Editing Rules of Go (section)

=== Elements of the game ===

==== Players ====
'''Rule 1. Go is a game between two players, called Black and White.'''

The choice of black or white is traditionally done by chance between players of even strength. The method of selection is called ''nigiri''. One player (A) takes a handful of white stones; the other player (B) then places either one or two black stones on the board, indicating "even" or "odd". Player A counts the number stones in their hand to determine whether there is an odd or even number. If the number of stones matches the other player's selection of "even" or "odd", Player B will play the black stones; if not, they will take the white stones.

When players are of different strengths, the weaker player takes black. Black may also pre-place several handicap stones before play begins, to compensate for the difference in strength—see below.

==== Board ====
[[Image:Blank Go board.svg|right|thumb|250px|The board, or "goban"]]
'''Rule 2. Go is played on a plane grid of 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines, called a ''board''.'''

'''Definition: A point on the board where a horizontal line meets a vertical line is called an ''intersection''. Two intersections are said to be ''adjacent'' if they are distinct and connected by a horizontal or vertical line with no other intersections between them.'''

The condition that the intersections be "distinct" is included to ensure that an intersection is not considered to be adjacent to itself.

Intersections are also called ''points''.

There are 361 points on a regular {{nowrap|19 × 19}} board.

For simplicity, the rules will be illustrated mostly using {{nowrap|5 × 5}} boards.

Each of the following diagrams shows two points on a {{nowrap|5 × 5}} board:

{|border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-valign="top"
|
{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u|  u|  u| ur
|  l|   |   |   |  r
|  l|   |   |   |  r
|  l|  c|  c|   |  r
| dl|  d|  d|  d| dr|24}}
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|
{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u|  u|  u| ur
|  l|   |   |   |  r
|  l|   |   |   |  r
| lc|   |   |   |  r
|dlc|  d|  d|  d| dr|24}}
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|
{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u|  u|  u| ur
|  l|   |   |   |  r
|  l|   |   |   |  r
| lc|   |  c|   |  r
| dl|  d|  d|  d| dr|24}}
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|
{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u|  u|  u| ur
|  l|   |   |  c|  r
|  l|   |  c|   |  r
|  l|   |   |   |  r
| dl|  d|  d|  d| dr|24}}
|-valign="top"
|Adjacent points
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|Adjacent points
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|Non-adjacent points
|&nbsp;&nbsp;
|Non-adjacent points
|}

In the first two diagrams, the points are adjacent; in the third and fourth, they are not.

Though {{nowrap|19 × 19}} boards are standard, go can be played on another size board. Particularly common sizes for quick games are {{nowrap|9 × 9}} and {{nowrap|13 × 13}}. (See also "Board size" below.)

Beginners might prefer to play on a {{nowrap|9 × 9}} board to start. The nature of the game remains similar enough to make this worthwhile, yet the games are shorter. For beginners, playing longer games is less important than playing a greater number of games.

==== Stones ====
'''Rule 3. Go is played with playing tokens known as ''stones''. Each player has at their disposal an adequate supply of stones of their color.'''

Traditionally, Black is given 181 stones, and White, 180, to start the game. This is almost always sufficient, but if it turns out to be insufficient, extra stones will be used.