Editing Rules of Go (section)

==== Liberties ====
'''In a given position, a ''liberty'' of a stone is an empty intersection adjacent to that stone or adjacent to a stone which is connected to that stone.'''

For example:

{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u| uD|  w|urC
|  l|  E| b4|  b| b3
|  w| b5|  b| b2| rB
|  w|  w| b1|  w|  r
| dl|  w| dA|  d| dr|24}}

In the above position, the points ''a'', ''b'', ''c'', ''d'', ''e'', are the liberties of the black stone at 1.
* ''a'' is a liberty of Black 1 because it is adjacent to Black 1 itself.
* ''b'' is a liberty of Black 1 because it is adjacent to Black 2, which is connected to Black 1. Alternatively, ''b'' is adjacent to Black 3.
* ''c'' is a liberty of Black 1 because it is adjacent to Black 3, which is connected to Black 1.
* ''d'' is a liberty of Black 1 because it is adjacent to Black 4, which is connected to Black 1.
* ''e'' is a liberty of Black 1 because it is adjacent to Black 5, which is connected to Black 1. Alternatively, ''e'' is adjacent to Black 4.

The results are the same when determining the liberties of Black 2, or of any other stone belonging to the black chain.

{{Go board 5x5
| ul|  u| uF| w7|urE
| lA|  G| b2| b2| b2
| w4| b3|  H| w6| rD
| w4| w4| b1| b1| b1
|dlB| w4| dC| w5| b1|24}}

In this position:
* The black stones marked 1 have the liberties ''c'', ''d'' and ''h''.
* The black stones marked 2 have the liberties ''d'', ''e'', ''f'', ''g'' and ''h''. 
* The black stone marked 3 has the liberties ''g'' and ''h''.
* The white stones marked 4 have the liberties ''a'', ''b'' and ''c''.
* The white stone marked 5 has the single liberty ''c''.
* The white stone marked 6 has the liberties ''d'' and ''h''.
* The white stone marked 7 has the liberties ''e'' and ''f''.

Since the liberties of any two stones belonging to the same chain are identical, they are often called the ''liberties'' of that chain. For example, in the first diagram, the points ''a'', ''b'', ''c'', ''d'' and ''e'' are the liberties of the lone black chain. In the second diagram, the liberties of the black chain in the lower right are ''c'', ''d'' and ''h''.