British Go Journal - Glossary Of Go Terms

This page defines some of the non-English Go terms used in the various British Go Journal articles. The older the article, the more likely it is to use non-English terminology. Apart from the two acronyms these are all Japanese terms.

There is also another page of definitions and Go terms.

Aji:

Latent possibilities left behind in a position.

Aji keshi:

A move which destroys one's own aji (and is therefore bad).

Amarigatachi (amari-gatachi):

A position where you were apparently attacking nicely and pushing the opponent around, but you either let the opponent live or got a trivial profit. White invades at . Black ends in amarigatachi after this attack because White gets good profit in the corner, there is a cut at and white 4 can move out making black unstable.

Atari:

The state of having only one liberty left.

Ate:

The same as Atari.

Atekomi:

Aim inside; to play on the inside of two enemy stones placed diagonally, threatening to cut their connection.

Boshi:

A capping move; usually played at a one space interval above an enemy stone.

Byo yomi:

Literally "seconds reading". Shortage of time or overtime.

Dame:

A neutral point, of no value to either player.

Damezumari:

Shortage of liberties.

DFK:

Double Figure Kyu-player (35 kyu to 10 kyu), nowadays known as DDK (Double Digit Kyu).

Furikawari:

A trade of territory or groups.

Fuseki:

The opening phase of the game.

Gote:

Losing the initiative.

Hamete:

A basically unsound move which complicates the situation. Often the obvious answer to a hamete is bad and it is difficult to see the right way to play.

Hanami:

Hanami = "flower picking". A hanami ko is a carefree ko in which one side has everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Hane:

A move that 'bends round' an enemy stone, leaving a cutting point behind.

Hanetsugi (hane-tsugi):

A hane followed by a connection, e.g. 1 & 3 here.

Hasami:

A pincer attack.

Hazamatobi (hazama-tobi):

The one-space diagonal jump.

Honte:

"The proper move". Used of a seemingly slow but solid move that leaves no bad aji.

Hoshi:

One of the nine marked points on the board. When describing a joseki, it refers to the 4-4 points only.

Ikkentobi (ikken-tobi):

A one-space jump.

Jigo:

A drawn game.

Joseki:

A standardised sequence of moves, usually in a corner.

Kakari:

A move made against a single enemy stone in a corner.

Kaketsugi (kake-tsugi):

A diagonal connection (the tiger's mouth). Black's shape here.

Katachi:

Good shape; often used for the only possible shape in the circumstances being examined.

Keima:

A knight's move jump.

Kikashi:

A move which creates aji while forcing a submissive reply.

Komi:

A 'points' allowance give to White in an even game to compensate Black for having the first move.

Komoku:

A 3-4 point.

Kosumi:

A diagonal play.

Mearimenashi (me-ari-me-nashi):

A semeai where the opponent has one eye, and the other player none.

Miai:

Two points related to each other such that if one player takes one of them, the opponent will take the other one.

Mokuhazushi (moku-hazushi):

A 3-5 point.

Moyo:

A potential territory.

Nidanbane (nidan-bane):

A two-step hane. That is two hanes in succession.

Nigiri:

A method of fairly choosing something using Go stones: One player picks up an unseen handful of white stones. The second player says odd or even. If he is correct, the second player gets to choose otherwise the first player chooses.
When used to select colour in even games, if the second player is correct, he gets Black.

Nobi:

A move that extends towards the outside or centre in a straight line from contact with one's own stones.

Nozoki:

A peeping move.

Oki:

A placement; an eye-stealing move made by playing in the middle of the opponent's area.

Osae:

A blocking move; it prevents the opponent from playing further along a line.

Ponnuki:

The diamond shape left behind after a single stone has been captured.

Sagari:

A descent towards the edge of the board from the second or third line.

Sanrensei (san-ren-sei):

An opening which consists of playing on the three hoshi points along one side of the board.

Sansan (san-san):

A 3-3 point.

Seki:

A local stalemate between two or more groups dependent on the same liberties for survival.

Semeai:

A race to capture between two adjacent groups that cannot both live.

Sente:

Gaining the initiative; a move that requires a reply.

SFK:

Single Figure Kyu-player (9 kyu to 1 kyu).

Shibori:

A tactic by which a player forces his opponent to capture some sacrifice stones and thereby gains some advantage.

Shicho:

A ladder.

Shimari:

A corner enclosure of two stones.

Shodan:

One-dan level.

Takamoku:

A 4-5 point. Literally "high point".

Tasuki fuseki:

Black plays his first two moves taking the same corner point in diagonally opposing corners, e.g. tasuki hoshi, tasuki komoku.

Tengen:

The centre point of the board.

Tenuki:

To abandon the local position and play elsewhere.

Tesuji:

A skilful move in a local fight.

Tsugi:

A connection (various shapes and types are possible).

Tsuke:

A contact play, an attachment.

Tsuke nobi (tsuke-nobi):

This refers to a sequential pair of moves by one player. The first is a tsuke (attachment), the second a nobi (extension) from that attachment.

Tsukiatari (tsuki-atari):

To hit against an enemy's stone.

Tsukidashi (tsuki-dashi):

Pushing in between two enemy stones in an ikken tobi shape (e.g. you peep, he doesn't answer, you tsukidashi).

Tsumego (tsume-go):

Life and death problem.

Tsuppari:

A move contiguously from one of your own stones that bangs up against an enemy stone.

Uchikomi:

An invasion.

Warikomi:

A "thrust-in" move; to play between two enemy stones in order to obtain two cutting points.
White 1 is warikomi making miai of

Watari:

Literally "wading". Watari refers to tesuji which connect groups along the very edge of the board. See BGJ 9.

Yose:

The endgame.

Yosumiru (yosu-miru):

A probing move which is used to find out what the opponent's strategy is going to be.