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No Pass Go
   

Go played with rules amended so that neither player can pass, and a players without a legal play loses (suicide, or at least suicide of one stone, being illegal).

Historically this was called nimgo by Bill Spight in the 1970s. (Also called Conway go by some.) With the benefit of hindsight, it is one attempt to adapt go to the ending condition that is fundamental to CGT. But the game isn't close enough to ordinary go for that to be an acceptable translation. You must have captured stones replayed on the board for that (as in so-called Lasker-Maas rules).


See a number of threads on rec.games.go for more detail (e.g. search for 'nimgo').


Jasonred : AH! I have heard of this rule in other board games! Such as... monopoly. I hear in the states they call in "Go to Jail" though. Some call it "Do not collect $200"...

Bill: Others call it, "Do-not-pass go." ;-)

Chris Hayashida: I thought "No Pass Go" was asking you not to surpass Go-sensei. :)


1 x 5 Nimgo

[Diagram]
Diag.: Nimgo

[Diagram]
Diag.: Nimgo(ii)

Black cannot take back, by superko.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Nimgo(iii)

[Diagram]
Diag.: Nimgo(iv)

[Diagram]
Diag.: White wins


Can Black win 1x5 Nimgo?

Yes.

[Diagram]
Diag.: Tengen(?)

Black makes a strategic sacrifice.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Game 2 (ii)

[Diagram]
Diag.: Game 2 (iii)

Now White cannot take back, by superko.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Game 2 (iv)

[Diagram]
Diag.: Black wins.


Does Black have to sacrifice at move 3?

Yes.

[Diagram]
Diag.: Game 3 (i)

[Diagram]
Diag.: White wins.


-- Bill Spight


Jasonred : Hmmm.. so, how much area or territory or prisoners over the course of the game doesn't matter, just make you opponent not have a legal play left?

...

Not very good for 19x19 boards I suppose...

Bill: Research done mostly by the late John Rickard and myself suggests that moves are roughly proportional to territory. So on large boards the strategy should be much the same as regular go, but the endgame would be much longer.

Jasonred : Why? Territory doesn't matter anymore, as you can play in your opponent's territory without a care. all you need to do is get as many separate eyes as possible, making sure that you haveenough that on you have a minimum of two eyes on your opponent's turn. Also, it's going to be really cool endgame, cause decision of kill or do not kill come into play.

[Diagram]
Diag.: Don't kill!

In this case, for example, don't ask how it reached that point, the correct play is at the circled point, the square there is just asking for havoc.

As far as I can tell, this is just close to the only possible endgame position, the others being one side having 3 eyes to one eye ratio, or a ko, or superko, or somewhat. But this would probably be like the most common.

Having 2 eyes isn't good enough anymore, you need more than your opponent.

all in all, a weird game. I wouldn't mind a game of 9x9 Do Not Pass Go though. Any takers?



This is a copy of the living page "No Pass Go" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.