In Go, each move places one stone on an intersection. Your stones must stay connected to liberties while you reduce your opponent’s options. Start on 9x9: the rules are unchanged, but the important moments arrive sooner.
Place stones on intersections
Black plays first. Players then alternate one move at a time, placing a stone on an empty intersection. Stones do not move after placement.
Liberties, groups, and captures
A liberty is an empty intersection directly above, below, left, or right of a stone or connected group. Diagonal contact does not connect stones.
When a group has no liberties, it is captured and removed from the board. Count liberties before you attack: an atari is a question to investigate, not an automatic capture.
Illegal moves
You may not play a move that leaves your own group without liberties unless that move captures opposing stones. This is the usual rule against suicide.
This board also uses positional superko. You cannot make a move that recreates any board position that has already appeared in the game.
Ending and scoring
When both players pass in succession, mark dead stones together. This site uses Chinese area scoring: each player counts living stones on the board plus empty intersections surrounded only by that player’s stones.
Shared neutral points count for neither side. White receives 7.5 komi, so the result cannot be a draw.
Start with 9x9
A 9x9 board is small enough to show captures, life, territory, and scoring in one short game. Move to 13x13 or 19x19 when you want more space, not different rules.
Questions
Do diagonal stones connect?
No. Only stones touching above, below, left, or right form a connected group.
Why was a group not captured?
It still has at least one liberty, perhaps through a connected stone you did not notice.
Does passing mean resignation?
No. A pass gives the turn to the other player. Two consecutive passes begin scoring.
Do all board sizes use the same rules?
Yes. Board size changes the scale and pace of a game, not the basic rules.