Go Servers

    Keywords: Online Go

This page gives an overview of online go servers.

Table of contents

Introduction

Internet Go servers can potentially deliver the following benefits.

  • Endless supply of players of all ranks 24 hours a day
  • Play people from just about any country in the world
  • Choose any time settings you like, from games that last less than 10 minutes, to 45 minutes, to 3 months or more
  • Watch strong Dan players any time you want
  • Many tournaments, chats, and lessons are available
  • Autosave games, ease in replaying a game, ability to create variations

There are three basic types of servers.

  • Real-time go servers in which two players play on line simultaneously just like over a real goban. Games usually last from 10 minutes to one and a half hours
  • Turn-Based go servers allow you to post a move to a website, and check back later for your opponents response. Games usually last from a few weeks to many months.
  • Play by Email allow you to email your move and play at a similarly slow pace

Currently it appears that the favorites for Americans and Europeans are KGS, IGS, DGS and OGS; however, all of the following servers have different features to recommend them. Pick your favorite!

Users should practice basic Internet security when using these Go servers. See also Internet Security / Go clients and servers for specific information on using Go servers.


Listed hereafter are real-time servers; see Turn-Based Go Servers for the other variant.

The descriptions of the go servers are intentionally kept short; please discuss at the page of the server itself or at Go server reviews and reports if the server doesn't have its own page.

See also:

English supported Go Servers

The two most common servers are listed first. The remainder is listed alphabetically.

Most common servers

IGS - The Internet Go server ([ext] http://www.pandanet-igs.com/)

  • English and Japanese (origin) languages or {Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese} ?
  • The official and probably most current client is [ext] PANDA-glGo and is one of the nicest for any server. Additionally, it was originally telnet based, and there are a ton of older clients for all kinds of platforms that still work.
  • Other clients (Windows, Macintosh, Linux , Android) include [ext] qGo and [ext] GoPanda.
  • IGS has one of the broadest selection of players from all over the world.
  • IGS is the grandfather of internet go, starting in 1992, it is still one of the most popular

KGS - KGS Go Server ([ext] http://www.gokgs.com/)

  • English (origin) and a bunch of other languages? {English, Catalan, Czech, German, Spanish, Basque, Finnish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Turkish, Swedish}
  • The KGS client is [ext] cGoban (Windows, Macintosh and Linux; can also connect via web browser without a client)
  • Has a strong North American and European following, but still does well world wide.
  • The ability to create "rooms" for clubs or countries has been a big draw for many. Plenty of chat.

TygemBaduk - Tygem English language Go server ([ext] http://www.tygembaduk.com/)

  • details to be added

Alphabetical list

BadukWorld ([ext] http://www.badukworld.co.kr/)

  • Korean (origin), English languages
  • Java web based
  • The server seems to be oriented towards Korean expatriates
  • Playing fee is $10 per year. Claims "Board and stones are the most beautiful in the world".

BKGo? ([ext] http://www.red-bean.com/bkgo/)

  • English language
  • not sure this is active, web page has a 1999 copyright, looks pretty old

DashN (aka Dash & Dot) ([ext] http://dashlive.dashn.com/english/)

  • the English page doesn't look as if its been updated recently
  • English, Korean (origin), Japanese languages
  • The client download is on the [ext] Download page
  • Client is for Windows only
  • Most populous contingent is Korean
  • Another large Korean server
  • the Korean website is active, but I haven't yet gotten my English client to work

GOmatches.com? ([ext] http://www.gomatches.com)

  • Focused on turn-based matches
  • Very user-friendly interface
  • Absolutely web based
  • Innovative rating system
  • Cool badges
  • Useful email notifications
  • Advanced player profiles
  • and many more features

GoShrine ([ext] http://goshrine.com)

  • An easy to use live go server.
  • Simple, clean interface.
  • Firewall friendly
  • No Java or other plugins or downloads required.
  • Play against GnuGo
  • Rankings

IgoLocal ([ext] http://igolocal.net)

  • Physical go server, i.e. a site to find players and arrange over the board games.
  • Games are not played on the server, but players can submit results and a ranking system is planned

Internet Go Room? ([ext] http://www.playgogame.com)

  • English and Chinese languages
  • A Go Server build by Lyu shuzhi.
  • copyright is 2001, doesn't look very up to date

Kaya Go Server ([ext] http://kaya.gs)

  • A new server currently in development. The goal of the Kaya project is to create a network that includes all things Go. Playing games, live streaming, tsumego, teaching, social chat, and more.

KGS - GoKGS ([ext] http://www.gokgs.com/)

  • English, Chinese, Japanese, Belgrade, Spanish, Korean, Italian, many more.
  • The client download is on the [ext] KGS homepage.
  • No national predominance known.

LGS - The Legend Go Server ([ext] http://www.lgs.taiwango.net/)

  • Chinese (Taiwanese origin), English (sort of) languages
  • The client download is on the [ext] LGS homepage. Unconfirmed that many IGS clients will be compatible. port 9696
  • Primarily Taiwanese players?

Laoqipan ([ext] http://laoqipan.com/)

  • Simplified Chinese, English language
  • Turn based, realtime updating(powered by juggernaut).
  • No time controls
  • Support Ancient Chinese Rules
  • Stone place needs confirm, well suited for iPhone/iPad users.

PlayGoGame (www.playgogame.com)

  • Supposedly available in both English and Chinese--can't find English client.
  • Requires that you download a client.

No strive Go

  • Unsure whether this is an real time or turn based go server
  • No time limits
  • Free

Go Center of Second Life ([ext] http://www.notabene-sl.com/slgc/)

  • Support for other languages in the SL client works, sort of.
  • At the Vineland region is an area dedicated to go. The 3d boards handle all sizes, komi, free and static handicap placement.
  • Has a membership board, and a rating system.

Traditional Baduk Association ([ext] http://www.traditionalbaduk.com/)

  • English and Korean languages
  • Java web based
  • Requires registration and allows one to play for free. It has a voice function, lectures, lessons, and much more.

Tygem ([ext] http://www.tygembaduk.com)

  • English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese languages

WBaduk ([ext] http://www.wbaduk.com/) (was OroBaduk)

  • English, Korean (origin), Chinese, Japanese languages
  • The client download is on the [ext] WBaduk
  • Most populous contingent is Korean, but plenty of Chinese, Japanese, and Thais
  • Client is for Windows only? But works with wine.
  • This may be the largest server with an English client, as many as 25,000 people on line at one time.

WING - World-wide InterNet Gokaisho ([ext] http://wing.gr.jp/indexe.html)

  • Japanese (origin) and English languages
  • Real Time server
  • Java and IGS / NNGS interfaces

WWGo? - World Web Go ([ext] https://home.wwgo.jp/)

  • Japanese (origin) and English languages
  • Real Time server
  • probably need to pay for membership in order to get decent privileges

XGS - The [ext] XML Go Server ([ext] http://www.peepo.com)

% we might need other "server" types - this seems to be a "screen-only" server such as [HTMLGo]
  • uses web standards no plugins or downloads
  • testing on mobile phones such as iPhone and Blackberry
  • in active development October 2010
  • please only use recent standards compliant browser such as Opera, Mozilla or Safari

Go - Multiplayer Go Online Game

Go Game (ext? [ext] http://www.meingames.at/)

  • English, Russian, German.
  • Multiplayer games portal.
  • Free to register.
  • Real Time server

Go at Yahoo! Games JAPAN 囲碁

 - Use Google Translate to register, and whoom! Also Shogi!
 - Very pleasant graphics
 - Tons of players!

[ext] http://games.yahoo.co.jp/

They will ask you for a Japanese phone number and postal code, examples of which are available through Google.


See also


This is a copy of the living page "Go Servers" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2012 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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