Go Players

This page gives an overview of well-known players of the game of Go throughout the ages. The page has been divided into sections based on the era in which the Go players played and the country in which they played. As this was not necessarily their country of birth, a flag of that country precedes every player's name. For a complete list of player articles, see Category:Go players.

The important dates that this separation is based on are:

• The establishment of the Four go houses at the start of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
• The demise of the houses in the Meiji Period (end 19th century) followed by their replacement by the Nihon Kiin in 1924.
• The start of international tournament Go in 1989

A Japanese census on go players performed in 2002 estimates that over 24 million people worldwide play go, most of whom live in Asia. Most of the players listed on this page are professionals, though some top level amateurs have been included. Players famous for achievements outside Go are listed in their own section.