There are obviously no wrong answers here, I'm just curious about the different things that draw people to go.

Answer the following with as few of words as possible but as many as are needed. Imagine these are questions that a person is asking you after you mention playing go and they respond "what is that? I've not heard of it" (therefore try not to include very many things that only go players will understand):

1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?

2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?

3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?

4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?

5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?

6. Will you ever be? When or how?

7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?

8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?

9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?

10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?

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Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

There are so many threads like this here that perhaps it would be a good idea to read those first.

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Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

Ten-four, I had not seen such things.

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Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?
> The game is pure and elegant. Also, I play go because I got into go. If I had gotten into Chess 10 years ago, I would probably be into Chess instead.

2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?
> It's the game that Hikaru plays.

3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?
> Yes.

4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?
> When I knew the rules.

5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?
> No.

6. Will you ever be? When or how?
> When I lower my expectations. Maybe when I give up trying to improve.

7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?
> KGS 5d

8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?
> I suppose I'd play more Go.

9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?
> Meh.

10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?
> No comment.

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be immersed

> 1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?

I play other games as well but I've found that while Go is simple on the surface, there is a lot to learn beyond the basic techniques. I also like that equipment costs can be very minimal. There's always something to study and you don't always need to buy things. The game can often be played completely free of charge so it's great if you're strapped for cash.

Beyond that I feel like it fits a lot of time gaps. I can work tsumego when I just have a few minutes, read a post or book if I have a little more time, play on a small board if I have just 30 minutes or so, and play a game if I have an hour or two.

An added bonus: the players seem relatively diverse and I've gained friends in person just by sitting down at a goban with them.

> 2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?

To be completely honest: it was a "thinking" game that wasn't chess. I've never been any good at chess, for some reason I was unable to keep all the piece movements in my head. My family is very good at chess and I never could pick it up. Rather than try harder at that game, I gravitated toward go.

> 3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?

Yes but it doesn't have to be. Two friends playing a game may not consider it difficult at all. Stretching your mind with tsumego can be tough.

> 4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?

My time on IGS and DGS tells me I'm not there yet. I sort of feel like a "real" player when I play in person, though. This might be due to people playing closer to my level in my local community, though it is rather small.

> 5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?

Not entirely. I've got heavy online go anxiety and I rarely finish a game without resigning. I want to learn to read better.

> 6. Will you ever be? When or how?

I don't know. When? I can't predict that. How? Study.

> 7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?

Single digit Kyu, probably. I think I'd be happy with 8-5ish.

> 8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?

I would miss my family greatly and I would miss my freedom. I'd probably play Go given that it's all they had to do. I would likely go through cycles of burning out and desiring to play again. That aside, prison would be a terrible place and I might not survive.

> 9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?

She's completely indifferent. She'll play once in a blue moon but cares little about it.

> 10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?

Yes, if there were a valid reason for her asking me to quit.

1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?
I love strategy games, and I'm not a big fan of chance games. I was decent at chess growing up, but chess is very tactical. If you lose a key piece, it starts to quickly slide into losing the game, so its about out-maneuvering your opponent. Go, you can lose a group, and there's still 3/4s of the board to play. Its still an uphill battle, but there's just so many more possibilities, and the depth is so great. One stone ripples across the board. Unless its the 1-1 stone, then its pretty useless. I can pass my free time studying tsumego or theory, and there's always so much more to learn. It's challenging.

2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?
The depth, the strategy, the ability to spend countless hours and realize that there's so much more to learn.

3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?
Yes. The rules are simple, but very few people I've introduced to Go take to it. And it takes a lot of work to play well. (Not there yet.)

4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?
In the sense that I know what I'm doing? Still feel like I approach every position with the mindset "uh...now what?" In the sense that I've grasped some of the basic concepts - sort of? 10k-ish.

5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?
Satisfied with where I currently am? Yes. Happy to stay here? Definitely not.

6. Will you ever be? When or how?
When I'm 2-3 dan, maybe? I've got a long way to go. When? Doesn't matter, as long as I keep playing. How? Play and review. Tsumego. Review pro games.

7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?
I don't know yet, I've only been playing for about 10 months. I enjoy studying, and probably dedicate 10+ hours a week to Go (most weeks...holidays not so much). I hope to still be playing in 10 years, and dedicating at least half that time to it. But....no clue right now.

8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?
I'd miss friends and loved ones. And this is a terrible idea. But, if I was stuck in prison anyways, then sure, I could spend 5 years working on Go. It beats making license plates or staring at the walls. I'd still go slightly mad.

9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?
She loves that I have hobbies, particularly Go.

10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?
No. And I'd be concerned about the health of our relationship if she asked me to. If it infringed on our time together, then yes, I'd dial it back. But why would you ever discourage a s/o from doing something that is healthy and they enjoy?

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Go Books

The simplicity yet immense complexity.


I saw an article about it in the local newspaper in the eighties and was immediately attracted. I then went to the local club to learn.


Yes


Not yet


To be (dis)satisfied would require for having some goals or aspirations, which I don't have.


See above


2k


I would probably think it's better than "normal" prison


Nothing (or perhaps I should ask her)


I play very little, so there would not be much difference. For a good reason, sure.

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Offending ad removed

From my point of view, it is a hobby, just like Chess or SoC could be a hobby.


Looked more productive than Warcraft III.


Yeah.


Since I learned the rules.


No.


Probably not.


Don't know, I would have given a different answer last year.


Kill me.


She doesn't like it, but respects how I feel about it.


If she asked such an ultimatum, it most likely means that she feels I am prioritizing Go more than her. This means we need to have a discussion together on why she feels this way, and come to an agreement on what is an acceptable amount of time I can spend on Go, including playing online and visiting the Go club. That being said, she is not the sort of person to give ultimatums as I believed even before our relationship that ultimatums are a huge red flag in any relationship, so if she had early in our relationship I would have considered ending it. Regardless, I wouldn't quit; to me, asking me to give up Go feels more like giving up a loving pet rather than giving up a game. While I did say in the first question that it is a hobby, it is a very important hobby to me that has helped me learn life lessons and meet many of my friends today.

1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?
It's fantastic how easy to remember/teach rules create such a complex game

2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?
One of my friends never played chess with me, but introduced me to Go. I was fascinated how he enjoyed Go, but hated to play chess and thought there might be much more like him (which proved true in my experience)

3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?
No. It is only difficult if you want to reach a certain level, but with that condition even cooking, which is a common skill, becomes difficult

4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?
Never thought about that. The closest to this experience was a game where we played a bunch of ikken tobis next to each other. Don't remember the actual level I had back than.

5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?
Yes, because I have fun in my games and can teach others, while I still can learn and improve. If you meant to ask for actual playing strength, I always want to improve my skill.

6. Will you ever be? When or how?
Answered in 5 already

7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?
5d, because I'll try to learn my whole lifetime and hopefully improve step by step. Might be 70 at 5d, but who cares, I had a fun hobby in my life

8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?
A big grow in playing and teaching skills I believe. Won't believe the game will become boring because there are a lot of facettes. If I want to make pause playing I still teach for sure and start playing at some time.

9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?
She got infected herself and tries to become better to play rengo more effective with me

10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?
Sorry, can't really imagine that scenario, but I suppose no, because I won't like partners who forbid hobbies. Maybe I would play less, but totally quit? Hard to imagine.

> 1. Why go? Hows it different than any other games such as Chess or Settlers of Catan?
It's the best game I've played, I grok it. Played Chess as a kid, never progressed beyond succeeding only due to opponent's blunders. Maybe I just had a bad teacher or wasn't intellectually developed enough (but you do get strong young chess and go players). Played a little Catan because that's what the professional Go player teachers at BIBA played to relax in the evenings .

> 2. What attracted you when you first learned of it?
I wasn't actually that attracted when I first learnt it aged ~17, but picked it up a few years later when a friend told me about KGS and I played it online a lot in the summer holidays.

> 3. Would you call it a difficult game as a blanket statement?
Yes.

> 4. At what level did you start to feel like you're "actually" playing go as a "real" go player (if you're there yet)?
15k? Not really sure what this means, but I suppose once you buy some Go books and go to a Go tournament you are a "real" player.

> 5. Are you satisfied with where you are right now in your development as a player?
Yes and no, I'd like to be stronger and not blunder so much, but I have fun and think I am making decent progress given the time and effort I put in.

> 6. Will you ever be? When or how?
British Champion would be a sweet milestone, but I don't even need to be 6d to do that now, so I'd still want to improve after that. Several time European champion and dozens of British championships like Matthew Macfadyen would do it, but that's not going to happen.

> 7. What's the highest ranking you could practically see yourself attaining in your life given your interest in the game, time available to spend on it, dedication, resources etc.?
EGF 6d, small chance of 7d if I did extended study (assuming my mental faculties do not deteriorate, at 30 I'm probably past my peak already).

> 8. How would it affect you if you were sentenced to 5 years in prison without parole but then found out that all they do at this prison is play go all day, every day?
I'd get hungry.

> 9. What does your significant other think of your little hobby?
She plays too (that's how we met) but not as much as me. Sometimes gets annoyed if I spend too much time on it. At a recent tournament I played Go whilst she went shopping so that worked well (and we played the rengo together).

> 10. Would you quit playing if he/she asked you to?
Probably not, but I don't think she'd ask. But I did reduce it a lot for her: I left my virtual girlfriend of OGS for her .

I discovered go via my general interest in board games, and while it is my favorite game and the one I spend the most time on (by far) I still frequently play other games. Why is go my favorite? For all practical purposes, it has infinite depth. I will never exhaust the game via study. It also matches the way I think. I have friends who are passionate about chess, but while I enjoy the game and have some aptitude for it I could never sustain interest in the game. I love the fact that I can find a quality opponent whenever I want to play without leaving my living room. I love the fact that it connects me with a rich culture and interesting history.


I like games. A lot. Go was a very well regarded abstract strategy game on boardgamegeek.com, and I wanted to try it out. It really took off when I found a small, folding goban in a thrift store and learned the game with my wife. She didn't stick with it, but I did.



Yes. I judge it against other popular games, and if you don't call difficult there is no such thing as a difficult game. It is not, however, complex.


I'm not sure... somewhere in the 20-25 kyu range. Basically, as soon as I had a very basic grasp on strategy.


I'm satisfied in the sense that I have fun, can easily find opponents, and think I've made decent progress for my station in life. (30's, married, small child, full time job, significant volunteer commitments.) That doesn't mean that I don't want to continue to improve.


I'm sure I'll always want to get better. That's part of the attraction of the game.


I would guess 3 dan. But I'm not really sure.


It would be devastating. I love playing go, but there are many things in life that are more important to me. But if I have to go to prison...


She approves. We're both introverts, so it's not uncommon for us to sit next to each other and pursue our individual hobbies. We both try to make sure those hobbies don't get in the way of our relationship, though.


I can't imagine that would happen, but if it was important for me to give up go to maintain our relationship I would do so. She is much more important than a game.