Running GNU Go in GTP mode
To start GNU Go in GTP mode, simply invoke it with the option `--mode gtp'. You will not get a prompt or any other output to start with but GNU Go is silently waiting for GTP commands.

A sample GTP session may look as follows:

virihaure 462% ./gnugo --mode gtp
1 boardsize 7
=1

2 clear_board
=2

3 play black D5
=3

4 genmove white
=4 C3

5 play black C3
?5 illegal move

6 play black E3
=6

7 showboard
=7
A B C D E F G
7 . . . . . . . 7
6 . . . . . . . 6
5 . . + X + . . 5
4 . . . + . . . 4
3 . . O . X . . 3
2 . . . . . . . 2 WHITE (O) has captured 0 stones
1 . . . . . . . 1 BLACK (X) has captured 0 stones
A B C D E F G

8 quit
=8





Commands are given on a single line, starting by an optional identity number, followed by the command name and its arguments.

If the command is successful, the response starts by an equals sign (`='), followed by the identity number of the command (if any) and then the result. In this example all results were empty strings except for command 4 where the answer was the white move at C3, and command 7 where the result was a diagram of the current board position. The response ends by two consecutive newlines.

Failing commands are signified by a question mark (`?') instead of an equals sign, as in the response to command 5.

The detailed specification of the protocol can be found at http://www.lysator.liu.se/~gunnar/gtp/. The available commands in GNU Go may always be listed using the command list_commands. They are also documented in See section 19.6 GTP command reference.