Go komi

Go is played by two players alternately placing black and white stones on the vacant intersections of a line grid. The standard size of this grid is 19 x 19, although this version plays on a 9 x 9 area. The objective of the game is to control a larger part of the board than the opponent. To achieve this, players strive to place their stones in such a way that they cannot be captured, while mapping out territories the opponent cannot invade without being captured. A stone or a group of stones is captured and removed if it has no empty adjacent intersections, the result of being completely surrounded by stones of the opposing color. Placing stones close together helps them avoid capture by enabling them to capture attacking stones before they are themselves captured, whereas placing them far apart influences more of the board. Part of the strategic difficulty of the game stems from finding a balance between such conflicting interests. Players strive to serve both defensive and offensive purposes, and choose between tactical urgency and strategic plans. The game ends, and the score is counted when both players consecutively pass on a turn, indicating that neither side can increase its territory or reduce its opponent's.