This document contains instructions to introduce the game, according to Comment transmettre sa passion aux débutants by MDZ. An experienced player can follow this procedure to teach the game to a complete beginner.
Atarigo
Start by playing atarigo. Give basic instructions:
- Black start, then white, then black, etc…
- Once placed, stones never move,
- But you can capture by surrounding your opponent stones.
Explain how to capture:
$$ How many white stones to capture black?
$$ | - - - - - -
$$ | . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X . .
$$ | . . . . . .You can start to play atarigo: first player who capture win the game.
Games starts with
good game, and ends withthanks for the game.
$$c9 Initial atarigo starting stones: the panda shape
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | - - - - - - - - - |Combat
During the games, explain combat techniques:
- Atari
- Double atari
- Shicho
- Death row
For example:
$$ Black in a makes atari on white
$$ | - - - - - -
$$ | . . . . . .
$$ | . . . a . .
$$ | . . X O . .
$$ | . . . X . .If the situation doesn’t happen, setup the following boards.
Double atari
$$ Black in a creates a double atari
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . a O X . . . |
$$ | . . . O X . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |You win atarigo after performing a double atari
Shicho
$$ Black play a or b to threaten a shicho on c
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . c X . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . a b . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |Death row
$$ Black capture with a
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . a X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O O X X . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X . . . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . |
$$ | . . O X X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |Tips: show how to place stone with index+middle finger
Atari
Check understanding of atari:
$$ How many stones to capture 1 or 2?
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . X2 |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |Shicho explained
Show a defensive move 1 and mimetism with 2.
$$ Black capture with a
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . a O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |Shicho keeps the oponent at 2 liberties. Mnemonic: white goes out in a direction, black block.
Like double atari, finding a shicho is a winning move in atarigo.
Territory
In go, the goal is to get territory by dividing the goban. Play a regular game, using starting stones:
$$ Initial 9x9 game
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |-
Explain that playing dead stones is forbidden.
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Once the game done, explain that you can pass.
-
Show how to arrange the stones to count the score.
-
Maybe explain the komi (7.5 points for black).
Play more games by removig starting stones, e.g. without the middle columns.
Explain the niggiri to decide who starts.
Immortality
The last technique to learn is immortality. A group needs 2 eyes:
$$ Can white play a? Is left dead? Can white capture right?
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . O X a X O . . . |
$$ | . O X X X O . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . O O |
$$ | O O . . . . O X X |
$$ | X X O . . . O X . |
$$ | . X O . . . O X X |
$$ | . X O . . . O X . |
$$ | X X O . . . O X X |
$$ | O O O . . . O O O |
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |Immortality requires 2 free distinct intersections.
Handicap
The teacher might want to try this handicap setup, Black is likely to win:
$$ Jean-Paul Gaschignard handicaps
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | - - - - - - - - - |Try again by removing one stone.
Ko
Explain the last rules: board position must not be repeated, to avoid infinit capture loop.
At that point, the training is completed. See Go Terms and Learn Go for more.
Tools
Try these tools to play alone:
- goquest app
- online-go.com