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 Go server reviews and reports.
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.co.jp/English/)
- 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.
- One worth mentioning for the quality of its GUI is
qGo
- Those clients are available for Windows, Macintosh and Linux and there are a few other ones for Android.
- 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
- Client is available for 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.
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
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.
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
FICGS (
http://www.ficgs.com)
- Mainly English language, also French, Italian, Spanish.
- A web-based go server (also chess & poker).
- Players from all over the world.
- Current FICGS Go champion is Svante Carl von Erichsen 5 dan.
- Tournaments with prizes or entry fee & money prize.
- Free to register, no ads in HTTPS.
- Dec. 19, 2010: I couldn't get Register to work.
Fly or Die
http://www.flyordie.com/
- general on line game server (many games)
- A web-based go server (also chess checkers, go moku and others.
- Free to register, has ads.
- Funny dragon sounds
- Board size: 15 x 15
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
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?
Ludoteka (
http://www.ludoteka.com/jokolabur?joko=gogo)
- English, French, Spanish, Vasque language
- Java web based
- This is a multiplayer games site
MeinGAMES (
http://spiele.meingames.de/)
- English, Russian, German.
- This is a multiplayer games portal
- Free to register.
- This is a general game site which happens to include Go. Checking the website has always shown zero people playing
No strive Go
- It is a question mark if this is an real time or turn based go server]
- No time limits
- Free
PlayOK.com (
http://www.playok.com/en/go/)
- originally a Polish site (kurnik.pl), translated into many other languages
- Go is one of around 30 games available
- Java Applet based
- Sizes 9, 13, 19 supported; AGA rules; automatic scheduled tournaments ..
- good for some quick games (around 50-100 players usually online in Go room)
Playray (
http://www.playray.com/)
- English language only
- Java web based
- The players are primarily from nowhere
- This is a general game site which happens to include Go. Checking the website has always shown zero people playing
Go Center of Second Life (
http://www.notabene-sl.com/slgc/) - (
http://secondlife.com)
- 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.
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
WeWeWeb? - We We Web Online Game (
http://www.weweweb.net/game/client.html)
- English and Traditional Chinese languages.
- Real Time server runs with applet client.
- A gaming server with Go game for causal players.
XGS - The
XML Go Server (
http://www.honte.eu)
- 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, Deutsch. * Multiplayer games portal. * Free to register. * Real Time server
Chinese (non English supported)
CTN? (
http://www.cngames.cn/)
- Windows only client
CUGS? (
http://www.go-edu.net/)
- port 9696
same as http://www.weiqi.cn/
CWS? (
http://cws.weiqi.net/)
- port 9696
eweiqi? (
http://www.eweiqi.com/)
- same client software as Tygem
- Big Chinese go server, co-operates with Tygem
- Last Sensei check/update 05 Jul 2006 (but didn't confirm client compatibility as stated above)
Lianzhong? (
http://www.ourgame.com/)
- Seems like it might be a general games site with Go
Tom Go Server (
http://weiqi.sports.tom.com/)
- Chinese language only, but the Sensei's page has direction to register and get started
- Big chinese go server with many strong players, co-operates with Korean Tygem
Qingfeng? (
http://qf.china.com/)
- Almost impossible to get client without Chinese Windows system
- Huge Chinese internet go server
- Last Sensei check/update 05 Jul 2006 - couldn't access site
QQ Weiqi? (
http://pc.qq.com/)
- QQ is the most popular free instant messaging service in China. Besides chatting, it is possible for QQ members to play multi-player games with each other. Go is one of them, but there are many more.
In order to play Go on QQ, you need to install the QQ messenger software ( http://pc.qq.com/), and the gaming add-on (
http://qqgame.qq.com/). There are many players online, but generally weaker than eweiqi? and Tom.
China Wei Qi Network? (
http://www.weiqi.cn)
- Fairly big server with strong players
- Has a betting system
Korean (non English supported)
Netmarble (
http://baduk.netmarble.net/)
- Korean (origin) and Chinese (will lead you to the Chinese Go server
Qingfeng)languages
- Previously known as Neostone.
Tygem (
http://www.tygem.com/)
- This is reputedly the best server in existence... if you speak Korean. astonish? I've discovered that there is a Japanese registration site and client too: (
http://www.tygem.co.jp/)
Japanese (non English supported)
Yuugen no ma? (
http://taikyoku.nihonkiin.or.jp/)
- Run by the Nihon Kiin, recent pro games, occasionally with (Japanese) commentary are also available.
Sansan (
http://www.sansan.co.jp/)
Defunct Servers
- NNGS - No Name Go Server
- - nngs.cosmic.org, port 9696 - compatible with most IGS clients.
NHSE - No Name Go Server
- - nhse.org, port 9696 - compatible with most IGS clients. dead link 08 Aug 2007
AllFun? Go Server ( http://www.allfun.com/)
- English and Hebrew.
- Windows client was downloaded from the site.
- Client supported many other games including chess, 4-In-A-Row, checkers and many more.
- Free to use ( supported by ads ) dead link 02 Dec 2008
New server ideas
The following are ideas for a new go servers that have not come to fruition yet