Go / Weiqi Rules and Record Notes

Go / Weiqi begins on an empty grid. The key setup fact for this site is that every stone changes liberties, connections, territory pressure, and local life-and-death reading rather than moving after placement.

The game is won by territory and captures under the scoring system being used. An annotated record should make clear whether the note is about liberties, connection, influence, or end-state scoring instead of pretending every local capture wins the game.

A move places a stone on an empty intersection, then captures opposing chains with no liberties. Suicide, ko, and scoring details depend on the ruleset, so local record notes keep the rule claim narrow.

Black and White alternate placements. Record reading should preserve turn color because a sente move, gote reply, or ko threat changes the meaning of the same coordinate.

The B/W coordinate line is a reading aid: it anchors color, board point, and sequence. It should be read with liberties and connection before judging whether a move is a tactic or only a local shape note.

The common trap is cutting or capturing before counting liberties. A move that looks forcing in a diagram may fail because the outside group has too few liberties or because the reply takes sente elsewhere.

Scoring systems, board sizes, and beginner record conventions vary. This site keeps the annotated record note focused on shape and reading, while external SGF sources are only comparison material.

Beginner records point to one visible liberty or connection, intermediate records compare candidate replies, and advanced records ask whether the line changes sente, ko pressure, or whole-board value.