GO weiqi igo baduk

[Sprocket]

...terrifies the s*** out of me.

You may use this thread to discuss the game of GO.

Anyone care to try to teach me GO without making me cry?

I'm stupid...I think...ok not really, but when it comes to games I just go absolutely numb. Maybe it's performance anxiety? Anyway, the Massachusettes GO association is RIGHT down the street from my house, but holy moses if that's not stress I don't know what is.

I want a safe, friendly, non-judgemental enviroment in which to learn how to play this game. I know the basic rules (though I may need a bit of refreshing) I just need someone to play with who won't make me feel like a deer in the headlights/dumbass.

[Phenriz]

i'll play with ya, i've never heard of it nor played it before.

[crazyjimbo]

I know the rules and have played a fair bit. I'd say I've got to the stage where I understand the game, strategy wise as well, but I'm still very much a beginner.

I went to my local Go club, but was also slightly put off by the level of players there. They were all into practicing loads, and analysing games but I just want to play for fun. Alas, I'll never get great with playing like that, but that doesn't matter when I enjoy it.

So yea, I'd love to play/teach you, although I have no idea if we can do it over the internet easily. My msn address is down there \/, or PM for my regular email address.

EDIT: Same goes for anyone.

[skeptical scientist]

I would recommend the beginner room at kiseido go server (http://www.gokgs.com). They're very welcoming, and would be happy to teach you there. Plus it's online, so you can be entirely anonymous if you want.

[Oort]

I love go. It's just as good as chess.

[scowdich]

I love go. It's way better than chess.

Fix'd. For the record, I'm on KGS under my typical username (this one). I should try to get on there more often.

[Twasbrillig]

You don't have to capitalize either character. "Go" works fine, so does "go".

I'll take anyone here on; I'm itching to play.

[semicolon]

I play under the name semicolon. I'm open for playing anybody, anytime, except right now. I just downloaded and installed Deer Hunter 2005, and I'm going to play it for novelty value.

[FiddleMath]

When I actually get on, I play on KGS as FiddleMath.

What go I've learned to play, I learned at the local go club. The vast majority of the real-life go players I've met have been friendly, patient, and actually quite happy to play teaching games as long as I paid attention. In fact, I've found the go culture to be a lot friendlier than, say, the equivalent chess culture.

[Sprocket]

You don't have to capitalize either character. "Go" works fine, so does "go".

I'll take anyone here on; I'm itching to play.

I was just trying to separate it from the word, I wasn't formalizing anything.

[bonder]

Yeah, I'm also on KGS, under bonder; I should try to get on there more often. I'm pretty much a beginner, but do enjoy the game. Also, a fun website: Go Problems.

[maxradical]

Thanks for that website, Bonder. I've been learning go for a while and that site is already helping me a lot.

[Dibley]

I love go, though I'm not very good. I taught my ex-girlfriend to play, but she never quite got it.

[hyperion]

Well after some time using that KGS site I've come to the conclusion that whoever made it wanted to be as confusing as possible. I'd like to play a game, but the lobby is so damn hard to use it's not funny.

[semicolon]

Well after some time using that KGS site I've come to the conclusion that whoever made it wanted to be as confusing as possible. I'd like to play a game, but the lobby is so damn hard to use it's not funny.

Really? I've never had any problem with it.

What do you find confusing?

[Twasbrillig]

Well after some time using that KGS site I've come to the conclusion that whoever made it wanted to be as confusing as possible. I'd like to play a game, but the lobby is so damn hard to use it's not funny.

Really? I've never had any problem with it.

What do you find confusing?

Everything is confusing. You have to really play around on it for a while before it becomes easy to use.

[zed0]

I'm on kgs as zed0, though I'm not exactly good...

[enntwo]

my kgs is nickBlake

I am between 2k and 1d generally.

Id be willing to play, or maybe some teaching games for weaker players that already know how to play reasonably well.

maybe I could work with a large amount of beginners at one time or something to try and help them out. not sure

[UmbrageOfSnow]

You people all make me feel so at home. I learned to play go about a year ago, and am absolutely horrible. I understand the rules, but I don't have enough game experience yet to have much in the way of "board vision" (to steal a chess term). I'm really into chess, and want to get into go, but just haven't had time to play much yet, or anyone to play with. I'll look into KGS, probably under UmbrageOfSnow, which I use everywhere. I tried to teach my brother to play, but he doesn't like it.

[GreedyAlgorithm]

I'd also suggest Through the Desert (Durch die Wüste) at Ludagora. It hits the same cognitive sweet spots that Go does, and is multiplayer.

[zim]

the free version of igowin is a good way to get some good practice on the basics. it only lets you play a 9x9 game in the free version, but it has a built in ai scaler based on win/loss and on a 9x9 it gets you used to lots of end game fights, since thats mostly all a 9x9 is, it gives you the basic idea behind larger starts and it gets you acquainted with lots of shapes with two eyes. Also, once you get into the higher kyu ai, it gives you a lot of practice "shoving" (i.e pushing someone out of some space you want the points for) as the ai is both good at the game and has a handicap. I played go for about two years and then went off to school. When I visited the go club at my school it really sucked (3 people, 2 playing and one reading a school book [and nobody talked to the three potential members at all]) so I stopped. Its been almost a year now, but I still find my stones in the nooks and crannies of my room/car.

[Alpha Omicron]

I'm (now) alphaomicr on KGS.

[Yakk]

Careful with the 9x9 igowin -- once you are better than it, playing more against it will make you better at fighting igowin rather than better at fighting people.

[Simius]

Though the original thread seems fairly old, I'd love to play a game of Go with you guys. If there's enough interest we can create our own XKCD Go room at KGS.

[Supergrunch]

I love this game, I've been obsessed with it for most of this year. I play as BAZI on KGS, my rank is [7k?] but 9 kyu is probably more accurate. What ranks are people here?

[Simius]

I love this game, I've been obsessed with it for most of this year. I play as BAZI on KGS, my rank is [7k?] but 9 kyu is probably more accurate. What ranks are people here?

I never played much online (I just think that playing with real tangible Go-stones is so much more awesome), but I used to be around 15 Kyu according to the people I played with. However I haven't done any games of Go in more than half a year, so I've propably climbed into the lower 20's again.

[ZeroSum]

I think go has great potential as a game but no one has taught me how to evaluate relative position strength, making the game wholely less interesting to me.

As a result, the only real experience I have playing was against a very defensive player. Thus I played in a very defensive manner. Thus our games were uninteresting with little interaction. Perhaps if I learned go properly I could enjoy it more, but I think I may always prefer chess.

[Yakk]

To clarify: you should play some 9x9 igowin. Get to the point where you can beat it when it goes first: this is the sign that you are now better than it.

Now, stop playing igowin before you pick up horrid habits.

[LDJosh]

I was a founding member of the penn state york Go club. got pretty good, and the online games really do help.

Also, the comic "Hikaru No Go" gave some good insight and inspiration. Avoid the show, get the comic.

[zed0]

If there's enough interest we can create our own XKCD Go room at KGS.

This sounds like an awesome idea, I'd be interested

[Supergrunch]

I think go has great potential as a game but no one has taught me how to evaluate relative position strength, making the game wholely less interesting to me.

As a result, the only real experience I have playing was against a very defensive player. Thus I played in a very defensive manner. Thus our games were uninteresting with little interaction. Perhaps if I learned go properly I could enjoy it more, but I think I may always prefer chess.

I should probably point out that it takes a lot of games just to understand the basic principles of the game... around KGS 15k is where you start actually learning go, rather than what go is.

[zed0]

I made a room for xkcd on KGS with the obvious name of "XKCD". At the moment its under "new rooms" but I imagine it will be moved to "social" soon.

[Simius]

I made a room for xkcd on KGS with the obvious name of "XKCD". At the moment its under "new rooms" but I imagine it will be moved to "social" soon.

Really? I couldn't find it...

[zed0]

I've just talked to someone with experience in the matter and apparently you have to get 5 or 6 people to join a room at once and then ask an admin to make it permanent, otherwise it disappears when it becomes empty.

[Okita]

...terrifies the s*** out of me.

You may use this thread to discuss the game of GO.

Anyone care to try to teach me GO without making me cry?

I'm stupid...I think...ok not really, but when it comes to games I just go absolutely numb. Maybe it's performance anxiety? Anyway, the Massachusettes GO association is RIGHT down the street from my house, but holy moses if that's not stress I don't know what is.

I want a safe, friendly, non-judgemental enviroment in which to learn how to play this game. I know the basic rules (though I may need a bit of refreshing) I just need someone to play with who won't make me feel like a deer in the headlights/dumbass.

Aw man, you should have told me before. I used to play Go all the time. Even had a portable set at home. I can bring it next semester or something. As for playing... I wasn't that good but I was okay... I used to be a part of a NY High School Go Alliance. Got the crap beaten out of me every time but I can still prolly teach you how to play.

[no-genius]

I've just talked to someone with experience in the matter and apparently you have to get 5 or 6 people to join a room at once and then ask an admin to make it permanent, otherwise it disappears when it becomes empty.

hmmm... well I would join it, but I'm not (INS: always) online

[Benitosimies]

So... am I supposed to learn to recognize every arrangement of groups there is and hold every strategy in my head for each situation and know what I'm going to do 20 moves from now?

Because this is hard and I'd just like to know.

[btilly]

So... am I supposed to learn to recognize every arrangement of groups there is and hold every strategy in my head for each situation and know what I'm going to do 20 moves from now?

Because this is hard and I'd just like to know.

No. You're supposed to train your subconscious to categorize arrangements of groups and focus your attention on what you need to focus on. Then think about what you're supposed to focus on. If you try to think about what to do 20 moves out, then you are guaranteed to get very, very confused. In fact many beginners who have played a few games find that they'll play better if they play quickly. Why? Because they start engaging the visual pattern recognition part of their brains.

If you are an absolute beginner and want to learn, here is my suggestion.

1. Get Janice Kim's Learn to Play Go series and read the first book.

2. Get a go playing program to practice with. (GNU go is decent.)

3. Start on a 9x9 board, playing with a 9 stone handicap. Reduce your handicap one stone at a time as you become able to beat it.

4. Go to http://www.goproblems.com/ and start practicing basic skills.

5. Read the second book of the series.

6. Progress from there in whatever way is convenient and fun.

When you get down to a 3 stone handicap against the computer you are still a rank beginner, but you've actually improved a lot. Somewhere around there you'll probably want to start playing the 13x13 board. Anywhere along there it is good to play other people. Look for a go club, try to interest friends in the game, etc.

If you get a novice interested in trying it and you've played a little, start them off at a 9 stone handicap against you. Obviously you do this because winning builds their confidence. But you'll probably do better than you think you will. And the handicap is necessary for how totally lost they will be.

[Benitosimies]

Alright thanks. I've never played chess or anything (only D&D) so I don't know how my brain is supposed to work.

[AbNo]

You've never played CHESS?

I've been playing since I was 4...

Granted, not NEARLY as much anymore, but...