This javascript tool allows Go bots that support GTP (Go Text Protocol) to communicate with OGS (Online-Go.com Server)

No programming knowledge is needed to use it : just install it and it works.

Programming knowledge is needed only to add extra features such as displaying and sending winrates and variations at every move, for example.

Note that some contributors already provide their custom gtp2ogs branches so you can download them directly or ask them if you want these features, see custom branches

When you have a bot on OGS, you have total control over it : you put it online when you want only, and there are many settings to choose game settings to accept (rank, boardisze, correspondence games, etc..), but also options to control your GPU/computing device power spent (max number of simultaneous games, corrqueue, etc..)

for windows and linux, with screenshots, examples, and detailed explanations

To install nodejs, you can :

• either use your system package manager (like apt-get for ubuntu)
• or download it from nodejs website downloads for linux or windows

note : installing nodejs will also install npm = node package manager. Both will be needed later.

• For linux in terminal :

sudo npm install -g gtp2ogs

default path install is :

/usr/lib/node_modules/gtp2ogs/

• For windows, open a node.js command prompt as admin, then run this command :

npm install -g gtp2ogs

default path install is something like this :

C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\gtp2ogs\

On all operating systems, gtp2ogs will be installed in 2 different directories, but the one that needs to be run with node is gtp2ogs.js in node_modules directory

This step is is recommended

By default, npm installs an old branch of gtp2ogs that does not include latest improvements, new features, and fixes

An easy way to upgrade is to copy all the devel gtp2ogs files and folders (bot.js, config.js, etc..) to the original directory where gtp2ogs is installed, and overwrite the old existing files

note : before overwriting, you can backup your old files so that you can go back to the old branch of gtp2ogs anytime later if you want

Then it is needed to do the post install :

The command below will automatically detect all missing packages needed from the package.json of the new branch, and install all these packages

• for linux :

cd /usr/lib/node_modules/gtp2ogs/
sudo npm install

• for windows :

Open a node.js command prompt as admin, then :

pushd C:\Users\yourwindowsusername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\gtp2ogs\
npm install

For details or help, you can see :

• for linux : 3A3) Recommended : Upgrade gtp2ogs.js from old branch to “devel” branch (latest)
• for windows : 3B3) Recommended : Upgrade gtp2ogs from old branch to devel (latest) branch

For linux (preferably as sudo) :

node /usr/lib/node_modules/gtp2ogs/gtp2ogs.js --username <yourbotusername> --apikey <apikey> <gtp2ogsargument1> <gtp2ogsargument2> -- /replace/with/full/path/to/your/ai/runfile.file <botargument1> <botargument2>

For windows (preferably as admin) :

pushd C:\Program Files\nodejs && node.exe C:\Users\yourwindowsusername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\gtp2ogs\gtp2ogs.js --username <yourbotusername> --apikey <apikey> <gtp2ogsargument1> <gtp2ogsargument2> -- C:\Users\path\to\your\ai\executable.exe <botargument1> <botargument2>

note : for all operating systems, in --, the spaces after <gtp2ogsarguments> and before /path/to/your/bot.executable are important : they separate gtp2ogs arguments from your bot arguments

note 2 : the number of and is not limited, here only 2 were shown but it possible to use for example 3,4,5 , or as many as you want

note 3 : to play on beta OGS server instead of the OGS server, add the --beta argument

This step is totally not needed but can be much appreciated

To do that, programming knowledge is needed (or you can ask for help)

However, some contributors freely provide their custom branches, see custom branches

Before putting <gtp2ogsarguments>, you have to put these options first :

--username Specify the username of the bot, for example --username GnuGo, currently there is no profile number log in support on ogs, see notes A- for details

--apikey Specify the API key for the bot, for example --apikey 5srvb5es4se7651741r61devr864re

Then, the following options are placed in the above <gtp2ogsarguments> section. Put a space in between options when there are more than one. Also put a space in between the option and the parameter, for example :

--startupbuffer 2 --boardsize 13,19 --noclock --unrankedonly --maxconnectedgamesperuser 1 --maxmaintimelive 600 --maxperiodtimecorr 86400 --maxconnectedgames 10 --ban UserX,playerY ---maxperiodsranked 5

You can find a list of all possible to use gtp2ogs arguments here

List of all Options

(Since the list takes a lot of place, it has been moved on a separate page)

use the ones you want only, no need to use them all !

After that, add a -- (with one space before and one space after the -- ), to separate <gtp2ogsarguments> from your bot path and <botarguments>, as shown in Most common usage earlier

note : some gtp2ogsarguments have default so they are enabled even if you don't specify them, such as --komi which default is "automatic" even if you dont specify it ! (default value is overwritten when you set your own value)

note 2 : if an argument has ranked and unranked in the same "family", use:

• either the general argument alone,
• OR, if you want to specify different settings for ranked and unranked games, use both the ranked and the unranked argument with wanted values, and then don't use the general argument ! (see notes H- for details)
• the exception that confirms this rule is --ban : since ban is a string, we allow both general value --ban A,B AND specific values at the same time too --banranked X,Y --banunranked Z , see Options-List for details

A page summarizing the notes and details about gtp2ogs use can be viewed here

Some branches add some nice features like displaying variations (PV) ingame for Leela zero and PhoenixGo

See Custom Branches

if you're read that far, maybe you'll be interested to share your bot experience with bot admins or see talked topic !

come on the leela zero discord in #bots channel and follow the talk with everyone !

https://discord.gg/HZ23Cp9

This discord can also be useful if you want to have fast and quick, interactive chat !

You can also use the discord to ask simple and quick questions

However, if you have a problem and it needs some explanations and time, it is common github practices to use the "Issues" forum instead

You like gtp2ogs and want to improve it ?

found a bugfix ?

want to add a new feature ?

Welcome !

come help us all make gtp2ogs more awesome than it already is !

Read Contributing instructions here