Top 7 Reasons to Play the Board Game GO
1/ There will be a winner declared every time you play. Some board games can go on forever depending on how it"s played. Hours of playing Risk, Monopoly and you end with counting up who has the most "stuff" in the end. The game of chess I have seen played for hours as well, with some ending in stalemates where there is no next move. Being able to make decisions, actions and someone walk away as being victorious over the other without taking days or months is a good thing. It makes it simple to sit down and play rather than having to set aside time to finish or continue a game.2/ The game of Go in many respects is a very simple game. There is one rule: surround and capture. The game is played based on that one single guideline and there are no exceptions or "grey" areas.
3/ The game of Go is also considered to be quite convoluted and intricate. How so you ask? You will rarely ever see the game played out the same way twice. Each time you play it really is a "new" game. This has been supported with the difficulty computer programmers have had coming up with a "solution" to the game. Strong computer programs can defeat the best of players when it comes to most all games, even chess. However with so many possible games of Go the programmers have been unable to crack them all!
4/ Every move you make sits on the board as a reminder throughout play, unless of course it"s capture. This can be a good move or a nagging reminder and learning experience from a bad move. Either way, the stone placement makes it possible to see the benefits or problems from the move as the game continues and serves as a tool you can use in the next game.
5/ With Go, it"s easy to level the playing field with two players that are of differing ability and strength level with playing the game. With an empty board to begin with a few extra moves by the weaker of the players can bring them into a more competitive range. This makes the game more interesting for both parties. No one likes to lose all the time and a winner likes to be challenges. A fun and challenged game can be accomplished with this kind of handicapping system.
6/ Go has its origins going back to China or Tibet as far back as 2500 years ago historians believe. Go is wildly popular in the east, with over 100 million participating regularly. Tournaments with winners who are regarding as celebrities occur regularly. While the game is still relatively unknown to many in the west, it is considered one of the most popular games played in the world today. When you engage in a game of Go, you are playing the same game, the same way it was played centuries ago. Traditions passed down from history regulate all aspects of the game.
7/ A game can actually end without the capture of a single stone - the premise is on building up the board. You work to create your structures not running around trying to destroy your opponent pieces. With a blank board to begin you have your tabula rosa and you create and guide play how you choose. It"s a thinking person"s game!