Go, known formally as Igo, is a Japanese board game for two players. The playing field is a 19”x19” wooden board divided by vertical and horizontal lines into squares. The goal is to surround the most squares, or “territory.” Players do this by placing marble-sized stones, either white or black, on the cross-sections of the squares. Even the lines marking the edge of the board count as territory, and stones may be placed there.
Basics of Play
Beginners usually only use a 9”x9” segment of the board, as the playing space involved is much less daunting, and the game less time consuming. As in chess, white always goes first. One stone is placed per player’s turn. As the goal is to surround territory, starting near the corners is a standard opening play for both colors. Once the corners are occupied, the players then begin to surround them to secure their territory.
Capturing an Opponent
While capturing an opponent’s stones is not the object of the game, sometimes it is a necessity. In order for a stone, or group of stones, to be captured, it must be surrounded on all sides by an opponent’s stones. Surrounded stones are taken off the board and count towards territory at the end of the game. It is illegal to commit “suicide,” placing a stone in an already completely surrounded area.
Well Protected Territory
Since the opponent can capture stones, randomly surrounding squares does not guarantee territory. There are certain shapes that ensure territory cannot be captured. The most important of these shapes are known as “eyes.” Eyes are comprised of four stones in the shape of a cross, leaving an empty space, or “eye,” in the middle. Remember, if a stone is surrounded on all sides, it is captured, so eyes make little spaces impossible to capture!
Walls are also important. Whereas eyes are made up of stones at a diagonal angle to each other, walls are stones which lie either horizontal or vertical to each other. As the name implies, walls are a significant barrier, because it takes a lot of stones to surround them. A wall that is attached to an eye is the ultimate impenetrable defense.
Strong Moves
There are certain moves in Go that are favored for their strength. Keima, or horses’ move, is placing a stone at a right angle to another stone of the same color. The resulting L-shape that mirrors the Knight’s move in chess makes it easy to build a wall or an eye. Kiri, or cutting, places a stone of the opposite color in between two stones of the same color, “cutting” them so a wall can’t be formed.
Attacking a Player’s Territory
Once a player has secured some territory and laid a good defense, they can then attack the other player’s territory. The best way to go about this is to look for places where the other player might have a stone or two, but no eye or significant wall. This is where capturing stones will probably come into the picture.
Improving Go Technique
Once the basics are mastered, there are a variety of ways to improve one’s playing skills. Studying records of old Go games, called kifu, is a great way to learn new moves and how to escape from tough situations. Go problems is an online site that offers daily Go problems ranging in difficulty from beginner to pro. There are also sites such as Kiseido Go where players of all skill levels can play each other online.
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