A thought in mind to post a wonderful game called GO which is being shared among all today. Yeh time to post some of my favorite sites/blogs/software commonly used by myself.

On line Go Server

KGS Go Server
One of the famous Go server on line. You can watch many people online in different rooms playing Go all the time. You have lot of Tournaments and lessons online. Just login and enjoy. To play in KGS a new version of Java needs to be installed. Click here to find you have a current Java or not.

IGS Go Server
Short form of Internet Go Server. This is also a nice on line server like KGS.

Go Center of Second Life
This is not a Go Server but a Virtual gathering place in Second Life. Fabulous place to play Go game. Its an island of Japan and China Themed sim.

Online Correspondent Go
If you are a office goer or you don’t have time to spend for a complete game to finish,you can choose the following online Correspondent games.

Dragon Go Server
This is one of the famous Correspondent Go server.

Online Go Server
Yet another famous correspondent Go server on net.

DashBaduk

Websites / Tutorials

Go Base
One of the best news update, resource center for Go game. You have lot of info about Go and Tournaments around the world.

The Interactive Way To Go
If anyone of you are new to Go game or heard about it you need a fast track to know some basics. Check the site to understand and hands on learning of Go.

Fun Way To Learn Go
This site provides a fun way to learn Go.

Sensei’s Library
Online Go Bible!. Its a famous online Go Game Wiki. You will find everything about Go game World.

GoProblems
If you are familiar about the game and interested to tackle Go game problem check this website. Online Go game problem makes easy to learn.

Go Training Ladder
Yes this is a Training Ladder for Go players. You have option to review others game and teach them or you can post your games and get some comments on your game.

Fuseki Info
Fuseki means the Go Opening. The first thing you are gong to do before attacking your opponent.
Good collection of many types of Go Fuseki.

GoDiscussions.com
You like to discuss about Go game with world !? Log in to GoDiscussion. One of my favorite Go Forum.

Go4Go

Go Game Utility

Go Drago
One of Go Freeware to create, edit and play Go on your desktop.

GNU GO
A free Go Engine to play with.

Go Shopping

Board Game Go

eBay Go

Go Game Store

Kiseido Store

Kuroki Goishi

Samarkand

Yellow Mountain Imports

Yutopian

Go Game Blogs

ChiyoDad Learns Go
My first go friend on net.! I have learnt many things from him. A nice guy in Go world. I love to read his blog.

Enriching My Love of the Game
One of my famous Go Blog on net. I am lazy to post comments but her RSS but any one interested can go through my RSS Reader. I love to read her blog.

Because It’s There!

The Ladder to Shodan

A River of Stones

Tags

weiqi

I know today is not valentines day.. but this is one of the best imagination/problem/fun what ever you call….

Before you click on the applet (‘Click here to find out what happens’) below, take some time and watch on the board below how to resolve the query

Black plays G4

Can Black Capture!?

…
…
…

Did you get the answer ? No…..? Its simple if you know the rules or at least you rank around 25k.

Ok! Never mind…. ‘Click here to find out what happens’!

Have Fun!

If you dont know to play GO/Weiqi… here a nice Tutorial!

Click To Play

See also…
More GO/Weiqi Articles
Planet GO
Sensei’s Library

Tags

weiqi

While the Baroque rules of chess could only have been created by humans, the rules of go are so elegant, organic, and rigorously logical that if intelligent life forms exist elsewhere in the universe, they almost certainly play go.
– Edward Lasker

“the tactic of the soldier, the exactness of the mathematician, the imagination of the artist, the inspiration of the poet, the calm of the philosopher, and the greatest intelligence.”
- Zhang Yunqi,

The board is a mirror of the mind of the players as the moments pass. When a master studies the record of a game he can tell at what point greed overtook the pupil, when he became tired, when he fell into stupidity, and when the maid came by with tea.
– Anonymous

[War is] like a game of weiqi . . . Strongholds built by the enemy and bases by us resemble moves to dominate spaces on the board.
– Mao Zedong

Those interested in impressing others with their intelligence play chess. Those who would settle for being chic play backgammon. Those who wish to become individuals of quality take up Go.
- Microcomputer Executive and an expert player, when asked to compare Go with other games

Chess has only two outcomes: draw and checkmate. The objective of the game . . . is total victory or defeat – and the battle is conducted head-on, in the center of the board. The aim of go is relative advantage; the game is played all over the board, and the objective is to increase one’s options and reduce those of the adversary. The goal is less victory than persistent strategic progress.
– Dr. Henry Kissinger

Chess is a Battle, Weiqi/Go is a war. – Anonymous

The difference between a stone played on one intersection rather than on an adjacent neighbor is insignificant to the uninitiated. The master of Go, though, sees it as all the difference between a flower and a cinder block.
- From The Challenge of Go: Esoteric Granddaddy of Board Games, by Dave Lowry

In chess you start with everything you have on the board. In go you start from nothing and build.
– Tim Klinger

Go uses the most elemental materials and concepts — line and circle, wood and stone, black and white — combining them with simple rules to generate subtle strategies and complex tactics that stagger the imagination.
- Iwamoto Kaoru, 9-dan professional Go player and former Honinbo title holder

* Your opponent’s good move is your good move
* The opponent’s vital point is my vital point
* Play on the point of symmetry
* Play double sente early
* Sente gains nothing
* Beware of going back to patch up
* Don’t follow proverbs blindly
* When in doubt, Tenuki
* Don’t go fishing while your house is on fire

* There is death in the hane
* Hane, Cut, Placement
* Learn the eyestealing tesuji
* Six die but eight live (on the second line)
* Four die but six live (on the third line or in the corner on the second line)
* Four is five and five is eight and six is twelve
* The carpenters square becomes ko
* The L group is dead
* The door group is dead
* Strange things happen at the one two point
* Eyes win semeais
* Check escape routes first
* Capture three to get an eye

* Respond to attachment with hane
* Wedge if possible
* Hane at the Head of Two Stones
* Crosscut then extend
* Capture the cutting stones
* Beginners play atari
* The empty triangle is bad
* The one-point jump (ikken tobi) is never bad
* Don’t try to cut the one-point jump
* Strike at the waist of the keima
* Cutting right through a knight’s move is very big
* Do not peep at cutting points
* Two stones are five times harder to kill than one[3]
* Even a moron connects against a peep
* If you have one stone on the third line in atari, add a second stone and sacrifice both
* Use contact moves for defence
* Never ignore a shoulder hit
* The bamboo joint may be short of liberties
* Nets are better than ladders
* Answer the capping play with a knight’s move
* Approach from the wider side
* Block on the wider side
* Play at the centre of three stones
* Answer keima with kosumi
* Five liberties for tactical stability
* Capture stones caught in a ladder at the earliest opportunity
* Two hanes gain a liberty
* The strong player plays straight, the weak plays diagonal
* There is no connection in the carpenter’s triangle
* Jump out once and then make eye?

* You need half the points + 1
* Five Liberties for Tactical Stability
* When in doubt, tenuki
* Never make hollow ko threats
* Trying to achieve light and airy gamestyle ends up blown away?
* If you have 30 minutes, use them?

Tags

weiqi

Few minutes back I played a game in KGS with a quiet tough player.

I played quite well in this game, but in the end my opponent passed his move to me. Due to over sight in the game I too accepted the pass and thus the game was won by my opponent by W+24.5.

If I had concentrated on the end game, I would have won this game by B+25.5

The below game is the one which am talking about. I have added my wining moves with in it.

Tags

sports, weiqi

WeiQi/Go is a new game to India. Many people are not aware or even heard about WeiQi. But. I was curious to find at least ONE Indian who plays this game.

Eureka! I found out a guy! who represents India abroad in some WeiQi tournaments. His name is Supravat Pal. I don’t have much information about him. Still, little is known. According to my knowledge his recent participation was in World Amateur Go Championship in Sasebo on May 2006.

Supravat Pal
Nation: India
Date of Birth: 1978
Job: Service, Kolkata?.
Rating: 1 kyu
Tournament:
3rd Toyota Denso Asian Qualifying Cup,
The 27th JAL cup World Amateur Go Championship

Following are some of his games.

Click on the button below “Supravat Pal’s Games” , use your right – left arrow button to navigate between moves.

The games and photo are taken by searching the net. Sorry if I posted without permission.

Tags

weiqi

Unfortunately I can’t write all about this game in one post. I planned to post this as a series.

People use to ask what’s so specialty of Go then compared to Chess.
Following is a small info from http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp

Medical evidence

It’s usually said that the left side of the human brain handles the functions of calculation, memorization, and logical thought. The right side of the brain is intuitive and perceives shapes and spatial relationships; it also handles judgement from a large-scale perspective.

It’s important to make good use of both sides of the brain, but it seems that there are many predominantly left-brain people.

Go is a game that makes particular use of the right side of the brain. It has already been established medically that Go stimulates the right side of the brain, enhances judgement, and is effective in relieving stress.

Go is also beneficial in preventing senility and strokes and helps in rehabilitation after a stroke.

An hour back, I played a game on KGS Server. I planned to put this game as an example for how this game is played. There are some mistakes which i have made in this game. some are…
Running for nothing!
Missing a good Ladder pattern
Missing capture!
Missing stones! etc

Below is the game I played an hour back. I played with black stones. The game ended with black win. In Go terms, it’s written as.

Board Size: 19×19
White Rating: 21k
Black Rating: 23k (Result increased to 22k)
Handicap: 2
Komi: 0.5
Rule Set: Chinese
Result (Score Estimate): B+92.5

Video coming soon!

Tags

weiqi