Go Articles & Guides

• 5 Recommended Go Game Review Apps & Software: Analyze Your SGF with AI and Learn from Your Games

  Here are 5 Go review tools. For mobile: PlayGo.gg, Igo no Shisho, SmartGo. For PC: KaTrain, OGS. Learn what AI review shows and key tips.

• What Are Go Ranks (Kyu & Dan)? A List of Amateur Strength Levels and How Dan Certification Works

  Go ranks progress from kyu to dan. See a quick strength guide from 10-kyu to amateur 8-dan, plus pro differences and 4 ways to get certified.

• 5 Recommended Go Joseki Apps: Free Apps & Sites to Look Up and Study Joseki

  We compare 5 recommended Go joseki apps and sites, including Nihon Ki-in’s Igo Shiru, “Go Joseki,” and IgoReco AI—mostly free options.

• 11 Recommended Go Tesuji Problem Books (Classics by Skill Level)

  How to choose a Go tesuji book and 11 top picks by skill level. Learn how to find the right one, use it effectively, and how tesuji differs from tsumego.

• 5 Recommended Go YouTube Channels: Rule Guides and Lessons to Help You Improve

  Here are 5 recommended Go YouTube channels, from beginner rule lessons to game reviews, AI analysis, pro commentary, and official live broadcasts.

• What Are the Benefits of Replaying Go Game Records? A Beginner’s Guide + Recommended Players

  Learn what kifu replay practice improves and how beginners can start: why it works, how to begin with 50 moves, choose annotated games, and pick players.

• What Is an Insei (Go Apprentice)? How to Become One: Age Limits, Costs, and Strength Explained [Nihon Ki-in / Kansai Ki-in]

  An in-sei is a training program for kids aiming to become pro Go players. We explain exams, strength, age limits, fees, classes, and weekend training.

• How to View Go Game Records for Free: Search Pro Games & Download SGF

  4 services to watch/search pro Go game records for free: PlayGo.gg, IgoKifu.com, KifuDepot, and Nihon Ki-in’s Yugen no Ma. Plus SGF tips.

• Where Did Go Originate? A Clear Guide to Its Chinese Origins and How It Reached Japan

  Go originated in China and is said to date back about 4,000 years. We explain the origin theories, common myths, and how it spread to Japan.

• Who Are Women Go Professionals? List, Title Holders, Youngest Records Explained—Who’s the Strongest?

  Women Go pros compete under the same rules as men, with around 100 in Japan. The youngest ever is Sumire Nakamura, who turned pro at age 10.

• [2026 Latest] List of Go (Baduk) Pros: Japan & World Rankings and the Strongest Players Explained

  Who is the strongest Go player today? A clear guide to Japan’s top pros, rising stars, women pros, and world elites like Shin Jinseo—plus rankings info.

• 5 Must-Read Go (Baduk) Manga: From Hikaru no Go to the Latest Ongoing Series

  5 recommended Go manga you can enjoy even without knowing the rules—Hikaru no Go, the latest Go to Go, plus romance, youth, and 4-panel comedy.

• Your Study Plan: How Much to Study and What to Study to Improve at Go in 2026

  How to split your Go study time: 50% playing, 30% life and death puzzles, 20% reviewing games. Plus how to do puzzles so you improve faster.

• [Latest 2026] What Are Go Titles? Explaining the Structure, Ranking, and Prize Money of the Seven Major Titles

  Go titles are honorifics awarded to tournament champions. This guide explains the seven major titles, their ranking, prize money, and how challengers are decided.

• What Are Go Tsumego? Recommended Free Sites/Apps and the Benefits of Solving Them

  Learn the basics of Go tsumego, how they improve reading and life-and-death, plus recommended free apps/sites and tips to keep a daily habit.

• [With Free Options] 6 Recommended Go AI Software & Apps: Strength and How to Use

  Carefully selected: 3 recommended Go AI tools for PC/browser and 3 apps for smartphones. Also explains AI strength and effective ways to improve.

• How to Reach 1 Dan in Go? A Guide to Timeframe, Study Methods, and Certification

  A complete guide to reaching 1 dan in Go: a realistic timeframe, 3 effective methods (games, tsumego, input), and Nihon Ki-in certification.

• 6 Free Sites to Play Go Online: Instant Browser Games (No Signup Options Included)

  Compare 6 free online Go services you can play right in your browser. See which need no signup, offer AI games, and support 19x19 boards.

• A Thorough Guide to Improving at Go: Study Methods and a Skill-Level Roadmap

  Improve at Go by balancing games, tsumego, and game records. Follow a skill-level roadmap and build habits with small goals, review, and community.

• What Benefits Does Go Bring? A Thorough Guide to Its Brain Training and Educational Effects

  Go offers benefits across generations: brain training, education, dementia prevention, focus, logical thinking, and new connections. Explained by age group.

• [For Beginners] 5 Recommended Free Go Apps! From Learning the Rules to Playing Games

  A thorough comparison of 5 beginner-friendly Go apps from the perspectives of free use, AI games, and tsumego. Features and how to choose.

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