September 14, 2006
Links to active content
There are a lot of links to active content on Go. Some of the ones I track are:
Go News - Japanese, but good site to see the tournaments trees that are active
Go, An Addictive Game is one of my favorites
Go4Go database http://www.go4go.net/v2/
Huge collection of Go game records, daily updates, pro commentaries from Alexander Dinershteyn 1p (who can also be found throughout the Russian Go Portal (site, mainly in Russian), but includes Russian news, clubs, pictures, tournaments, game records etc. or Alex's own page http://breakfast.go4go.net/... where he also offers lessons). Usually have games a bit earlier than the #1 mentioned site.
“Goama”, International Go Newsletter
Go news, commented games, stories, pictures etc.
I also occasionally browse rec.games.go, but there's a lot of non-Go discussions going on
Sensei's is a fantastic reference point: http://senseis.xmp.net/
I wish I read more from The Magic of Go but never seem to have the time to get into the deep content
If there's one you like that you think I should hit, please send me the link!
Posted by wayofgo at 06:07 PM | Comments (0)
January 07, 2005
How to Play Go
So, you want to know how to play Go (also called Paduk in Korean, Weiqi in Chinese, among other names)? Go is a fun, simple game that can be addictive. Be forewarned...
... please download the rather large file here: Introduction to Go.
If you have suggestions for how to reduce the size of this PDF, by all means, feel free to send email to webmaster.
Diagrams cordially provided by David Fotland of Smart Games, the creator of Many Faces of Go
Posted by wayofgo at 12:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
How Go is played
Simplistic version:
Played by two players, one playing black stones, the other white stones, placing a single stone at a time on unoccupied intersections of a 19x19 grid. The object to control more of the board than the opponent does. One other rule is that should a stone be choked off of friendly neighbors or have no adjacent intersections unplayed, it is removed from played or that intersection is unplayable.
Depending on the country and the year, the rules may change subtly, but the gist is the same. There are many different rule sets in existence: Japanese, Chinese, American, Korean and Taiwanese, to name a few. For a more in depth study of the rules of Go, please see the follow sites:
From the US Go Association (PDF)
More on the variety of rules
From the British Go Association
Flash Demo on more than just the rules
Alternative rule set for learning to play quickly and intuitively:
From Mindy McAdams
Posted by wayofgo at 03:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 15, 2004
Kiseido offers pictures
Kiseido has graciously offered the Way of Go to repost (not for reposting elsewhere) three traditional wood block prints.
Thanks Kiseido!
Samurai tying his shoe on an up-turned Go board
Ukiyoe of People Playing Go on top of a Servant
Posted by wayofgo at 09:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 02, 2004
Improving your Go (from the US Go Congress)
A key part of the Us Them chapter of the Way of Go tells how best to improve either at Go or anything else. It's a timely prescription for Go players at the US Go Congress.
For the last three days, I've witnessed some surprising behavior with regard to getting one's games reviewed here at the Congress. Despite the offers of stronger players and pros, many people don't want their games reviewed. The top reasons:
- "I know what I did wrong"
- "I won"
- "I lost"
- "It was just terrible, there's nothing to learn from that game"
I cringe when I hear these remarks. While reading books, attending lectures, and watching stronger players play are all good supplements, reviewing your own games is the single greatest way to improve. A review of your own game is individually tailored to you. Your mistakes, your predilections are exposed and examined in a new light. Invaluable.
What's frightening is that stronger players seem to want to review more than weaker players do. Of players that sought to review their games the most, 6-dans, near the top of the amateur heap, were the most frequent seekers. The players most likely to give one of the above excuses for not reviewing their games, mid-level kyu players, or those closer to beginner ranks. Even adjusting for their total numbers, the trend is telling.
If you're less than 6-dan in strength and are in the I-don't-want-to-review-boat, please know that 6-dan amateurs are weak players. Each review with a pro Go player or even with other lowly 6-dans, a player can find innumerous mistakes, missed chances or wrong thinking. No 6-dans are so arrogant to think that another set of similar or stronger strength eyes cannot find a single problem with their moves across an entire game.
Whether in Go or not, review can be painful, but its individual prescription is the right medicine.
Posted by wayofgo at 03:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 30, 2004
"I think I've heard of Go..."
The game of Go is still gaining its popularity in the West. The typical responses when I mention it are:
From those who never heard of the game:
- Like Go Fish?
- Like Golf?
- Like Go Corporation?
- Like Go.com?
- Like Go-go dancing?
No.
From those who saw A Beautiful Mind or Pi:
- That game they were playing at Princeton?
- That game they used in the movie Pi?
- That game with black and white chips?
Yes.
People into games often confuse Go, when explained, with:
- Othello
- Pente
- Dots and Boxes
The hope is that more people will understand just what Go is. If you want to help spread Go, you can:
- Join the American Go Association
- Give to the American Go Foundation
- Ask your neighborhood retailer to carry the game
- Support any of your worthy Go vendors (Kiseido, Samarkand, Slate and Shell, Yutopian)
Posted by wayofgo at 10:25 PM | Comments (0)
July 29, 2004
How Big is the World of Go?
There are probably more than 30,000,000 people in the world who play Go. Most are in Asia, but even in the US, there are probably more than 400,000 people who know something about the game of Go.
Played professionally in Asia for millions of dollars annually, one of the four accomplishments of ancient China, a meditation, a Way, the game of Go and the Go world is larger than you might think.
To see just how big Go is, see the following links for the depth and breadth of this great game!
Arranged alphabetically
Western sites (housing even more links):
The American Go Association
British Go Association
European Go Federation
The incomparable and enormous western Go archive
Gobase.org
Sensei's Wiki
Vendor sites:
Het Paard
IGS
Kiseido
Samarkand
Slate & Shell
Asian nation sites
China (in Chinese)
Japan (in English)
Korea (in Korean)
Taiwan (in traditional Chinese characters)
Posted by wayofgo at 03:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 12, 2004
Go Lessons
Are you interested in really investing in your Go? Want to take lessons from the author or other Way of Go teachers? Send email to "lessons" at this domain for more information.
Posted by wayofgo at 07:32 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack