Go: Just Another Board Game...

The game of go, dating back 4000 years ago, is perhaps the oldest game in the history. Its most important feature is that the rules have never been changed since the first time it was played. It was originated in China and later it was played in Japan, Korea and other far east countries. Today, including western countries, it is widely known and played by many. It takes only a few minutes to learn the rules of the game, but it may take a lifetime to master.

Go is played on a square board, marked with 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines. Each of two contestants, in turn, places a stone, one playing black stones, the other white, onto the board--ultimately attempting to surround the opponent's pieces. At the end of the game, the player who controls the greatest territory on the board is the victor.

Although the rules of the game itself is quite simple, high probability calculations could take the game toward unpredictable directions. Probabilities in the game of go is 10⁵⁴¹  times more than chess. Go always amazes people who are interested in computer science, mathematics or artificial intelligence. After a great struggle and heavy investments, IBM’s big bleu super computer defeated chess champion Kasparov in the game of chess. However, despite very large cash prizes and great research, even the best computers cannot be a match for an average go player.

According to American Go Association:

• Go is the easiest game to learn
• Go is the most difficult game to master
• Go is the oldest game still played in its original form.
• Go is about building, not destroying
• You always know where you fit in: a beginner starts from the level called 50 Kyu and could advance up to 1 Kyu. When mastered, a player can be 1st Dan master. highest degree of mastery is 7th Dan.

Koreans say, playing a single game of go with someone is equivalent to spending a year with him or her. You could learn a lot about your opponent’s character during a game.

Vedat YOZKAT