The two main Go scoring traditions are Japanese (territory) and Chinese (area). Both ask the same question — who controls more of the board? — but they count points differently.
Your Go score calculator supports both, plus AGA scoring, so you can enter counts the way you learned and compare totals.
Quick comparison
| Japanese | Chinese | |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Territory scoring | Area scoring |
| Empty points surrounded by you | Count as territory | Count as territory |
| Your stones on the board | Not counted separately | Living stones count (area) |
| Captured prisoners | +1 point each | Not added separately |
| Filling your own territory | Costs a point (you lose empty territory) | Does not change the score |
| Typical use | Japan, Korea, most Western clubs | China, many online servers |
For the underlying ideas, see Territory vs Area Scoring.
Japanese scoring in practice
- Remove dead stones (or agree they are dead).
- Count territory — empty points inside your living groups.
- Add prisoners captured during the game.
- Add komi to White.
Formula: territory + prisoners (+ komi for White)
Chinese scoring in practice
- Remove dead stones (or agree they are dead).
- Count territory — empty points inside your walls.
- Count living stones of your color still on the board.
- Add komi to White.
Formula: territory + living stones (+ komi for White)
Captures made during play are already reflected in fewer opponent stones on the board, so prisoners are not added again.
AGA scoring
AGA (American Go Association) rules use territory plus prisoners like Japanese, but the counting procedure differs — for example, prisoners are returned and both players fill neutral points. The final numbers match Japanese-style totals.
Select AGA on the score calculator when you counted under AGA procedure; enter territory and prisoners the same way as Japanese.
Do Japanese and Chinese pick the same winner?
Usually yes. On most finished games both systems agree on who won and often by a similar margin. Small differences can appear because Japanese penalizes filling your own territory during play.
Try entering the same game in Japanese and Chinese mode on the calculator to see both results side by side.
Which system should I use?
Use the system your club, teacher, or tournament uses. If you are learning alone, Japanese is common in Western teaching material; Chinese is standard on many online platforms.
Related guides
- How to Score Go — full overview
- What is Komi? — why White gets extra points
- How to Count Territory — counting step by step
- Dead Stones Explained — before you count
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