Go-Geared is modeled after the game of Go in that the object of the game is to capture more than one half of the board, But unlike Go where the best strategy is to start by containing areas at the edges of the board, with Go-Geared the generally accepted best strategy is to start by controlling the center.

UPDATE: Some of the newer “Quickstart” and “Randomstart” scenarios cast some doubt on the above wisdom.

In order to capture a space (without actually playing a stone in that space) you need to surround it on three sides. The diagram below on the left displays 5 different examples of this. Note that the exception to the rule occurs in corners (the stones marked 'c'), where only 2 stones are required for capture.

Once you have surrounded the target territory, it will be captured and a unit will be placed on it at the beginning of your next turn as shown below.

Note that the capturing stones do NOT need to have units on them; they can be “0”s.

8-sided dice will win about 44% of the time.
1-sided dice ALWAYS lose when attacking stones with “1”s on them.

Generally speaking it is best to take advantage of the fact that you can make two moves. Both moves can be on the board, but it is highly recommend that one always plays from the bowl. In the following typical sequence, white will make a move that will (with 1-sided dice) guarantee a capture.

By moving a unit on the board to B and playing from the bowl to A, White will surround a black stone on three sides.

• The opening game is a battle for the center.
• AlWAYS play 1 move from the bowl to the board.
• Avoid playing next to an opponent's stone UNLESS your stone is 'supported'
• OPTIONALLY you may move a stone on the board. (you should do this almost always).
• In games with 0 sided dice - NEVER attack your opponent's 1 - you will alway lose. You MAY however attack your opponent's 0 - you will always win.
• In games with 8 sided dice - it is advisable to attack your opponent's 1 ONLY if your stone is in a lost position OR you are behind in the game.

Clicking on the A/Z button (right next to the “reload” button above the board and to the right) shows all the names of the spaces on the board.

The standard convention of describing a move is to start with the play from the bowl to the board, since the move from the bowl is almost always used. Examples:

• To describe a turn where black plays from the bowl to e7, then moves a stone located at b5 to c5, the following notation is used: (e7, b5-c5).

• To describe a turn where black plays from the bowl to a7, then moves a stone located at b5 to c5, and there is no other stone that can be moved to c5, the notation can be shortened: (e7, b5-c).

• To describe a turn where black opens the game by playing from the bowl to e7, then moving that same stone to e6, the notation can be simplified: (e7-6).

• In general, notation can be as concise you like as long as there is no ambiguity about which stone is being moved.