A Guide for the Complete Beginner
"Go is an activity in which two people who love puzzles take turns giving each other presents." -- Jim Conyngham
"Go is equally comparable to music, boxing and mathematics." -- Noriyuki Nakayama 8P
Go is a two-person strategic board game, invented in China millennia ago (Confucius wrote about it), and still played today just as it was then. Wildly popular in Asia, it is oddly unknown here, one of the West's best-kept secrets. Welcome to a small but growing "in" group who have discovered the ultimate mind sport!
Go is the essence of simplicity. The rules and object of Go can be stated in nine words: "Take turns placing stones; control more of the board." That's it! But without further understanding of the meaning and implication of those words, new players often find the game a little confusing.
Go is also the essence of complexity. A player can place a stone on any of the 361 intersections of the board. As a result, the number of possible positions far exceeds the number of subatomic particles in the known universe! If you seek quick mastery, look elsewhere. But for those who are looking for a game with fathomless depths of understanding, worthy of time spent, you have come to the right place. If you still aren't intrigued, have a look at The American Go Association's "Top Ten Reasons To Play Go."
Learning to play is easy, with multiple programs and demonstrations to choose from: