66.65.177.130: earliest kifu (2011-12-28 04:41) [#9185]

Does anyone know the approximate date of the earliest Go game recorded. By recorded I mean a notation of the moves played in order, not just a final position?

Thanks, Gorobei

2.102.196.81: ((no subject)) (2012-01-04 01:07) [#9206]

Zengarden

John Fairbairn has written an interesting article on the history of Go in China, available online at http://www.pandanet.co.jp/English/essay/goancientchina.html In the article, he states that the earliest surviving game record appears to be the game, in "Wang You Qing Le Ji", between the Wu prince Sun Ce (175-200) and his general Lü Fan. It is preserved in the Song Dynasty go manual "Carefree and Innocent Pastime" and is available from ftp://ftp-igs.joyjoy.net/Go/games/ancient.sgf.Z in Smart-Go format.

I hope that is sufficient information. There is also a lot of interesting stuff on Chinese go in the Gogod encyclodpedia.