Free · no account needed
Learn to play Go, free
Go has very few rules and endless depth. These short lessons teach them on 5×5 and 7×7 boards first, where every stone matters, then move up to 9×9.
From liberties and capturing to life and death, ladders, and how to count the score with komi. Each lesson ends in challenges, and Leo, our AI tutor, can explain any idea on a call.
What you’ll learn
Unit 1
Stones and liberties
- The board and the stones · Stones go on the points, and never move
- Liberties · The empty points a stone breathes through
Unit 2
Capturing
- Taking stones · No liberties left: off the board
- Atari · One liberty left: about to be taken
- Escaping atari · Extend, and your group breathes again
- Connecting and cutting · Stones together are stronger
Unit 3
Two special rules
- Forbidden points · No playing where your stone can’t breathe
- Ko · No taking straight back
Unit 4
Life and death
- Eyes · Two eyes, and a group lives for ever
- The vital point · One point decides whether a group lives
Unit 5
Ways to capture
- The ladder · Chase it in atari, all the way to the edge
- The net · Block the escape without touching it
Unit 6
Playing a game
- Territory and counting · Surround more of the board to win
- How to start a game · Corners first, then sides, then the centre
Stuck? Ask Leo
Our AI tutor explains any lesson on a voice call, in English or Japanese.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Every lesson and challenge is free, and you can start without an account. Sign up (also free) to keep your stars on any device.
Why start on a small board?
A full 19×19 game takes hours. On a 5×5 or 7×7 board, a beginner sees the effect of every move right away, which is how many Go teachers start.
Is this Go, baduk or weiqi?
All three: they are the Japanese, Korean and Chinese names of the same game. The lessons use the Japanese terms, like atari and ko, with plain explanations.