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IGS is the Internet Go Server. ("What is a Go Server? What is Telnet?" is explained here.) The main IGS page (in English) is IGS MAIN. The explanation about how to get started at IGS is here. How to observe games at IGS with GoKnot is explained here. How to play at IGS with GoKnot is explained here. Knowing IGS commands is not really required, if you use GoKnot as explained in the two previous links. Nevertheless, the full list of commands is here. At the telnet prompt line you can type IGS commands directly. They will be sent to the IGS server when you press the return key. The telnet prompt line is the area below the main telnet area.  | ||
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| What is an IGS account? | ||
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Observing and playing games at IGS pandanet is free. If you only want to observe games, you can log in as a guest. This is the default GoKnot option. Guests have their access to IGS somewhat limited. The most important limitation is: They cannot play games. For playing games, you must create an IGS account. To create an IGS account, register here. Once you have registered, IGS will email you with your login User ID and password. Once you have a password, and while the Telnet connection is NOT running , select Telnet options <Ctrl>+<T> and unselect the "login as guest option". New fields will appear. Type your User ID and password in the appropriate fields.
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| How should I behave at IGS? | ||
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This an important subject, the IGS staff spent some time writing a document on the subject. You can read it by typing help etiquette at the telnet prompt when you are connected to IGS. You should read it.
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| Telnet options | ||
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The first two options are: "Server name" and "Port number". You may change them to connect to a different server or if IGS changes its address. The other server should run a software compatible with IGS. The options for logging in are explained above ("What is an IGS account). The sort games by option is explained here. The sort players by option is explained here. The option "Hide incoming moves", when selected, prevents the incoming moves from being displayed at the Telnet console. This makes reading and scrolling the console easier. If you also want to hide the messages produced by people shouting at IGS, turn those off at IGS "toggle shout".
The options named macro , define the use of the keys <F9> to <F12>. By default, <F9> lists the games, <F10> lists the players, <F11> displays IGS help and <F12> does nothing. You can define those keys for other functions such as "tell Thank you for the game!". | ||||
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| Cheating: Simultaneously playing and analyzing | ||
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This GoKnot version lets you play at IGS while using "Annotation hints during play", "What if?", etc. Also, float a copy of the goban and the engine will play as your opponent, if "Computer answers each move" is selected. As long as you don't lie about it, there is nothing wrong in using a computer while you play. If this makes you play at a higher level, you will find more fun in playing. As a matter of decency, you should tell your opponent. If your opponent if better than you, and better than you + the engine, ask him/her about the position, you will learn more from him/her. |
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| SOS I have a problem! Troubleshooting guide | ||
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First! Make sure you have read all basic questions at this page and the local links pointed by this page.
Never type a move directly! Not even a pass move, neither adjourn nor resign. Always use the menu functions for playing, never type adjourn or resign directly. Don't type the opposite of what the Telnet client has written. (E.g. "toggle verbose on", after "toggle verbose off", "unobserve 123" after "observe 123", etc.) Only type commands that are not related with the game you are playing or observing. (E.g. kib, tell, shout, help, stats, ...)
No problem. Force GoKnot to break the game using resign. This will make GoKnot understand that the game has finished. Typing resign while no game is being played at IGS has no effect on your stats or rating.
Tell your opponent and adjourn the game immediately to stop the clock as fast as possible. You may have to type adjourn directly at the console. Then, reload the game immediately and continue playing. Remember to tell your opponent, don't escape.
No problem. Save the game if it is of your interest. Just close the goban window or use the unobserve menu option whichever you prefer.
This is by large the most common error. Most of the times, this happens because the games list loaded by GoKnot after each games command is out of date. When GoKnot opens the game and sees different players than those originally selected, it rejects the game. Just press <F9> to update the games list, before you press <F7> (Observe a game). An other cause may be: IGS sometimes lists games before they actually start, specially in championship games. If the game hasn't started, it will be listed as in move 0. If you start an other observation before the game starts, this will stop the previous (not started) observation. Don't worry. Check your game list frequently and observe it when it really starts (it is no longer in move 0).
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