Go Servers
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:
- /Games servers that also offer go for games servers that offer go as one of their many games.
- /Goservers that don't support English for specialised go servers that don't support English (yet)
- /New and Defunct Go servers for Go servers that are in development or are not there anymore
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 (
http://www.pandanet-igs.com/)
- English and Japanese (origin) languages or {Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese} ?
- The official and probably most current client is
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
qGo and
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 (
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
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 (
http://www.tygembaduk.com/)
- details to be added
Alphabetical list
BadukWorld (
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? (
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) (
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
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? (
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 (
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 (
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? (
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 (
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 (
http://www.gokgs.com/)
- English, Chinese, Japanese, Belgrade, Spanish, Korean, Italian, many more.
- The client download is on the
KGS homepage.
- No national predominance known.
LGS - The Legend Go Server (
http://www.lgs.taiwango.net/)
- Chinese (Taiwanese origin), English (sort of) languages
- The client download is on the
LGS homepage. Unconfirmed that many IGS clients will be compatible. port 9696
- Primarily Taiwanese players?
Laoqipan (
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 (
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 (
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 (
http://www.tygembaduk.com)
- English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese languages
WBaduk (
http://www.wbaduk.com/) (was OroBaduk)
- English, Korean (origin), Chinese, Japanese languages
- The client download is on the
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 (
http://wing.gr.jp/indexe.html)
- Japanese (origin) and English languages
- Real Time server
- Java and IGS / NNGS interfaces
WWGo? - World Web Go (
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
XML Go Server (
http://www.peepo.com)
- 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? 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!
They will ask you for a Japanese phone number and postal code, examples of which are available through Google.