Practice does make perfect!

So, before I run some errands and then play Go for the next few hours, I decided to post a blog! What better to talk about than what's on my mind today? Bunny presents...

The Game of Go

Originally called weiqi (pronounced way chee), Go originated in China around 2,000 BC. Like many old things, the origins are difficult to trace. It might have started as a method of fortune telling, tutoring, or a way for generals to map tactics and positions of troops.
Regardless of its origins, Go evolved into a deep and complicated game, then began to spread. Its movement into Japan and Korea resulted in several different sets of rules for counting points and scoring. In both Japan and China, Go came to be considered a skill of the upper class, and there are plenty of paintings and wood blocks depicting its patronage in the imperial courts. The tradition of Go has continued into our modern era, where professional players challenge each other in international title matches, and chess Grand-Masters stare in awe.

. . . [it is] something unearthly . . . If there are sentient beings on other planets, then they play Go.

Emanuel Lasker, chess grandmaster

The rules of Go are usually described as simple. The player places white or black "stones" on the board in an attempt to surround the most "territory," which is defined as the intersections of the vertical and horizontal lines on the board.



When a stone or group of stones becomes completely surrounded by stones of the opposite color, those stones are considered "dead." Dead stones are removed from the board.


Stones are not allowed to move into a position where they will be immediately captured. In other words, no suicide.

Despite having some fairly simple rules, Go is insanely complex. Aside from the basic stipulations listed above, every intersection on a 19 by 19 square board is a possible move. Even after decades of trying to program a computer to play decent Go, the computer can only beat a professional player if it's given the highest legal handicap. Deep Blue, eat your heart out.

I took up Go almost two years ago, and by complete accident. I stumbled upon a couple of guys playing a game, started watching, and, before I knew it, I was playing a game. The rest, as they say, is history.

I'm now trying to bridge the gap between 15 or 14 kyu and 12-10 kyu. That's not a bad rank, considering you start at about 26 kyu. I play a pretty good game with my roommate almost every other day, and I'm trying to get back to playing on a daily basis. Then, on Wednesday, I hit Go club and play until my head hurts. I can honestly say that it's fun, and that I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment when I start saving shapes or winning fights.

I feel like a genius, even with my head aching fit to burst. Now, if only I could get Brian to play.