The ancient strategy board game. Place stones, surround territory, capture groups.
Go is the oldest board game still played in its original form, originating in China over 4,000 years ago. Two players alternate placing black and white stones on the intersections of a grid to surround territory and capture opponent stones. This free online version lets you play against an AI opponent on 9×9, 13×13, or 19×19 boards at three difficulty levels — no download or signup needed.
Click or tap an intersection to place a stone. Surround your opponent's stones to capture them. The game ends when both players pass consecutively, and territory is counted — empty intersections enclosed by your stones plus captured stones determine the winner.
Players alternate placing black and white stones on the intersections of a grid. The goal is to surround more territory than your opponent. Stones or groups with no adjacent empty points (liberties) are captured and removed from the board. The game ends when both players pass.
Go uses identical stones placed on intersections, while Chess uses unique pieces on squares. Go is about surrounding territory; Chess is about checkmating the king. Go has simpler rules but far more possible positions — roughly 10170 compared to Chess's 1047.
Go is often considered harder for computers due to its vastly larger game tree. For humans, both games are deeply strategic. Go's rules are simpler to learn, but mastering positional judgment and reading ahead requires years of study.
If you enjoyed this, try these: Chess · Checkers · Othello
Last updated: March 2026 · whatifs.fun