A lutin's study journal

[Amelia]

Yeah, he seemed to enjoy arranging the stones like that
Since then he experimented some more, and I think he now creates big, clunky, fat groups on purpose, just so he can capture them later. I wonder if that's good or bad

[tentano]

If he can arrange his opponent's stones in clumps, that's pretty good. His own, though ...

[EdLee]

I wonder if that's good or bad

All good. As long as he enjoys playing with the set, it's good.

[xed_over]

He tried putting down stones and then capturing them (he told me he wanted to eat this one or that one). And it was great, because there was no need to argue about rules. Captured stones disappear instantly, giving him immediate feedback. Illegal moves are simply impossible.

That's part of the beauty with computers, it enforces the rules (even though you don't understand them), and you can't argue back. Its really difficult to try and enforce that same sort of discipline with our kids on our own.

As Boidhre suggests, at that age, just taking turns is often a good enough rule to learn first. Let him play where he wants. Play Chinese rules and maybe no pass, so that eventually the board is filled and somebody loses all their stones (try to setup positions he can win, so as not to discourage too quickly). Really small boards may be better for that. Use CGoban if that helps (enforcing the rules, and all that).

Eager to hear your progress, both good or bad

[Thimblefox]

I think when he gets a bit older at least going to tournaments could awaken his interest for the game. If there is some event for the older children, then maybe he'll get interested.

I taught my cousin the game a while back, she was 10 at the time, but she found it really boring though. It wasn't until I taught it to my other cousin (9 years) and got them to fight each other that they got interested.

[Amelia]

I think when he gets a bit older at least going to tournaments could awaken his interest for the game.

Actually he and my husband visited the local tournament I was at last weekend. It's a small tournament but there were several kids there (one of them beat me ). He was very interested and wanted to play too. I told him he could when he's grown up a bit

Play Chinese rules and maybe no pass, so that eventually the board is filled and somebody loses all their stones (try to setup positions he can win, so as not to discourage too quickly).

I'm really not trying to insist on the won / lost logic for now. That's not how he learns, and that's not how he enjoys playing. There will be quite enough time to introduce the competitive aspect of the game. For now capturing stones is just funny. It's neither "won" nor "lost". Just learning how to capture is already quite good at his age.

[EdLee]

A gentle reminder, for anyone who missed earlier posts,
he is 3.5 years old.

( Of course, that is changing every second as we type. )

[Thimblefox]

I'm assuming that this is quite casual and experimentive, and not going in the direction of hardcore military training programs. But yeah, I suppose exposure, in the sense of seeing it being played around him might get him interested once he gets bigger. Get Go curtains, and paint Go patterns on the wall in his bedroom!

[Amelia]

I'm assuming that this is quite casual and experimentive, and not going in the direction of hardcore military training programs

You assume correctly
I rarely ever suggest playing around with CGoban or my go set to my kid. He usually bugs me himself to do it. Sometimes because he sees me reviewing a game or something, sometimes because he just comes to the idea on his own. On several occasions he even turned to go instead of an episode of Maya the Bee and that's saying something
When he wants to do something else, we move on to another game.

I only try to find roundabout ways he can learn something about the game while he's enjoying himself.

[Boidhre]

I'm assuming that this is quite casual and experimentive, and not going in the direction of hardcore military training programs.

I don't advise hardcore military training programs with 3 year olds. You'll break before they do...