The Rules of Weiqi

Weiqi has only two fundamental rules: the Rule of Liberty and the Rule of Ko. Everything else is learned through gameplay.

Setting Up the Game

• Find or create a grid on a flat surface.
• Any grid size and shape can work, but a square grid between 9x9 and 19x19 is recommended. This board is called the Goban.
• You’ll also need black and white stones.

Placing Stones

• Players take turns placing a stone of their color on any empty intersection of the grid.

Groups of Stones

• Stones connected in a straight line to other stones of the same color form a group.
• A group functions as a single unit—it lives or dies together.

The Rule of Liberty

• Every stone or group on the board must have at least one empty adjacent intersection (called a liberty) to survive.
• If a stone or group has no liberties, it is captured and removed from the board by the opponent.
• You cannot capture your own stones.

The Rule of Ko

• A player cannot make a move that results in the board returning to its previous state.

Ending the Game & Determining the Winner

• The game typically ends when both players pass their turns, indicating that no more useful moves remain.
• The winner is the player who has surrounded the most empty space on the board.
• In casual play, players can agree on the game’s end and the result.
• Tournament rules generally enforce passing as the official end condition and use territory counting to determine the winner.