Play Go Online — Free, Fast, and Against Real Players
Master the ancient game of strategy on a modern board. Challenge opponents in real time, spectate live games, review your moves afterward, and track your ELO rating — all in your browser, with no download required.
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Why players use Go Arena
A focused online Go platform built for real games — not clutter. Jump in from desktop or mobile web and start playing in seconds.
Play in your browser
No install required. Open a tab, get a guest nickname automatically, and head straight to the lobby.
Open rooms & invites
Create a room with your preferred board size and clock, or invite any player from the online list.
Live spectating
Watch ongoing matches move by move. See who’s playing, board size, and elapsed time before you join as a spectator.
ELO rating
Your results feed a persistent rating tied to your nickname, so you can track improvement over time. Ratings are shown in the lobby alongside player names.
Full board sizes
Play on 9×9, 13×13, or 19×19 boards with standard komi and area scoring.
Byo-yomi clocks
Real-time main time and byo-yomi periods keep games moving at the pace you choose.
For every level
New to Go?
Start on a 9×9 board with generous time settings. Learn capture, territory, and shape by playing real games — then move up to larger boards when you’re ready.
Improving your rank?
Challenge stronger players from the lobby, experiment with different time controls, and use post-game review to step through every move after the match.
Experienced player?
Set up 19×19 rooms, invite specific opponents, export SGF records, and compete for ELO against players online right now.
What’s included today
Real-time multiplayer with low-latency move updates
Pass, resign, and undo (with opponent approval)
Post-game move review and SGF export
Host-controlled room joins — accept or decline challengers
Area scoring with positional superko
Players-online list with ranks and one-click invites
“Clean board, open rooms to find a game, and spectating that actually works. Exactly what I want from an online Go site.”
Ready to play Go online?
The world’s deepest strategy game is one click away. Your next move starts in the lobby.
No registration required • Free to play • 9×9, 13×13, and 19×19 boards
0 Open Rooms
Challenge players online by joining a room or creating your own.
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0 Live Games
Spectate live games by joining a room.
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Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 8, 2026
Welcome to Go Arena!
This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how Go Arena (“we”, “us”, “the service”) collects, uses, protects, and discloses information about anyone who uses goboard.games and related features (collectively, the “Services”).
Please read this Policy closely. By using the Services, you agree to our Terms of Service, including this Policy.
Summary of key points
We encourage you to read this entire Policy, but here are the essentials:
No account required to play. You choose a nickname to play. We do not ask for email, password, or payment information unless you contact us voluntarily.
Limited data. We collect your nickname, a browser reconnect token, gameplay and rating data, basic technical logs, and (if you use the contact form) your name, email, and message.
No ads or data sales. We do not sell your information or use it for targeted advertising.
Functional storage only. We use browser local storage for your nickname, reconnect token, and sound preference.
Public gameplay. Nicknames, ratings, and game records may be visible to other players and spectators while you use the Services.
Your choices. You can clear site data in your browser. Depending on where you live, you may have additional privacy rights described below.
1. Definitions
Personal information means information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked with a particular person or device. In this Policy we also use “personal data” to mean the same thing.
Usage data means technical information generated when you use the Services, such as request paths, response timing, error logs, and connection metadata (which may include IP addresses at the hosting layer).
Cookies and similar technologies are small pieces of data stored on your device. Go Arena uses browser local storage for core functionality rather than advertising cookies.
2. Notice at collection
When you use Go Arena, we may collect the following categories of information:
Identifiers and gameplay information
Nickname — chosen when you enter the lobby.
Browser reconnect token — a random ID stored in your browser so we can reconnect you after a refresh.
Gameplay data — moves, passes, resignations, game results, timers, board size, and ELO rating.
Game records — move sequences and results visible during live play, spectating, and post-game review. Full games are kept in server memory for a limited time (about 30 minutes after they end) so you can review moves or download SGF. We do not store complete move-by-move records in our database long term.
Internet and technical activity
Usage data — request paths, timestamps, and diagnostic logs used for security, abuse prevention, and reliability. Our hosting provider may also process connection metadata such as IP addresses.
Preference data — sound on/off and similar in-browser settings.
Contact form submissions
Name and email — only if you choose to send us a message through the contact form.
Message content — the text you submit so we can respond to support, bug, privacy, or legal requests.
What we do not collect to play
We do not require email addresses, passwords, real names, phone numbers, government IDs, payment information, precise geolocation, biometrics, or advertising profiles to use the game.
3. How we use information
We use the information described above to:
Provide live play, open rooms, player invites, spectating, and reconnect after disconnects
Maintain ELO ratings and win/loss records tied to your nickname
Operate undo requests, rematches, timers, and standard Go rules enforcement
Protect the Services from abuse, cheating, and technical attacks (including rate limits)
Monitor uptime, diagnose bugs, and keep the Services running
Respond to contact form submissions and privacy or legal requests
Comply with law and respond to lawful requests when required
We do not use your information for targeted advertising, profiling with legal or similarly significant effects, or selling personal information.
4. Retention
We retain aggregate rating and result statistics (ELO, wins, losses, draws) for as long as needed to operate the Services. Browser-stored nickname and reconnect tokens persist until you clear site data or we invalidate them. Finished games are kept in server memory for a limited period after they end, then removed.
Rating and result statistics tied to a nickname may remain in our database after you stop using the Services. Contact form messages are retained only as long as needed to respond and handle the request.
5. Cookies and local storage
Go Arena uses browser local storage for functional purposes only, including your nickname, reconnect token, and sound preference. These are necessary for the Services to work as designed and are not used for advertising.
We do not operate a separate advertising cookie program. If we add non-essential cookies in the future, we will update this Policy and, where required by law, ask for consent before using them.
6. Disclosure to service providers
We use third-party infrastructure to host and operate the Services. These providers process data only on our behalf to run the site, for example:
Render — application hosting
PostgreSQL (via our hosting provider) — ratings and game result storage
We do not sell personal information. We may disclose information if required by law, to protect the safety and rights of users and the service, or to investigate violations of our Terms of Service.
7. Children
The Services are not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has used the Services, please contact us using the information below and we will take appropriate steps.
If you are at least 13 but not of legal age in your jurisdiction, you may use the Services only with the consent and involvement of a parent or legal guardian.
8. Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict certain processing of your personal information, or to object to certain uses.
Because Go Arena does not use email registration, the primary way to manage data stored in your browser is to clear site data for goboard.games in your browser settings. That removes your locally stored nickname and reconnect token.
To request deletion of rating or gameplay data associated with your nickname, or to exercise other privacy rights, contact us using the details in Contact us. We may need reasonable information to verify your request and may refuse requests that are abusive, repetitive, or unlawful to fulfill.
9. International users
The Services are operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. Those countries may have data protection laws different from those in your country.
Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for international transfers. If you are in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom and have concerns, you may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
10. Third-party links and fonts
The Services may load fonts from Google Fonts. Google’s handling of data is governed by its own policies. We do not control third-party sites linked from the Services; review their privacy practices separately.
11. Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect information collected through the Services, including HTTPS, rate limiting, and access controls on operational systems. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your reconnect token is stored in your browser. Anyone with access to your device or browser profile may be able to reconnect as your nickname until you clear site data.
12. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Material changes may also be noted on the main site. Continued use of the Services after an update means you accept the revised Policy.
13. Contact us
Questions, complaints, or privacy requests about this Policy can be sent via our contact form.
Please read these Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) before using the Services.
Welcome to Go Arena!
Put simply: respect others, respect the law, and enjoy the game.
The website goboard.games and related online Go features (collectively, the “Services”) are operated by Go Arena (“we”, “us”). By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understand these Terms and agree to be bound by them.
Our Privacy Policy describes how we collect, handle, and use information when you use the Services and is incorporated into these Terms.
Summary of key points
You should read these Terms and our Privacy Policy in full, but here are the essentials:
Free to play. Go Arena provides online Go play and spectating at no charge.
Nickname-based access. No registration is required; you choose a nickname and a browser token helps you reconnect.
Personal use. Use the Services for personal, non-commercial play unless we give you written permission otherwise.
Fair play. Do not cheat, harass others, abuse bugs, or attempt to break the service.
Public records. Game activity, nicknames, and ratings may be visible to other users and spectators.
As-is service. The Services are provided without warranties, and our liability is limited as described below.
1. The service
Go Arena provides online Go (Baduk/Weiqi) play, open rooms, player invites, spectating, ELO ratings, and related features through a web browser. There is no separate public leaderboard page at this time. The Services are provided free of charge, on an “as is” and “as available” basis, and may change, pause, or stop at any time without notice.
We may add, remove, or modify features, board sizes, time controls, or UI at our discretion.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. If you are at least 13 but not of legal age in your jurisdiction, you may use the Services only with the consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to these Terms on your behalf.
By using the Services, you represent that you meet these requirements and that your use complies with all applicable laws where you live.
3. Nicknames and reconnect tokens
No email or password registration is required. You choose a nickname to play.
Nicknames must follow our format rules and must not be offensive, misleading, or impersonate another person.
We may adjust or assign a variant of your requested nickname if the name is taken or invalid.
A browser reconnect token ties your session to your nickname on a given device. You are responsible for use of the Services on devices and browsers you control.
Do not sell, transfer, or share access to a nickname identity for commercial purposes.
4. Ownership and license
Our property
The Services, including the site design, software, logos, text, graphics, and arrangement of materials, are owned by us or our licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws. Except for the limited license below, we reserve all rights.
Your limited license
Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Services for personal, non-commercial play and spectating. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, scrape, reverse-engineer, or create derivative works from the Services except as allowed by law or with our prior written consent.
5. Game records and content
When you play through the Services, we generate records of game activity (“game records”), including moves, results, timers, nicknames, and ratings. Game records are visible to opponents and spectators during live play and post-game review. Aggregate statistics (ELO, wins, losses, draws) are stored in our database. You can download SGF exports after a game; we do not guarantee long-term storage of full move records on our servers.
You may download SGF or similar exports of your games for personal use. You retain any rights you have in your own gameplay choices, but you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, reproduce, and use game records as needed to operate, improve, and promote the Services.
You are responsible for your conduct and for any content you cause to appear through your nickname. We may remove or restrict content or access that violates these Terms or harms the community.
6. Acceptable use and fair play
You agree not to:
Cheat, use bots, engines, or unauthorized assistance during games unless a feature explicitly allows it
Exploit bugs, bypass rate limits, or interfere with servers, sockets, or other users
Harass, threaten, spam, or abuse other players
Use offensive, hateful, or impersonating nicknames
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, data, or systems
Reverse-engineer, overload, or disrupt the Services
Use the Services for any unlawful purpose
Scrape, mine, or commercially exploit the Services or game records without permission
We may investigate suspected violations, restrict access, adjust ratings, or terminate sessions at our discretion.
7. Gameplay rules
Standard Go rules apply on supported board sizes (9×9, 13×13, and 19×19) with the time controls shown in the lobby. Features such as pass, resign, scoring, and timers operate as implemented in the client and server.
Undo requires your opponent’s approval and only applies to the last move.
Disconnects may result in loss by timeout after a grace period.
Ratings may change when games end by resignation, scoring, timeout, or similar outcomes.
Rematches and room features are offered as-is and may change.
We do not guarantee that ratings, clocks, or results are error-free in every edge case.
8. Suspension and termination
We may restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to the Services at any time, with or without notice, if you violate these Terms, harm other users, or create risk for the service. You may stop using the Services at any time.
Termination may include disconnecting your session, invalidating reconnect tokens, or preventing further use of a nickname where reasonably necessary.
9. Disclaimer of warranties
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.
We do not warrant uninterrupted play, accurate ratings, bug-free software, or that the Services will meet your expectations.
10. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Go Arena and its operators will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising from your use of or inability to use the Services.
To the extent any liability cannot be excluded, our total liability for any claim relating to the Services will not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid us in the twelve months before the claim or (b) fifty U.S. dollars (USD $50).
11. Indemnity
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Go Arena and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Services, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another person.
12. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use of the Services after changes are posted means you accept the updated Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
13. Contact us
Questions about these Terms can be sent via our contact form.
Send us a message using the form below. We typically respond within a few business days. By submitting the form, you agree that we may use your name, email address, and message to respond to your inquiry, as described in our Privacy Policy.