About Go and the BGA

What is Go?

Go is game for two people, and it's played with black and white pieces on a square board. The idea of it is to surround part of the board as your territory. If your territory is bigger than the other person's, then you win!

Go was invented in China a long time ago. The game is thought to be about 4000 years old - it may be the oldest board game which is still being played today. In China, Korea and Japan there are about 30 million people who play go, including several hundred professional players. In Korea, there's even a TV channel which just has programmes about Go!

It is only recently that people in this country have started playing go. Most big towns now have a go club, and the game is becoming more popular all the time. The rules are quite easy - it only takes about fifteen minutes to learn to play. It's quite different from any other game - try it and we think you will enjoy it!

If you want to learn to play now, read the rules in a simple cartoon format.

You can also play Capture Go, a simplified form of Go, against a computer opponent. Note, this page contains a Java Applet

For some more information about Go, see this Introduction to Go on the BGA website.

What is the BGA?

The British Go Association (BGA) organises Go in the United Kingdom. As well as being involved with organising and coordinating Go tournaments, the BGA keeps a ranking list for strong players and issues diplomas. Every year, the BGA organises a British Go Championship and the British Youth Go Championships. And you can also order Go books and equipment from the BGA.

If you want to join the BGA, go to this membership page on the main BGA Website. You can join at any time of the year and get a full 12 months membership. We think it is very good value! You will get:

There is a lot more information about the BGA, and about Go generally, on the BGA website.