why playing go is fun
Takemiya Masaki 9P spoke to assembled participants at the 2008 U.S. Go Congress this afternoon at Portland State University. Here’s some of what he said during the first 30 minutes:
Everyone wants to get stronger at go and everyone wants to win games. Are you playing your moves at the first spot you wanted to play? Or do you change your mind because you think that move has problems? That kind of thinking keeps you from improving.
No one ever believes me when I say this.
The desire to win keeps you from playing the move you want to make. The move you want to play represents your own style. You can play one hundred games but if you don’t play your own moves it’s as if you played none.
Many people learn to not play their own moves because those moves have made them lose games. By sticking with your own moves, you may lose more, but eventually you will learn how to make these moves work and you will start winning. It is more satisfying to play the move you want to play. Don’t worry about losing.
Everyone has a different way of thinking about the game. The technical aspects of go are not that important. The game has infinite possibilities. What’s important is the way you think and feel about the game.
You think that professionals are reading ahead and considering variations — no. Thinking ahead too much is detrimental. Not just about go but life in general. So pros aren’t thinking, they are developing a feel for the game. They are thinking about the game at the speed of sound, but feeling the game at the speed of light.
Getting stronger is gradual; nobody starts out strong. Strong and weak players think about the game differently. A beginner is thinking about where to play and will it work or not. A pro isn’t thinking about where to play, but about what’s important on the board.
Understanding potential threats also is important. If your body is unhealthy, it restricts your movement. Go is similar. If your groups are healthy they can fight well. Sometimes you have weak stones, this affects your play. Learn good vs. bad shapes. Good shape wins more games.
People think that having the most territory wins games — no. I blame go books for this misconception. It’s not who has the most territory who wins — it’s who has the most territory at the end of the game. So don’t play territorial moves, play shape moves. With many good shapes you will win naturally.
Why is go fun? One reason is because every game is different. In many situations in life, uncertainty brings anxiety. But life is enjoyable because it’s unpredictable. If you knew what was going to happen for the rest of your life, why bother to live it? Not knowing what’s going to happen makes it more fun. Every go game is like a journey to a new place. And it’s fun to discover cool new moves.
Play with courage, not with fear.
–Takemiya Masaki, 2008-August-05
August 15th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Wasn’t that a fantastic lecture?! At first I was a little surprised and thought he was going to start dancing around the subject.. boy was I wrong!
Many thanks for the write-up, is it ok for me to add this to my blog post about the congress?
August 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Of course! I’m all about sharing. Fun congress eh? Thanks for all your work.