Not much... I am not entirely sure of the scoring system yet but I'm a fast learner. So by the time something like this is set up I expect I will be able to play, even if I'm not particularly competitive in the tournament. Now that I've said I will play I've kinda given myself a good reason to get into the game and at least get comfortable with the rules so it is as much about motivating myself to learn this as anything else.

I see. Well I hope the resources listed in this thread are a help! Have fun!

I'm sure I will.

Got my hands on Graded Go Problems for Beginners by Kano Yoshinori.

I'm getting most of the solutions but some are really tough.

Finding it much more of a challenge to learn the basics than checkers/chess/reversi. Enjoying it though and that's what matters

The first steps are tough, i think. But once you get beyond them it's a very deep and interesting game. There's a lot of room for creativity.

Hey Kokiri, you made it over here.

Funny, when I saw you were the last reply I thought 'And you used to have that avatar, too...' and there it is.

Hey Neil,

if you're still interested in recommendations for opening related books. I would second the recommendations that (i think) I saw itt - whole board thinking in joseki, and opening theory made easy.

Whole Board... is a great pair of books - it really makes you think, and i find them both really interesting.
But in terms of really improving your opening play I think that the simpler books - opening theory made easy and also in the beginning, are the ones that are most valuable. Maybe also something like 501 opening problems to grind problems. I read 'whole board thinking' for pleasure, but when i'm analysing my own games i think that its generally the really solid fundamentals that I think about the most.

That said, i think it's abt a year since i last played. I'm getting back on the horse this summer though, and i've been looking at a few of my old games of late to get my brain working again.

Yeah I got those books. They seem to have helped me immediately.

I'm really starting to pick up on some general principles from all the examples I keep reading. It should continue to help me so much.

501 Opening Problems? Will have to look it up.

thanks,

Mogo versus a 9d professional

Mogo won with a 7 stone handicap, but Alexander Dinerchtein seems to think that the pro wasn't trying, or was even deliberately leaving openings to test the engine.

first page.

since i last posted, ive been reading janice kims learn to play go series (going to start book 4 today), found a local AGA chapter, and a couple ppl from there are teaching me, and going to meet with some more to play live for the first time.

any other books i should get?

I can't speak highly enough of Graded Go Problems for Beginners. Get the first couple of volumes.

+1. Being able to do the tesuji and tsumego problems in these books in your sleep is essential to improving.

Heard about a new game being promoted in Korea: Batoo.

It's baduk on an 11x11 board with some changes:

1. The game starts with each player playing three stones (his 'base'). Both players play their stones without seeing where the opponent is playing his, with all six revealed at once, so I assume the stones must be on the same side of the board.

2. Players then bid to play first. The player who bids more points plays first, with the second player getting that number of points as compensation.

3. Play then alternates. The scoring is radically different. Playing a stone is a point. Playing a 3-3 point loses 5 points. Playing a 1-6 point gains 4 points. Every stone of yours captured loses you a point. Also, the game timing is similar to one stone byo-yomi with three periods, only if you run out of time in the current period the clock just stops until you make a play, plus you lose two points.

4. Plus there are special moves you can make I think once a game. You may play a hidden stone that your opponent cannot see until he tries to play there, it gets captured, or he scans that point. Attempting to play on a hidden stone does not lose your turn. You may also 'scan' a point before you play, revealing a hidden stone if it's there. I don't know how many hidden stones or scans you get per game, I think it's one of each.

Obviously the game is played by computer, otherwise the hidden stones wouldn't work. The computers aren't awkward because the general idea is to capture the spirit of high level Starcraft play in Korea and bring it to baduk, and apparently they have baduk pros on board.

Here's a sample game

Crazy stuff.

By the way the video is worth watching I think. There's great hidden stone suspense.

Could anyone please point me in the direction of free Go software with the option to play any size board?

I've done a number of searches and found a few costing as much as $59.99.

Usually the free versions only have 9x9, 13x13 and 19x19 and I'd like to experiment to see if I can find optimal strategies for smaller boards.

Go programs are really weak. I highly recommend playing humans on KGS. Many of the Go playing programs have been made into bots that play on KGS so that is an easy way to access a variety of Go programs for free. On KGS, the bots are clearly labeled as bots and they will play anyone.

KGS is really the best internet Go Server for beginners. It is free (most Go servers are) and you can play from your web browser.

Thanks, I'll check out the site. It would still be nice to get a versatile piece of software as my internet connection is very temperamental some days.

If you really must, there is Many Faces of Go, which has a free trial. That may suit your needs.

Gnugo is free and supports board sizes from 5 to 19.

You won't find optimal strategies on those boards, even pros have made mistakes on 5x5.

Also, just playing is more fun You should play humans for much the same reason you should play poker with humans - you need to know how to deal with many kinds of human-specific bad play.

Here's a post claiming to show optimal 5x5 strategy: http://erikvanderwerf.tengen.nl/5x5/5x5solved.html

I thought I had posted in this thread, but it seems I haven't yet...

Anyhow, I used to be a strong 5 dan amateur (around 2600 ranking at my best.) I've slipped since then, and I'm now probably around a medium strength 4d.

I think the reasons for the slip are working crazy hours, not studying enough and not playing enough.

Computers are getting stronger, by the way. The strongest are probably around 1d in strength, and pro strength on 9x9 boards.

5x5 Go is pretty trivial, but 9x9 is highly non-trivial.

Nice to find mention of go around here. Haven't played for years, but used to about 1k

Brag: played in a couple of WAGCs.
Beat: finished at the bottom in one, and near the bottom in the other (not surprising being only 1k ).

Cool, which WAGCs were in you in? I've done 3, and 1 pair Go. (Most recent was last year, I think.)

^^1998 and 1999. First ever Indian representative!

What about you?

I think I was there in 1998. Was that in Hokkaido?

I chatted with the Indian representative quite a bit that year- I am from the UK. It's good to talk you again, if right. (In fact, it's kind of awesome.)

It's a suprisingly small world.

EDIT: I think we played in one of the rounds.

'98 was in Tokyo, '99 was in Oita (Kyushu).

I did chat with the UK representative both times, and in fact in '99 he was supposed to coach me (but I didn't really follow through afterwards). Does that ring a bell? Don't think I played against either of them though, but am not sure.

In any case, if it was you - yes, it's quite amazing to meet you here! Small world indeed.