Go Chess originated in China, with a history more than 3,000 years. The Game is known as 'Weiqi' in China, meaning the game of surrounding. As one of the oldest board games in the world, the true origin of Go Chess remains unknown.
History
According to historical records, Weiqi was popular among aristocracy of the Spring and Autumn Period (770B.C.-476B.C.). There is an ancient Chinese phrase, one who cannot quickly decide which position to take on the board without pulling back, to describe one's hesitation. In 1952, a stone Go Chess broad was unearthed in No. one Eastern Han Dynasty Tomb of Wangdu, Hebei Province.
During the Han Dynasty, Go Chess was served as a method to train soldiers' strategic decisions. In the following dynasties, the game's popularity had been gained steadily growth. It became the way to cultivate one's taste and temperament.
Go Chess in Japan
Although it originated in China, the game really flourished in Japan. After its introduction into Japan during the 8th century in trend of Tang Dynasty's frequent cultural exchange with foreign countries, Go soon became very popular at the imperial court and then took root in Japanese culture. In Qing Dynasty, several schools with different playing styles came into being.
Today, Go Chess re-enjoys great popularity in China. It is taught in many schools and there are many national tournaments. Besides, match between China and Japan has been held annually.
A game of skill and intellectual challenges
Like other chesses, Go is a game of skill and intellectual challenges to player's analytical skills, judgment, concentration, memory and creation, etc. Go Chess was endowed with the ideas and subtleties of Chinese ancient philosophy, which is the great charm for players. Throughout its very long time development, the rule of Go Chess has remained essentially unchanged. Although the rules are rather simple, it resists all attempts to program computers to play. Even the best program is still easily beaten by experienced players. The time of playing can as short as 15 minutes or as long as couple of days, and it is common that the playing lasts one or two hours.
About the game
Go is a game of territory. The board, marked with a grid of 19 lines by 19 lines, can be regarded as a piece of land to be shared between the two players. The 13 13 and 9 9 are also popular choices for more simple and tactic-oriented games as well as a way to introduce Go Chess to new players.
The chess pieces are known as stones. One player has a supply of black pieces, while the other a supply of white. Black plays first, and two players take turns. The objective is to control a larger territory on board than the opponent as a result of having placed one's stones that they form territories that cannot be captured by the opponent.
The game starts with an empty board, and the stones are placed on the intersections of the lines rather than in the squares. Once placed, stones are not allowed to move, even if they may be surrounded and then captured, in which case they will be removed from the board as captures. The players normally start by staking out their claims to parts of the board that they intend eventually to surround and thereby make into territory.
However, fighting between enemy groups of stones provide much of the excitement in a game, and can result in dramatic exchanges of territory. At the end of the game, the players count one point for each empty intersection inside their own territory, and one point for captured stones. The one with the larger amount is the winner.
The strategic and tactical possibilities of the game are countless, providing a challenge and enjoyment to players at every level. The personalities and traits of the players can be detected clearly through the game. The game reflects the skills of the players in balancing attack and defense, making stones work efficiently, remaining flexible in response to changing situations, timing, and recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, etc.
