Notes on Go

One of the oldest board games in the world. In the West, commonly know by its Japanese name “Go.” In China (where the game originated, though suppressed during Communist rule), it is called Wei Chi or Weiqu. And in Korea, Boduk.

Playing through The Interactive Way To Go. Some notes…

A piece is in “atari” if it may be captured with one move.

9 x 9 board used for beginners. Normally, it’s a 19 x 19 board.

“In the amateur Go world, 30 kyu is usually the lowest rank. The smaller the kyu, the stronger the player. Above 1 kyu comes 1 dan. As the dan number increases, it gets stronger. Dan players are considered to play very well.”

Ladder or shicho

If you make two separate spaces or eyes inside a surrounded group, they cannot be captured and are said to be alive.

Semeai or mutual attack is when black and white surround each other neither inner group has two eyes.

Vacant spaces, liberties, within a group

Snapback or uttegaeshi, sacrificing one stone to gain more

Ko or eternity, prohibition of playing the same board position sequentially.

False eye seems to be an eye but isn’t due to an atari.

Corners are most efficient in terms of controlling territory (fewer stones to surround), then sides, then middle.

Fuseki, opening game strategies attempting to influence the sides and corners.

You don’t want to only concentrate on the sides and corners at the beginning, however, because stones in the middle can influence every direction.