A completed game
A completed game
What is Go?
Quoted from Steppingstones to Go by Shigemi Kishikawa:
"Go is the oldest game in the world. Played with black and white stones, it is easy enough to be enjoyed by any beginner, yet sophisticated and complex enough to baffle an expert. Like Chess, it is a game of skill, not chance; whereas Chess is a battle, Go is a full scale war, so wide and far-ranging are its possible tactics and strategy."
Is Go like Chess?
Yes and no. Go is a "perfect information" board game like Chess, which means there is no luck involved; only skill. However, the rules are very different (see below).
Whereas a game of Chess is mainly dictated by short term tactics, Go is more strategic in nature, with the players required to consider the long term ramifications of their moves. This, combined with the huge number of legal moves at every turn, is why computers cannot yet play the game well.
Perhaps one practical reason why someone might prefer Go to Chess is that the amount of opening theory you must know to reach a playable middlegame is much, much lower.
Of course, none of this is intended to belittle Chess, as both are great games, and appeal to different people for different reasons. A comparison between the two games can be found here, though be warned, the author seems determined to "prove" Go is better than Chess.
How is Go played?
Go is played on a board, crisscrossed by 19 vertical and 19 horizontal lines, forming 361 points of interection. Each player uses flat round pieces called stones, which are played on the intersections, one at a time, turn by turn. One player uses black stones, the other white ones. Once placed, stones are not moved unless they are captured (more on this later), in which case they are taken off the board.
The basic object of the game is to surround more territory with your stones than your opponent. But it is not as simple (or as boring!) as just walling off parts of the board regardless of the opponent's play. In an effort to secure the most territory, the two players will attack each other's stones and space, trying to invade their opponent's territory and make it their own.
Stones, or groups of stones, are captured when they are completely surrounded by stones of the opposite colour. This can bring about violent struggles, when different groups of stones are struggling to capture each other before they themselves are captured.
The game ends when both players are unable to secure further territory or make further attacks on enemy stones. At this point, the total number of intersections surrounded by the players' stones, plus the number of enemy stones captured, are counted. Whoever has the higher score wins.
NOTE: This section was designed to give someone with no knowledge of the game a brief idea of how it is played. It is in no way a full explanation of the rules.
How can I learn to play Go?
The full rules of the game can be found here.
However, the best way to learn is undoubtedly to be taught the rules in person, so if you're in Edinburgh feel free to come along to the club and we'll teach you the rules ourselves.