Go is a game in which etiquette is valued. The basis of etiquette in playing Go is to avoid doing anything disagreeable for your opponents and to compete fairly on the Go board.

・Exchange greetings at the beginning and end of games.
・After greeting your opponent at the beginning of the game, you should play the first move within a minute. The system is set up so that you can’t play your first move if you haven’t sent a greeting. Also, if more than a minute elapses without your sending a greeting or if you are cut off, the game will be counted as a loss for you. In this case, the winner will have 50 points added to their score and the loser will have 50 points deducted. (This rule in effect since July 1, 2008)
・Do not make any comments urging your opponent to play a move or disparaging your opponent.
・Do not play moves filling in your territory or other meaningless moves and do not use the time in a meaningless way
・Do not end games by running out the clock without playing any moves or resigning.
・If you play mimic Go and the opponent disconnects out of distaste for this, the game may in some cases be counted as ‘no contest’.
・Do not remove living stones from the board.
・Do not press the ‘Report game’ key without a good reason.
・Resign gracefully when it is clear that you cannot win. Also, in cases in which you cannot finish the game because something urgent came up, do not cut off the game but resign.
・Resign when it is your turn to play.
・When calculating the score, do not press the ‘return to original position’ without a good reason.
・When both sides have completed the procedures for counting the score press the key for ‘confirm/request to confirm’.
・Do not repeatedly challenge the same opponent.
・Do not overuse the icon for ‘undo’.
・Use the request for ‘undo’ only when you have made a cursor slip. Also, in ordinary face-to-face games, having moves over is not allowed, so it is not a breach of etiquette for your opponent to refuse a request to have a move over.
・If you are cut off during a game, resume the game as soon as you can.
・If you are cut off during a game and the game is interrupted, reconnect and resume the game as soon as you can.
・If your opponent is cut off during a game, please wait for them to reconnect. The maximum time allowed for this is five minutes. If the opponent does not reconnect within five minutes, the game becomes a win for you.

Please follow Go etiquette so that both players can enjoy the game. If etiquette is not followed, the office may issue a penalty by deducting points from the offender’s rating or issue a serious warning or, if warranted, expel the offender.