Nigiri

Nigiri is a traditional method in Go used to determine which player takes the black stones in an evenly matched game. This practice, deeply rooted in Japanese culture, ensures fairness while introducing an element of chance akin to a coin toss in other games.

How Nigiri Works

• One player takes a handful of white stones from the bowl and places their hand(s) on the Go board, keeping the stones hidden from the other player.
• The second player then guesses whether the number of stones is “odd” or “even” by placing one or two black stones on the Go board. 
• The first player opens his hand and checks whether the number is odd or even.
• If the guess is correct, the second player takes the black stones and makes the first move. If not, the first player takes black. In some tournaments, the player who guesses correctly may choose which color they want to play, instead of automatically playing black.

Nigiri is used only in even (non-handicap) games, where deciding who plays black has strategic importance due to the inherent first-move advantage.

If you want to know more about nigiri, watch this lesson from our Go Rules course.