The board starts empty; there is no initial arrangement of stones in an even game; Black moves first in an even game (AGA Rule 2)
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the board is filled with stones at the start of a game, thinking it's like other stone-throwing games where the initial setup matters greatly. But in Go (AGA), they're mistaken; the board starts empty, and the official rule clearly states there’s no initial arrangement of stones, making this crucial detail often overlooked or misinterpreted.
