A game for the ages

The strategic board game Go challenges players, more than any other game of strategy, to use both sides of the brain. Simple rules soon encounter complex situations as spherical pieces of equal value form groups of variable strength. A player's skill in managing weaknesses will, in most cases, decide the eventual winner. To become skillful, a player develops both abstract and logical thinking capacity, and the talent to adjust each like nobs governing a faucet.

In ancient China, two opposing generals about to do battle first met in the middle of a field. After a short discussion, instead of fighting the battle and suffering many deaths among their soldiers, they decided to play a Go game between themselves to decide the victor. But this is not a game just for men. Many women enjoy the game and often beat their male opponents.

For decades, Japan has been the world leader in promoting the game. In Japan, it is called Igo; in China it is known as Weichi, and in Korea, Baduk. It is all the same game, played by young and old.

For information about Go, instructional books and magazines, Go equipment, and online game server access, visit Kiseido Publishing.