Go scoring happens after the game ends. You count the board, agree which stones are dead, then add up points for each side. The player with the higher total wins.
Use our free Go score calculator to enter territory, prisoners or living stones, and komi — it supports Japanese, Chinese, and AGA scoring in one place.
Territory
Territory is empty intersection points completely surrounded by one color’s living stones. Each empty point inside your walls counts as one point.
If you are new to counting, read How to Count Territory for step-by-step examples including dame and seki.
Prisoners
Prisoners are opponent stones you captured during the game. In Japanese and AGA scoring, each prisoner adds one point to your total.
Prisoners do not add points in Chinese (area) scoring — living stones on the board are counted instead. See Japanese vs Chinese Scoring.
Komi
Komi is extra points added to White’s score because Black plays first. Common values are 5.5, 6.5, or 7.5. Half-points prevent tied games.
Our calculator defaults to 6.5 komi and lets you change it to match your match. Read What is Komi? for the full explanation.
Dead stones
Stones that cannot make two eyes are dead. They are removed before or during scoring (depending on your rules) and count toward territory and prisoners.
See Dead Stones Explained if you are unsure which groups are alive.
Japanese, Chinese, and AGA scoring
| System | What you count for each side |
|---|---|
| Japanese | Territory + prisoners + komi (White) |
| Chinese | Territory + living stones on the board + komi (White) |
| AGA | Territory + prisoners + komi (White) — same totals as Japanese once counted correctly |
The Go score calculator switches modes with one tap so the right input fields appear.
Worked example (Japanese scoring)
Suppose after counting:
- Black: 50 territory, 3 prisoners
- White: 40 territory, 2 prisoners, 6.5 komi
Black total: 50 + 3 = 53
White total: 40 + 2 + 6.5 = 48.5
Black wins by 4.5 points.
Enter those numbers in Japanese mode and the calculator confirms the result.
Common mistakes
- Counting dead stones as territory before removing them
- Forgetting komi for White
- Mixing systems — prisoners matter in Japanese/AGA but not in Chinese area counting
- Including dame (neutral points) as territory — they belong to neither side
- Using the calculator before both players pass and agree the game is over
What to do next
- Finish the game — see How to End a Go Game
- Count territory and prisoners or living stones
- Open the Go score calculator, pick your scoring system, and enter the numbers
New to the rules? Start with Go Rules for Beginners.
Track your Go (Baduk) Score Calculator scores online
Use our free digital scorecard to add players, calculate totals automatically, and share results from any device.
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