A Game of Territory

A Game of Territory

When I was living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a fellow dan player and I used to play once or twice a week in a courtyard downtown. From time to time a young man would come by on his bicycle, watch us in silence for a little while, and then continue on his way. We invited him to play, but he declined.

After a year he finally broke his silence. We were in the fuseki. "Go is a game of territory," he informed us. "You are playing all over the place. You should make secure territory in the corners."

Again we invited him to play, but he declined and rode off.

-- BillSpight

Saesneg: I was teaching a colleague how to play in a country pub. Two lads came up and one asked what we were playing. I reeled off the usual script that we all come to know, "The oldest game in the world...deeper than chess...it's about surrounding...capture...territory...but the other guy might be surrounding you..." etc.

I turned to the board to place a stone. Then the other lad stumped me. "So are you putting those stones down at random, then?"