AGA

A grid of 19x19 lines, giving 361 playing points where lines intersect (AGA Rule 1); Smaller boards are permitted, 13x13 and 9x9 being the two most common (AGA Rule 1); Nine marked points (star points or hoshi) are used to place handicap stones (AGA Rule 4)

The board starts empty; there is no initial arrangement of stones in an even game (AGA Rule 1); Black moves first in an even game (AGA Rule 2); Because Black plays first, White receives komi (AGA Rule 3) — compensation added to White's score

Players alternate. A move is either placing one stone of your colour on any empty intersection, or passing (AGA Rule 2); Passing is always legal, even when legal placements exist (AGA Rule 2); Stones do not move once placed — they are only removed by capture (AGA Rule 5)

Two consecutive passes normally signal the end of the game (AGA Rule 9); The players then agree which stones on the board are dead (AGA Rule 9) — stones that could not avoid capture if play continued; Dead stones are removed and counted as prisoners; if the players cannot agree, play resumes to s...

13x13 and 9x9 are the common smaller boards, standard for teaching and fast games (AGA Rule 1); Smaller boards — 13x13 and 9x9 — are permitted, and a non-integral komi should still be used there (AGA Rules 1, 3), since avoiding a drawn game is part of the spirit of the AGA rules; Japanese rules u...

13x13 and 9x9 are the common smaller boards, standard for teaching and fast games (AGA Rule 1); Smaller boards — 13x13 and 9x9 — are permitted, and a non-integral komi should still be used there (AGA Rules 1, 3), since avoiding a drawn game is part of the spirit of the AGA rules

Handicap stones let players of different ranks meet on even terms (AGA Rule 4) — one stone per rank difference is the usual guide; Timed games use byo-yomi (reserve periods) or Fischer increment; time is a tournament regulation, not part of the rules of play

AGA rules permit either method, chosen before the game, and both give the same result (AGA Rule 12):; Territory scoring: empty points you have surrounded, plus prisoners you hold (AGA Rule 12); Area scoring: your stones on the board, plus the empty points you have surrounded (AGA Rule 12)

Two consecutive passes normally signal the end of the game (AGA Rule 9); The players then agree which stones on the board are dead (AGA Rule 9) — stones that could not avoid capture if play continued; Dead stones are removed and counted as prisoners; if the players cannot agree, play resumes to s...

The weaker player takes Black (AGA Rule 4); Black either moves first normally — a one-stone handicap, giving White only ½ point — or places 2 to 9 stones on the board before White's first move (AGA Rule 4); Handicap games are the standard way for players of different ranks to play an even contest