for complete beginners who can spare twenty to forty minutes a day. It assumes you have read the rules once — if not, start with Go rules for beginners — and it uses the computer on the home page, the online page and your saved games on the account page.
The plan is a guide, not a contract. If a week feels too easy, move on; if it feels too hard, stay longer.
Week 1: liberties and capturing
Board: 9 × 9 only.
Daily routine:
- Two or three games against the computer at the lowest level.
- One short game of capture Go if you have a friend or family member nearby (see capture Go for beginners).
Focus: after every opponent move, check which of your groups lost liberties. Try to capture a stone in atari, and try to save your own stones only when they can actually escape.
By the end of the week: you should be able to finish a game, know when to pass, and rarely lose a stone to a simple atari you did not see.
Week 2: eyes and life
Board: 9 × 9.
Daily routine:
- Two or three games against the computer. When you start winning, move up one level.
- Ten minutes of reading about eyes: two eyes to live and false eyes.
Focus: notice when a group of yours encloses empty points. Try to make two separate eyes. When the computer's group encloses only one point, look for a way to stop it making a second.
By the end of the week: you understand why some groups can never be captured, and you have killed at least one enemy group by preventing its second eye.
Week 3: corners, sides and connection
Board: mostly 9 × 9, plus two 13 × 13 games during the week.
Daily routine:
- Two 9 × 9 games.
- Read Go opening principles and corners, sides and centre.
Focus: on 13 × 13, start in the corners. On both boards, look for your own cutting points and decide which ones need a solid connection.
By the end of the week: your stones are cut apart less often, and on 13 × 13 your opening moves go to the corners without thinking.
Week 4: real opponents and review
Board: 9 × 9 and 13 × 13.
Daily routine:
- One or two games against people on the online page — find an opponent or invite a friend.
- Sign in on your account so your games are saved.
- Replay one lost game each day.
Focus: when reviewing, find the one moment the game turned. Usually it is a group that died or an area that was lost. Ask what you could have done two moves earlier.
By the end of the week: you have played at least ten games against people, and you know your two most common mistakes. Common beginner mistakes in Go will help you name them.
Habits to keep beyond the month
- Play regularly. A few games a week keep your reading sharp.
- Mix board sizes. 9 × 9 for quick practice, 13 × 13 for opening ideas, 19 × 19 when you have time.
- Review losses briefly. Two minutes per game is enough.
- Learn one idea at a time. Read about something, then play five games using it.
What to skip in the first month
- Memorising joseki.
- Worrying about ranks.
- Long 19 × 19 games every day.
- Reading many books before playing.
All of these become useful later. In the first month, playing and reviewing short games is simply more effective.
How to know the plan is working
You do not need a rating to measure progress. Signs that you are improving:
- You lose fewer groups to simple atari.
- You notice when an enemy group has only one eye.
- Your games against the computer last longer and end closer.
- You can explain, when reviewing, why you lost.
If those signs appear, you are on track.
How to review a game in two minutes
Reviewing does not have to be long or technical. A simple method that works for beginners:
- Open the saved game on your account page and jump to the end. Look at the final position: where did your opponent's area come from?
- Find the biggest loss. Usually it is one group that died or one side of the board your opponent took unopposed.
- Step back five or six moves before that loss and replay forward slowly. Stop at the first move where you can see a better idea — a connection you skipped, an atari you missed, a group you should have made safe.
- Write one sentence describing the mistake, for example "I let my two groups be cut apart" or "I kept extending a stone that could not escape".
After ten reviews you will have ten sentences, and you will notice that two or three of them repeat. Those are your personal priorities for the next month.
Keeping motivation
The first month is when many people give up, usually because they lose a lot and feel they are not getting anywhere. A few things help:
- Measure small wins. Winning one game at a new computer level, killing your first group, or finishing a game without losing a stone to atari are all real progress.
- Play with someone. A friend or family member learning at the same pace makes the whole process more fun. Sending an invite link from the online page takes a few seconds.
- Keep games short. Many short games feel better than one long frustrating game.
- Take breaks. If you lose three games in a row, stop for the day. Tired reading makes mistakes.
Adjusting the plan
If you have more time, add extra games rather than extra reading. If you have less, keep the order of topics but stretch each week. And if one week's topic already feels natural — for example, you already see atari easily — skip ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do this plan with less time?
Yes. Even ten minutes a day works; just stretch each week to two weeks.
Should I play 19 × 19 during the first month?
Only if you are curious. It is not necessary, and the long games slow down learning at this stage.
What if I keep losing to the lowest computer level?
That is normal in the first days. Keep playing 9 × 9 and focus only on liberties until wins start to come.
Do I need a teacher?
Not for the first month. Later, a teacher or stronger friend reviewing your games helps a lot.
Is it better to play people or the computer?
Both. The computer is patient and always available; people teach you to handle surprises and nerves.
