Handicap Placement

    Keywords: Opening, Culture & History

Table of contents Table of diagrams
Two handicap stones
Three handicap stones (black's perspective)
Four handicap stones
Five handicap stones
Six handicap stones
Seven handicap stones
Eight handicap stones
Nine handicap stones

Here are the traditional placements for handicap stones under Japanese Rules. Other rules, such as Chinese rules, allow free handicap placement.

Andrew Grant: It is a fallacy that Japanese rules do not allow free handicap placement. In fact the official Japanese rules say nothing at all about handicap placement. It's true that the fixed pattern is universally used in Japan, but this is just a tradition, nothing more.

In all cases the weaker player plays Black, and there is no komi (or it is just 0.5, to prevent a draw). After handicap stones have been placed, it is white's turn to play.

One handicap stone

There is no specific placement for one stone, since this would be equivalent to dictating black's first move. Black plays first as in a non-handicap game, but benefits from the absence of komi.

Two handicap stones

[Diagram]
Two handicap stones  



Three handicap stones

[Diagram]
Three handicap stones (black's perspective)  

Joshual000: I believe upper left is left open for 'polite-ness' shown by Black to White (Black's 1st move is the one held by tradition - not White's)



Four handicap stones

[Diagram]
Four handicap stones  



Five handicap stones

[Diagram]
Five handicap stones  



Six handicap stones

[Diagram]
Six handicap stones  



Seven handicap stones

[Diagram]
Seven handicap stones  



Eight handicap stones

[Diagram]
Eight handicap stones  



Nine handicap stones

[Diagram]
Nine handicap stones  

See also


Handicap Placement last edited by RobertPauli on November 27, 2017 - 11:57
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