Go
The complete two-player strategy game of surrounding territory and capturing stones.
Also known as
Go is a two-player abstract strategy board game. Players alternately place black and white stones on vacant board intersections, aiming to surround territory and capture opposing stones. The game itself is meant here—not the board or equipment, such as a goban or goishi.
A stone or group with no remaining liberties is captured. Play ends when both players pass, and the winner is determined primarily by territory and captured stones under the applicable ruleset. The strategic purpose is to outmaneuver the opponent: secure more territory, keep your own groups alive, and attack or capture opposing groups.
The term ki can be a broader East Asian word for a board game, so it is not always an unambiguous name for Go. In English, the established specific names are Go, weiqi, baduk, and igo; context is important when interpreting ki.
This term in other languages