List of Go players

This article gives an overview of well-known professional and amateur players of the board game Go throughout the ages.

The important dates that this separation is based on are: A Japanese census on Go players performed in 2002 estimates that over 24 million people worldwide play Go,[1] most of whom live in Asia.

Tokugawa also established the post of Godokoro (minister of Go), which was awarded to the strongest player of a generation.

Such players were dubbed Meijin (brilliant man), which was considered equal to a 9 dan professional grade.

Several other players (16 total) received the title of Jun-Meijin (half-Meijin), which is considered to equal an 8 dan professional grade and listed as such below.

Guoshou was the normal term used to refer to the promo player while he was alive, whereas Qisheng was used more as posthumous fame.