Go Text Protocol

The Go Text Protocol (GTP) is a text based protocol for communication with computer go programs, suitable for use in computer Go tournaments. It is also intended, through the use of auxiliary programs, to make it easier for go programmers to connect to go servers on the internet and do automatic regression testing. GTP has largely superseded the antiquated Go Modem Protocol.

See https://www.lysator.liu.se/~gunnar/gtp/ for more information.

Clients supporting GTP

• GoGui: The _BEST_ tool for analyzing Go program internals.
• Sabaki
• SenteGoban
• Drago
• gGo
• glGo
• Gomill: Tools for playing programs against each other and for automatically tuning engine parameters.
• GridMaster
• kgsGtp: A GTP bridge to KGS. allowing GTP Go engines to play on KGS.
• gtp2ogs: Allows Go engines that support GTP to become online opponents on OGS.
• Lizzie
• SmartGo

Engines (go-playing programs) supporting GTP

• Fuego
• GNU Go
• KataGo
• Pachi
• Ray

An easy way to start learning about GTP is to run one of these engines without a client. e.g. bring up a shell/command prompt and type

gnugo --mode gtp

to bring up a list of GTP commands type

list_commands

to view the Go board type

showboard

to make a first move type (for example)

play black q16

to make the engine move type

genmove white