Go

Go is an ancient Chinese game of high strategy. It's most often compared to chess, but it only really shares a requirement for an immense amount of thought and concentration to play well. It isn't that well known or commonly played in this country, though there is an active Go Society. I personally have not played it very often since leaving University, but during my time there I was a member of the Go society. Go is played on a 19 by 19 board with one opponent playing black and the other white. They take it in turns to place a stone on one of the points on the board. The aim is to carve out territory on the board, the winner being the one with the most ...  Read the complete review

I hadn't played this game since I was at school, over 20 years ago, when we had a small *Go club* operating. Easy to learn, Go involves capturing your opponents pieces by surrounding them. The aim of the game is to capture the most territory on the board, a two player game, one player using white counters, the other black. Of Japanese origin, it's hugely popular there, outrating chess in popularity. I recently discovered that you can play Go on the net, using the MSN gaming zone, www.zone.com A classic game, and one you'll always find something new to ponder upon. Highly recommended. Jim. ...  Read the complete review

Being English I hadnt heard of Go until recently. I first saw it mentioned in a computer book on the rise of Nintendo, and thought to myself then that it may be a game I would enjoy. And boy I was right. I was surfing the net one day when I saw a download of Go, so I got it, and tried it out. I have to admit I was lost at first, it is very complicated, and Im not going to pretend to have done anyhting but scratch the surface yet. It can only be compared to chess of all the games I know, but then the connection is only in the deep strategy involved in it. The simple premise to enclose squares on the board using your stones, and to capture your ...  Read the complete review

In China, Go is played a lot. Business men discuss deals over a game of Go, with the winner on the board gaining an advantage at the negotiating table. It is seen as a mental workout, and is a metaphor for war. It's pretty simple to describe. The game is played on a grid of 19x19 points. One player is black, another is white. You take it in turns to place stones of the requisite colour on the grid. Any stones totally surrounded by the other colour is removed. Eventually the game ends when a player passes twice, ie cannot go. It is a great game, deceptively simple. It has a lot more complexity than chess, since there is a larger board and so a great ...  Read the complete review