Ji

In Go, ji refers to the points of territory a player has successfully surrounded. These are the empty intersections within a player’s boundaries that contribute to their final score. Under different rule sets, territory is counted differently:

• Japanese rules: Only enclosed territory is counted.
• Chinese rules: Both enclosed territory and the number of stones placed on the board are counted.

Players must balance territorial control with influence over the board, ensuring they maximize their own ji while minimizing their opponent’s. Efficiently managing territory—securing your own and reducing your opponent’s potential—is a fundamental skill that can make or break a game.

In most cases outside China, territory is counted according to Japanese rules. However, if you’re curious about Chinese scoring, we have a video that explains how to count the score according to Chinese rules.