Go has a vocabulary of its own. Many terms in English Go writing are borrowed from Japanese, because Japanese players and teachers introduced the game to much of the Western world. Some have Chinese and Korean equivalents too, and Vietnamese players often use Sino-Vietnamese forms. This glossary gives short, practical definitions of the terms you are most likely to meet, in alphabetical order.
A
Area scoring. Counting method where each player scores their stones on the board plus the empty points only they surround. Used on this site. See area scoring explained.
Atari. A stone or group with only one liberty left. It will be captured next move unless its owner does something. See atari and liberties.
B
Bamboo joint. A strong shape of two pairs of stones with a gap between them; it cannot be cut.
Byo-yomi. A timing system where, after the main time runs out, each move must be made within a fixed period.
C
Capture. Removing stones that have no liberties from the board.
Capturing race. Two groups surrounding each other, each trying to capture first. Also called semeai. See capturing races.
D
Dame. A neutral point that belongs to neither player at the end. Worth one point under area scoring if filled. See dame and neutral points.
Dead stones. Stones that cannot avoid capture. On this site they must actually be captured before passing.
E
Empty triangle. An inefficient shape of three stones in an L with the fourth point empty.
Eye. An empty point surrounded by one player's stones, which the opponent cannot fill. Two eyes make a group alive. See eye and life terms.
F
False eye. A point that looks like an eye but can be destroyed because the surrounding stones are not all connected.
Fuseki. The opening, the first phase of the game when players claim corners and sides.
G
Geta. A net: a loose surrounding move that captures a stone without chasing it.
Gote. A move that does not force an answer, so the opponent gets to choose the next move. See sente, gote and tenuki.
H
Hane. A move that bends around the end of an opponent's line of stones.
Handicap. Extra stones given to the weaker player at the start of a game.
J
Joseki. A standard sequence of moves in a corner that is considered fair for both sides.
K
Keima. A knight's-move shape, two stones placed like a chess knight's jump.
Ko. A shape where stones can be captured back and forth. Rules forbid immediate recapture; on this site, positional superko forbids recreating any earlier whole-board position.
Komi. Extra points given to White to balance Black's first move. 7.5 on this site. See komi explained.
L
Ladder. A sequence of ataris chasing a group diagonally across the board. Also shicho. See the ladder and the net.
Liberty. An empty point directly next to a stone or group, along the lines.
M
Miai. Two points that are equally good; if the opponent takes one, you take the other.
Moyo. A large framework, loosely surrounded but not yet secure territory.
N
Net. See geta.
O
Overplay. A move that is too greedy or aggressive for the position and can be punished.
P
Pass. Choosing not to place a stone. Two consecutive passes end the game on this site.
Positional superko. Rule forbidding any move that recreates an earlier whole-board position. Used on this site.
R
Reduction. A move that shrinks an opponent's framework from outside without trying to live inside it.
S
Sabaki. Light, flexible play that settles a group quickly, often by giving up a stone or two.
Seki. Mutual life: two groups that cannot capture each other both stay on the board. See seki and scoring.
Sente. A move that forces an answer, so you keep the initiative.
Shape. The efficiency of a group of stones. Good shape uses few stones and leaves few weaknesses. See shape and tesuji terms.
Suicide. A move that leaves your own stones without liberties without capturing anything. Not allowed on this site.
T
Tenuki. Ignoring the opponent's last move to play elsewhere.
Territory. Empty points surrounded by one player.
Tesuji. A clever, often surprising tactical move that achieves the best local result.
Y
Yose. The endgame. See what is yose.
How to learn the vocabulary
You do not need to memorise this list. Most players learn terms by meeting them in games and articles, one at a time. A good approach:
- Learn the first ten that matter most: liberty, atari, capture, eye, ko, komi, sente, gote, territory, pass.
- Add the rest when you meet them in articles or in conversation with other players.
- Use them when reviewing your own games; naming a mistake helps you remember it.
If you play Vietnamese opponents, the article on Vietnamese Go words shows the local equivalents of many of these terms.
Where these words apply on this site
Everything in this glossary applies to the games you play here: against the computer on the home page on 9×9 or 13×13, and against people on the online page on 9×9, 13×13 or 19×19. The rules used are area scoring, komi 7.5, positional superko and no suicide. Sign in on the account page to save your games and replay them, and try naming the key moments with the words above.
Terms you will meet later
As you improve, you will meet more specialised words. A few that appear often in intermediate material: aji, meaning latent possibilities left in a position that may become useful later; kikashi, a forcing move played to gain something small while keeping options; thickness, a strong, secure group or wall that radiates influence; and thin, the opposite, a position with weaknesses. You do not need these words to enjoy the game, but they help when reading commentary and game reviews.
Language also varies between communities. Some English speakers prefer "capturing race" to semeai, "opening" to fuseki and "endgame" to yose. Others use the Japanese terms throughout. Neither choice is wrong. The important thing is understanding the idea behind each word, because the ideas are the same in every language and on every board size.
Frequently asked questions
Why do English Go terms come from Japanese?
Because Japanese players and teachers introduced Go to much of the Western world, and their terms became the common vocabulary.
Which Go terms should I learn first?
Liberty, atari, capture, eye, ko, komi, sente, gote, territory and pass.
What is the difference between sente and gote?
A sente move forces an answer and keeps the initiative; a gote move does not.
What does tesuji mean?
A clever tactical move that achieves the best local result, often surprisingly.
Is suicide allowed on this site?
No. A move that leaves your own stones without liberties, without capturing, is not allowed.
