Go / Igo - ancient board game

[Zentaur]

Go (also pronounced as "Igo") is the Japanese term for the board game, which came from China in the same time as Buddhism (some 1300 years ago). In China it is called "Wei Qi", and was invented some 4000 years ago.

It has very easy rules, but a higher strategic complexity than chess. So it plays a roll in articial intelligence today, because the progs can't beat average hobby-players yet.

In feudal Japan it has been a game of the priests- & samurai-class, today it is more or less still a game of the upper classes.

If you wanna find out more about it, there are a lot of national Go federations in Europe:

Germany: www.dgob.de

Austria: www.goverband.at

Switzerland: www.swissgo.org

other European countries you find on http://www.european-go.org/www/wmembers.htm

[nice gaijin]

I've been watching the anime "hikaru no go" mainly to learn more about the game itself... other than that it's not a very good show >_<

perhaps i should find a game I can download and play against the computer... any suggestions for that?

[lastmagi]

I remember playing Go with my mom when I was small(er). Then when I got my Mac I was able to download a nice computer game of it. Even on the easiest setting, I still have my ass handed to me. Someday.....

Are you on a mac, nice gaijin? Because i'm sure the one I got for free is still floating around somewhere. But I'm sure it's available for PC, too.

[Shirahime]

My bro gave me a book about Igo,,,,
I try it on a computer,,but I failed,,,
ugh,,,
such a pain,,,It's so difficult,,,(for me) hehehehe,,

[Mamoru-kun]

Without a human explaining the bases of "how to understand the play" (not "how to play", which the books easily do), playing is not obvious at all, as it is sometimes with chess for exemple. Go is a far more complex game, with shape design you have to have in mind before "creating" them on the board. If you'd like to play go one day, don't be surprised to "loose your 50 first games" ;-)

[Shirahime]

that's right,,,
the book my bro gave is "How to play" not "How to understanding"
maybe I will try again sometimes,,,if my brain still working,,,-_-

[nice gaijin]

alas, I'm on a PC. Thanks for the offer though. I'm sure I'd find something if I did some searching, I just don't have the spare time for another time-consuming endeavor :)

[Buntaro]

Learning Go is an excellent way to keep cobwebs out of the brain:

http://www3.igalaxy.net/~nick/go

I have Go software, and I have only been able to beat it once. (How embarrasing....) But my response is; Never give up! Don't throw the spoon! (old Japanese saying)

[Takaryo]

Go looks interesting. I never played it before just got hooked up by just watching how they play.It's like chess, right? Only it's different in a way. You have to trap a piece to eat it and to win...(I only know this tactic) block half of the go board. ^^ :p

[Yokan]

Anyone ever read the novel 'The girl who played Go' ? it was an interesting Novel!

[gundamchild:.]

yeah hikaru no go is pretty good in my opinion. I've never seen the anime. But just read the first few mangas. Go is a bit like chess but instead of having several pieces with different values and abilities. Each piece has the same worth but its how you put them together that makes them more useful in the game. its a game of capture and territory. I really suck at it though. ^.^
gundamchild:.

[Takaryo]

Wow...I wish I could try and play. I found go pieces on sale...but I can't find the go board. ^^'''

[yidaki]

I think it's closer to "Othello" then Chess.
Shougi is closer to chess then Go is.

The schooling they have in Japan for Go is just crazy. :-)
Miss one lesson and you can give up becoming a pro,
that's how complex the game is.