Glossary gives brief explanations of some of the most often used Go terms and concepts. These terms are characteristic for the Go-related language and are essential for its understanding. Italicized words are transliterations of the corresponding Japanese terms.
| Atari | Go to: Text bottom |
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An immediate threat of capture, i.e a situation
when a stone or a group of stones have only one liberty left.
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| Cross-cut | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A move placed in a cross-cut pattern.
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| Handicap | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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Handicap is a way to achieve a balance (or at
least its proximity) between opponents of different strengths.
As a first step of handicapping the stronger player is denied
Komi.
Further steps steps involve placement of certain number of
handicap stones before the game starts. Number,
location and order of handicap stones placement depend on the
size of the board and are different for
19x19,
13x13 and
9x9 boards.
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| Hane | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A move bending around opponent's stone
(in relation to existing stones).
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| Horikomi | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A "throw-in", i.e. a move involving the sacrifice
of a stone to force the opponent's stones to take a bad shape
(most often preventing him to connect at the right point).
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| Hosi | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
| Keima | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A knight's move extention.
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| Ko-threat | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A local position where the potential ability of
a player to make two moves in a row due to the
Ko-fight can provide a significant
gain (usually in terms of saving own group of stones or caturing one of
the opponent). E.g., in the position shown here it takes two
Black moves in a row (to point X
and point Z) to save Black group of stones
in this corner.
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| Komi | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
| Nidan bane | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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Two succesive Hane moves.
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| Ogeima | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A large knight's move extention.
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| Sagari | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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To "hang down" or "descent" — a move extending
toward the edge of the board.
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| Semeai | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A local race to capture, i.e. a situation when
groups of stones of both colors are mutually isolated from
their main forces and the only way to save each group is to
capture one of the opponent.
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| Tsuke | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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A move made in contact with one of opponent's
stones, but not in contact with any friendly stones.
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| Warikomi | Go to: Text top | Text bottom |
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To "thrust" or "squeeze into" — a move made
between opponent's stones in order to separate them or/and
to connect one's own stones.
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| Watari | Go to: Text top |
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A "bridge", i.e. a move connecting underneath
or along the edge of the board.
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