Go came into existence more than 3,000 years ago in China,...

By Rob Van Zeijst

Go came into existence more than 3,000 years ago in China, making it one of the oldest strategic games still being played. Can such an ancient game appeal to people living in this fast-paced age? The answer is yes. In fact, it is becoming more popular, thanks to the recent boom among the younger generations in South Korea and China.

Go is said to be more challenging than chess but its rules are much simpler, as they can be learned in half an hour. The complexity of the game is due to the huge number of possibilities for each move. Fortunately, we don?t have to consider all possibilities each time we make a move. Remember, the more you practice the better you will become.

With the start of the new school year this month, let?s take this opportunity to study the rules of go, using the Chinese interpretation.

Board and stones

Go is generally played on a board with a 19x19 grid.

Diagram 1 shows the empty board. The nine marked points are called star points, which serve as points of reference as well as markers on which stones are placed in handicap games. Unlike most other board games, the go board is empty at the beginning of the game. Black and white lens-shaped stones are used. Usually they are made of plastic or glass, but in more expensive sets the black stones are made from slate and the white from clamshells. A full set usually contains 181 black stones and 180 white ones. The total number of stones?361 stones?equals the number of intersections on the 19x19 board. The stones are kept in a container, often a wooden bowl, next to the board, until they are played. Two players, one using black stones and the other white, will play alternative moves throughout the game. The player with the black stones always starts first. The stones are placed on intersections and will not move unless captured.

To summarize: Basic rules

1. Stones are played on the intersections.

2. Black plays first.

3. Black and White alternate in making their moves.

4. Once played, the stones do not move, unless captured.

Objective of the game

Chinese rules state that the objective of the game is to place more stones that are alive on the board than your opponent. However, Japanese and Korean rules state that the objective is to control more territory. Whichever rules are followed, the end result is almost always the same. Both sets of rules stress coexistence with your opponent rather than destroying him. Most sources feature the Japanese rules, but we will start out with the Chinese rules because they are simpler. To demonstrate the rules, we will use a 9x9 board, which is not as complicated strategically as the 19x19 board, but the rules and tactics are the same. I recommend that beginners master the rules on a 9x9 board before graduating to the full-size board.

At the beginning, the players generally try to control the corners, as Diagram 2 illustrates. The players then map out their respective territories.

Diagram 3 shows how first Black and then White use basic strategies to expand their own territory while reducing their opponent?s.

In Diagram 4, both players consolidate their territories. White 28 is the last move on the board. Both players have now completed staking out their territories. Up to this point, the Japanese and Chinese rules are the same. The Chinese rules now call for both players to fill their territories with stones.

Diagram 5 shows the board after both players have filled in their territories. Black has 41 stones on the board against White?s 40. Black wins by one point.

Problem 1: Look at Diagram 4 again. Using the Japanese rules, count the points controlled by Black and White to establish the difference in territory. If you count correctly, you will arrive at the same score as in the Chinese rules. Next week we will look at how to capture a stone.

Want to find out more? Come to Ben?s Cafe in Takadanobaba, Tokyo, (03) 3202-2445, where the English-speaking go community congregates every Sunday. You can enjoy free lessons, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ben?s Cafe can be accessed at www.benscafe.com.

Van Zeijst is a four-time European go champion and European representative at the Fujitsu World Championship.