Game of "Go" anyone?
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Interested in learning how to play "Go"?
Go is an ancient board game, originally from China and played widely also in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and throughout the world.
Go has seen considerable public interest in the last few years, due to the remarkable developments in AI programing that can now beat even the best human professional players, a result that seemed perhaps unthinkable even 10 years ago.
There are many series of videos explaining the aspects of this remarkable and beautiful game. I will start with a series taught by professor N J Wildberger. For additional reference see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)
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LESSON 1 - Updated 11 Oct 2021 - https://youtu.be/p12XozhpEDk
Let's review:
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Game is played on a 19x19 grid with white (W) and black (B) stones. B lays his stone down first on any intersection of horizontal and vertical lines. 13x13 and 9x9 grids are also used. We'll use a 9x9 grid.
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Two ways to score points:
a. Surrounding your opponent is not a good way to put it; but, by removing your opponent's liberties (B) with your stones (W) captures your opponents stone (B). NOTE: In diagram below, W does not have to occupy the 4 corners.
b. Enclosing board territory with your stones (B). -
In diagram below: White scores one point and black scores 4 points.
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LESSON 2 - Updated 11 Oct 2021 - https://youtu.be/P-4do9hHFDE
Let's review:
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Liberty of a stone is the unoccupied intersection above, below, left, right of the stone.
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Path of stones of same color are connected horizontally or vertically.
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A ko fight is a tactical and strategic phase that can arise in the game of go. In diagram below: Black just captured white. White cannot immediately return but has to move else where first.
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LESSON 3 - Updated 11 Oct 2021 - https://youtu.be/2Bd3WGbVPqI
Let's review. In the diagram below:
W can play both red (R) positions, thus taking all B stones.
B can not play both R positions, because B would use up all of his liberties. This is not allowed.
W can play one R position and B can take the other R position. B would capture the W stone thus giving himself one liberty.
In the diagram below:
B plays the R position. ( 5'18" into video. Colors reversed.) B has 2 liberties.
a. W can not play on either side of B because W would be captured immediately. This is not allowed.
b. B need not fill in the empty spaces. But he could if he wanted to.
W plays the R position. (10'18" into video. Colors reversed.)
a. B can play on either side of W. (BoWBB or BBWoB) B has a liberty.
b. W plays the open side. (BWWBB or BBWWB) B has no liberies.
W captures all B stones. -
LESSON 4 - 15 Oct 2021 - https://youtu.be/qYVS6YbrOxI
More life and death shapes. (13'4") | Playing Go | N J Wildberger
The life and death of groups in the oriental game of Go always revolves around the crucial issue of "two eyes".
How to kill an enemy group - try to prevent it from getting two eyes!
How to ensure the life of your own groups - make sure that they can get two eyes.
However doing these things in practice is often no easy manner. A slight mistake and your group is toast.
So it pays to learn the basic examples of life and death. In this video we look at some more complicated shapes and how they can be killed or rescued. -
LESSON 5 - 15 Oct 2021 - https://youtu.be/7NTPj_GmyHc
A game played to the end. (Only 9'29") | Playing Go | N J Wildberger
Watch a game being played. NJ wants to show how a game ends and how the final score is counted.
You will have a chance to see some reasonable flow of moves, slow and steady.
This is leading towards the very searching question: How does a game of Go really, officially, end?
That turns out to be a rather subtle question, with a surprising multitude of answers. It will lead to a mathematical view of Go with some surprising implications! -
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