An ancient strategy game for 2 players who try to outwit each other by placing stones on the board to simulate the capturing of territory.
-2
votes
1answer
53 views
Where can one find “The Surrounding Game” Documentary? [closed]
On youtube there is a really nifty trailer about a documentary for a board game. It looks interesting, and I was wondering if anybody knew where to actually get the documentary? I am willing to pay ...
1
vote
2answers
85 views
4-4 pincer variant - not in joseki dictionary
I am 4K and played against 2K in handicap game (2-stones).
The point of B3 was to prevent a double-wing shape for white (along the right and bottom)
So W4 pincer leads us into this joseki variant. ...
1
vote
2answers
73 views
3-4 point joseki - wide double-pincer
After a low approach at W2, B3 is a wide pincer. I double-pincered at W4 and then diagonal B5.
$$
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ . . . . . . . 5 ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
life and death: 2 x 4 in the corner with defects
In a go game (with another 4K) I got a 2 x 4 region in the corner with lots of defects.
W1 almost surely will happen. Can White get life or ko?
$$Wm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . . . . X .
$$ | . . O ...
5
votes
1answer
136 views
Is this corner dead?
Played a game on KGS. We are both 4K. He was good at life and death, and I am rusty.
Was B1 sente?
$$ ------------|
$$ . X O 2 1 . |
$$ X . X O . . |
$$ . . X O . . |
$$ . . X O O . |
$$ . . X X ...
6
votes
1answer
95 views
How to balance influence vs territorial plays on a 13x13 board?
Most of the answers to "What is a good opening on a 13x13 board?" deal generally with the differences between large and medium boards. I'd like to ask more generally about how I should be thinking on ...
2
votes
3answers
135 views
Magic Sword: Peaceful Variation or is Punishment Possible?
In a game earlier today I encountered a deviation from the Magic Sword pattern that I haven't been able to find anywhere. Instead of cutting, White seemed to offer a peaceful trade of influence for ...
5
votes
3answers
181 views
How does one set up a 1/4 board for GO?
As a beginner, I was handed a full go board. And, somehow figured it out.
A beginner friend wants to start "small" and something like 1/4 of the board.
Personally, I think that we should start with ...
5
votes
3answers
123 views
Traditional 1-stone handicap before komi
In "traditional" handicap, when there is a ranking difference of 1, black plays first and there is no komi (Sensei's Library uses this term). But if you play without komi anyway, this is no handicap. ...
9
votes
2answers
139 views
Three-space jump on third line: how to connect?
I've seen that in the diagram below, the two black stones can connect by attaching to the white stone, but I can't work out the sequence. How does black play to connect her stones?
$$cm1
$$ . . . . ...
9
votes
3answers
195 views
Is Go played for money?
Playing for money in this meaning would be single games played for some stake, not tournaments with a prize money.
Backgammon has a large tradition to be played like, chess a smaller one (I think). I ...
9
votes
4answers
294 views
Corner variation which is not in Josekipedia
$$Bcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . a 0 4 8 . |
$$ . . . . . 1 5 6 . |
$$ . . . . . . 9 7 . |
$$ . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . ...
11
votes
3answers
366 views
Computer Go algorithms applied to other games?
Fairly recently, Computer Go programs became able to compete with humans using Monte-Carlo Search trees:
A Monte Carlo (MC) go program plays random games and easily evaluates the terminal position ...
8
votes
5answers
366 views
Online Resources for Go Tutorials on specific topics
It is well-known that learning about Go is a never-ending process. This question is on resources that I believe to be useful in a certain stage of this learning process.
In the very beginning, there ...
14
votes
3answers
375 views
Resources for learning about good shape?
Shape is immensely important in Go, and you can read about the basics anywhere - don't make empty triangles, table and mouth shapes are good, etc. Where can I find more advanced treatments of shape?
8
votes
4answers
545 views
Second line invasion of two-space extension
The two-space extension is a very common pattern and forms a base. I've found lots of material here, and here, and elsewhere on how it cannot be cut and how to defend against various invasions.
...
10
votes
2answers
395 views
How does the full-size board change the game of Go?
My Go board has two playing surfaces, one big and the other small. As a Go beginner, I have been playing on the reduced size board. I assume this is recommended because it makes games shorter, and ...
7
votes
2answers
215 views
How do I properly place handicap stones?
Handicap games are very common in Go. The weaker player, taking black, gets to place (usually) up to 9 stones on the board, depending on the difference in skill.
Both free and fixed placement are ...
7
votes
1answer
279 views
Deviation of 3-3 invasion - how to live/kill?
I know the following is joseki for an approach of the 4-4 stone followed by a 3/3 invasion...
$$cm1 A normal 3/3 invasion joseki (incomplete)
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . ...
5
votes
3answers
213 views
A reference of practical tsumego?
There are insanely many tsumego in existence, but many of them are very artificial and would never occur in real games. While any tsumego helps to improve, specifically learning shapes likely to be ...
10
votes
1answer
149 views
Where can I learn the lingo of Go?
I'm only a beginner at Go, but have been reading the questions in the go tag with interest.
However, this game seems to have rather more special terminology than most. What do joseki, shimari, ...
4
votes
2answers
253 views
Komoku-Oogeima joseki order variation
In a game my opponent derived from the joseki line I was familiar with.
$$W Actual game
$$ ------------
$$ -...........
$$ -.94........
$$ -.5128O.....
$$ -..X36...0,.
$$ -...7.......
$$ -...........
...
4
votes
1answer
183 views
Chess (and variations) Endgame Complexity
My understanding is that the game of Go with Japanese Ko rules is, like most such games, EXPTIME-Complete, but that ladders are PSPACE-Complete and that Go endgames have been analyzed independently as ...
4
votes
4answers
266 views
Do professional-level Go players memorize a list of endgame positions as part of their training?
As in this question there were two questions, I extract the second question here.
4
votes
3answers
408 views
What is the meaning of 'karai' and how is it applied?
A Western insei recently wondered about the term "karai":
Japanese
players call black 57 "karai", which is a term which I haven't heard
used in western go at all! The meaning appears to be ...
7
votes
2answers
290 views
In Go, Why are “High Point” Openings Seldom Seen in Modern Play?
I'm talking about opening with the "high point" of a "shimari, such as the 3-5 or 4-5 point.
The disadvantage is that it allows the opponent to enter near the corner, such as the corresponding 3-4 ...
6
votes
1answer
87 views
What rules are used in international events
What rules are used during international events like the recent Samsung Cup?
8
votes
2answers
210 views
What is the best way to respond to this pincer joseki deviation?
Every now and again when I approach a corner, opponent plays 1-space pincer and I jump out, my opponent immediately peeps. This seems like aji keshi and bad shape, but I've been stumped as to how to ...
13
votes
2answers
135 views
Honinbo 1970, match 1: Why does white need to play toward the edge here?
People may remember this game from Strategtic Concepts of Go by Nagahara.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$|. . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...
3
votes
1answer
106 views
What is the Chinese-language equivalent of gobase (main resource for SGF files)?
I would find it hard to believe if someone tried to tell me that there was not such a website, and that people in China relied on gobase. Isn't there a Chinese-language resource for SGF files?
19
votes
1answer
327 views
What are the main results in game theory regarding Go?
What are the main mathematical results concerning Go?
Go is a game with simple rules and big game complexity. It is inefficient to apply primitive chess AI methods (such as position brute force and ...
10
votes
6answers
290 views
Strategy for studying professional games?
I recently took A. Dinershtein's Go style test. It was useful to me, as the test is aimed at finding professional players who might think the way you do, for study purposes. It has definitely worked ...
19
votes
5answers
281 views
What is a good strategy for engaging children in playing go?
For children what is the youngest age that it makes sense to begin to teach them go? Is it best to start them on a 9x9 board? Will a child that has learned basic algebra be better suited to learn go ...
9
votes
4answers
124 views
Game from 1978: Why does this fuseki position favor black?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , O . . . . ...
6
votes
2answers
111 views
Tsumego only solvable under NZ rules?
The most significant difference between the New Zealand rules and the other rules for Go is that suicide is not forbidden. In most cases, the only time this can come in handy is that you can suicide ...
8
votes
6answers
219 views
What is the formula of rank difference to handicap stones?
When the difference in rank is one stone the weaker player takes black and the komi is 0.5 for white (sometimes called "no komi" even though that's not technically correct).
From then on add one ...
13
votes
2answers
325 views
Are professional ranks representative for how many stones of handicap players can give each other?
It was mentioned elsewhere that a 9p could not give 7 stones to a 2p. I have no databases available and wondered if this is correct.
Bonus: If they aren't representative, why not? And is there a ...
8
votes
4answers
191 views
How to handle handicap as white?
I found it very difficult to handle handicap when my opponent is given 6 or more stones. I don't really like to force something complex when I know it could be severely punished.
The good way to ...
13
votes
1answer
413 views
Why is this corner enclosure considered to be safe against 3-3 invasion?
I have read somewhere, but unfortunately forgot where that the following enclosure is safe against the invasion at a.
$$ White invades at 'a' and supposedly dies.
$$ ---------
$$ -........
$$ ...
9
votes
5answers
105 views
At what level should one try to teach go?
I am now at a level where I don't consider myself to be a complete beginner, and I can now recognise at least some of the mistakes made by lower level kyu players.
I would like to help other people ...
8
votes
4answers
98 views
How many points are won/lost during this exchange?
$$ six=two
$$ -.a.....
$$ -.......
$$ -...OOOO
$$ -4....XO
$$ -1OOOOOX
$$ -XOXXO.X
$$ -2X5.XX.
$$ -3......
$$ --------
White territory around a is safe.
Move 2 and 4 can be swapped for identical ...
8
votes
3answers
157 views
Understanding influence and using it properly
I'm an amateur player, mostly-self taught with some help on KGS by a few awesome people. I think I now know my way around the board, and am not a complete plonker anymore, just a regular plonker :)
...
13
votes
4answers
221 views
Is there an equivalent of Deep Blue in the Go world?
Deep Blue was a chess-playing computer developed by IBM. On May 11, 1997, the machine won a six-game match by two wins to one with three draws against world champion Garry Kasparov. Kasparov accused ...
7
votes
2answers
108 views
How to protect a large piece of side territory
I've played several games where I have gained a good chunk of side territory, but lost it due to invasion by the other player.
Below is an example, ignore the placement outside of the area black ...
15
votes
3answers
198 views
Why did black avoid the straightforward capture here?
The following position is from a 1998 China-Japan friendship match, described in Shuko's book The Only Move by Hinoki Press.
$$Bcm31 Why B33?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . ...
11
votes
2answers
421 views
How far can you safely extend from your own wall?
When extending into what is basically open territory, how far can you extend to increase your influence/moyo, without inviting an invasion?
8
votes
4answers
166 views
Why are the boards not square?
I noticed gobans are not square, but rectangular. Why is that, and what is the correct orientation of the board when playing?
11
votes
2answers
199 views
Why are Chinese stones half-convex?
Unlike regular ishi that come in full-convex shape, Chinese stones are flat on one side. I found those stones difficult to work with, as they are not easy to pick up from the board. Granted, they lay ...
14
votes
3answers
318 views
How to play teaching game and give a useful review
I've reached a rank where I'd like to start and help weaker players improve their games.
How can I make a review useful for the opponent?
Should I go deep into variations
Talk about theory?
Should ...
7
votes
2answers
160 views
How do ranks work in Go?
One of the most commonly asked questions of beginners. How do ranks work in Go?
Why do we start backwards? And why do we suddenly count upwards again? What is the difference between 9d and 9p? How is ...
