Sometimes described in the media ...

By Rob Van Zeijst

Sometimes described in the media as "land-grabbing for intellectuals," the game of go is clearly about dividing up the real estate on the go board. This leads to battles on the borders of respective territories as well as invasions in which players try to cut off stones, or get cut off themselves. The battle to extend one's borders and chase and encircle stones in what literally can be called hand-to-hand fighting makes go a most exciting game. When teaching go, it is important to highlight strategy and tactics--the two most important aspects of go. However, these skills should always be used as part of an overall plan. That brings us to the next topic--how to develop a plan.

Diagram 1: This was the position we started with last week. Beginners must remember it is most important to practice expanding and defending the borders, and not shy away from close-in fighting.

Diagram 2: Last week, after black 1, White answered passively at 4 and went on to lose by a large margin. Following the motto "do unto your neighbor what he does unto you," when Black threatens to invade, White maybe should mirror Black by playing at 2. Naturally, Black would jump to 3. Note that White could cut this stone off. After exchanging 4 for 5, White cannot play at A or B (as this stone would be captured right away), so White jumps to 6 instead. Up to 10, mutual destruction is the name of the game. Now, it is no longer about expanding and defending the borders. Instead, a full-fledged fight is developing. Whatever happens, this situation is preferable to passively blocking black 1 with white 4 at the outset and losing peacefully.

Diagram 3: Black could try something else--offering bait by attaching at 1. He is hoping White will play 2 and 4. That way, Black can force 5 for 6 and sneak his way in with 7. Not only is White's territory split into two parts, his marked stones are disconnected and weak. Altogether a bad situation for White.

Diagram 4: This diagram is an example of what might happen when White merely blocks at 2 after black 1. Black ends up with 28 points against White's 23, giving Black a five-point win. Confirm this result using the Chinese counting method.

Solutions to last week's problems

Solution 1: Starting with situation A, black 1 captures one stone. White may try to save this stone with 2, but Black perseveres with 3. After white 4, black 5 is not really necessary, but just for the record--White loses three stones. In situation B, if White cuts at 1, there is nothing Black can do. His best move is playing at 2, making White capture three stones. After 3, Black closes off his territory with 4.

Solution 2: The question was whether you could come up with a response for White to black 1 in Diagram 2, as an alternative to blocking at 4. One solution is given in Diagram 2. When teaching go, instead of giving your students the answers, pose such questions as "Can you think of an alternative that accomplishes the same goal?" and "What happens if...?"

Exercise: Get yourself a partner and play a few games (10 or so) using the starting position given here. This is more complicated than the one in Diagram 1 as more territory is up for grabs and the battles will be more complex.

If you do not have a partner, but have a computer and Internet access, you can go to the Web site http://kgs.kiseido.com/ and register to play. Playing is free. Take your time to orient yourself and familiarize yourself with the wealth of information on this site and other Web sites on go. In general, go players are very helpful toward beginners, so don't feel embarrassed. You will soon become part of the online go community.

Problem 1: In problems A through C, where should Black play to capture a few stones in each case. In situation D, Black played the marked stone and White captured it with D. Where should Black play next?

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.