'Go' is an ancient game that originated in China. It is purportedly the game that has survived the longest in its original form. It's quite an engrossing entertainment. The rules are easier to learn than those of chess, but it's very easy to see that the game is at least as difficult to master (and I suspect, possibly, more so). I get the impression of the books on the subject that the game is as big in Japan, China, and Korea as chess is in Russia. In China, the game is called Wei Chi, or stone chess.
I last read this book more than 6 months ago and I suppose I ought to read it a few more times in the next few years until something of consequence sinks in. It's so odd: the book includes several example problems to solve. This is at least my second viewing of all of the problems and still they seem impenetrable to me. But I recall when I first learned to play chess. I must have played a hundred games before I finally won one. The problem is how to find people to practice with. I've played my father-in-law (and get the crap kicked out of me pretty regularly, though he insists he's not very good). And recently a few of us have taken to playing Go at the company chess club meetings. It's fun, but we only have an hour to play and we get about half way through a game before we have to quit. (In constrast, I can play between 2 and 6 games of chess in that time.)
Go is played on a board that is gridded with 19 parallel lines which intersect perpendicularly with another 19 parallel lines. It is played by two players who are trying to surround as much territory as possible. The object is to enclose more territory than your opponent - not to take your opponent's pieces, or to have more pieces on the board (though these things might help).
One player has black pieces (called stones), the other white stones. All of the pieces are the same (other than the color). Black moves first (unlike chess in which white always has the first move). Stones are played on the intersection points of the grid, not inside the squares. One basic notion of the game is that of connection . Two stones of the same color are connected if they are on adjacent points (intersections) either horizontally or vertically. Diagonals do not connect two points! Another basic notion is that of liberty . A stone has as many liberties as it has adjacent, vacant points. A group of connected stones has as many liberties as it has points vacant to any of the stones in the group.
My own fascination with the game is the vagueness and unapologetic inconsistency with which the general principles are applied. In chess, there are some very good simple rules of thumb for the beginner to apply: Control the center, get your pieces out early, castle early, don't get the queen out too early, have your pieces work together. It doesn't seem that the simple precepts of go are quite so robust. This makes the game a little harder to play well, but it also makes it more interesting.
Another cool thing about the game is the system of handicaps to which Kaoru devotes an entire chapter of explantion. This system allows players of low rank to play against high ranked players and produce a challenge for both players. In chess, ranks from lowest to highest (if my recollection is correct) go something like D, C, B, A, expert, master, and grand master. (I'm not sure if there is a rank of international master between master and grand master, but I think you have to play in international tournaments to get the GM rating. Not being rated at all myself, I'm only vaguely aware of the ranking system). In any case, it's kinda hard to get higher level players to play a beginner chess player - just not enough fun. But according to the book this is not the case with Go. I like this game already.
In Go, there are two sets of ranks that start aroudn 35 kyu for a first time player and go up to 1 kyu for someone who's played for a while. From 1 kyu, a player goes to 1 dan (or shodan), to 2 dan, up to 9 dan as she improves. There are two sets of dan ranks - one for amateurs and another for professionals. The highest rank is professional 9 dan (Mr. Iwamoto holds this rank - or, at least, he held it - I'm not sure he's still alive).
One interesting thing is that while there was a note from the president of the american go association, I saw no translator listed. This implies to me that Kaoru translated his own book. That's quite a feat, if true, because the language, while at times a little stiff, tends to be very clear and the explanations particularly lucid. (Well, almost...I still think the problems are a little too hard).
The book is published by Pantheon Books, is about 150 pages, and includes an introduction to the game, rules of play, basic principles, terminology, basic formations, general strategy, handicaps, small glossary, and two complete sample games played by the author against other master level opponents.
The first book I read on this was Edward Lasker's Go and Go Moku which was pretty dry. I like this one much better. I may go back and review a few sections of the Lasker book - just for fun, but I'll definitely keep Iwamoto's around for reference.
