Favourite Go Proverbs?

General conversations about Go belong here.
User avatar
Bonobo
Oza
Posts: 2223
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:39 pm
Rank: OGS 9k
GD Posts: 0
OGS: trohde
Universal go server handle: trohde
Location: Germany
Has thanked: 8262 times
Been thanked: 924 times
Contact:

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bonobo »

SpongeBob wrote:I followed Herman's advice, read the book and came up with this one:

Don't start a fight for no good reason.

Oh well, being angry or being bored have always been good bad reasons for me :roll:
“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS? :)
Elom
Lives in sente
Posts: 827
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 1:18 am
Rank: OGS 9kyu
GD Posts: 0
Universal go server handle: WindnWater, Elom
Location: UK
Has thanked: 568 times
Been thanked: 84 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Elom »

"Two brothers shouldn't fight the same road"

Weiqi, making the world a better place on proverb at a time!

Another favourite has to be:

"Get strong at removing you're own liberties"

Also, "Get strong at killing you're own stones" has helped me to improve.

(Note: while not technically a Go proverb, "a piece of wood cannot fight back against a punch" can be quite useful to Go beginners)
On Go proverbs:
"A fine Gotation is a diamond in the hand of a dan of wit and a pebble in the hand of a kyu" —Joseph Raux misquoted.
Pio2001
Lives in gote
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:13 pm
Rank: kgs 5 kyu
GD Posts: 0
KGS: Pio2001
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 83 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Pio2001 »

Don't wreste with pigs. You will both get dirty, and the pig will love it.
User avatar
Bonobo
Oza
Posts: 2223
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:39 pm
Rank: OGS 9k
GD Posts: 0
OGS: trohde
Universal go server handle: trohde
Location: Germany
Has thanked: 8262 times
Been thanked: 924 times
Contact:

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bonobo »

Pio2001 wrote:Don't wreste with pigs. You will both get dirty, and the pig will love it.
I know this one, but how would you relate it with Go?

There’s a similar one: “Don’t fight with idiots — they will pull you down to their level and beat you with their experience” (or something like that)

And I think you wanted to write “wrestle”

Also, nothing like a nice mud fight with a swinish friend :-D
“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS? :)
John Fairbairn
Oza
Posts: 3724
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:09 am
Has thanked: 20 times
Been thanked: 4672 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by John Fairbairn »

It's not a proverb but this axiom applies to about 99% of all amateur moves so seems to deserve a place:

"This must be the best move because he's bound to answer it."

My favourite proper proverb is "If you have six groups, one will die."
Javaness2
Gosei
Posts: 1545
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:48 am
GD Posts: 0
Has thanked: 111 times
Been thanked: 322 times
Contact:

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Javaness2 »

There is a barge in the river
User avatar
Fedya
Lives in gote
Posts: 603
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:21 pm
Rank: 6-7k KGS
GD Posts: 0
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 139 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Fedya »

Russian has the proverb "Measure seven times, cut once," which wasn't coined in reference to go, but certainly fits.
User avatar
HermanHiddema
Gosei
Posts: 2011
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:08 am
Rank: Dutch 4D
GD Posts: 645
Universal go server handle: herminator
Location: Groningen, NL
Has thanked: 202 times
Been thanked: 1086 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by HermanHiddema »

John Fairbairn wrote:My favourite proper proverb is "If you have six groups, one will die."


But of course "Six die, eight live", so if you do find yourself with six groups, try to make two more! :mrgreen:
User avatar
Nyanjilla
Lives with ko
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:48 am
Rank: KGS 3k and falling
GD Posts: 0
Has thanked: 82 times
Been thanked: 65 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Nyanjilla »

John Fairbairn wrote:My favourite proper proverb is "If you have six groups, one will die."


With the follow-up of: "...but with luck your opponent won't know which one it is."
User avatar
Bantari
Gosei
Posts: 1639
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:34 pm
GD Posts: 0
Universal go server handle: Bantari
Location: Ponte Vedra
Has thanked: 642 times
Been thanked: 490 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bantari »

My favorite one: When in doubt, tenuki.
There is a kind of zen wisdom in that, I find. ;)
- Bantari
______________________________________________
WARNING: This post might contain Opinions!!
Bill Spight
Honinbo
Posts: 10905
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:24 pm
Has thanked: 3651 times
Been thanked: 3373 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bill Spight »

Bantari wrote:My favorite one: When in doubt, tenuki.
There is a kind of zen wisdom in that, I find. ;)


You're welcome. :)
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.
Bill Spight
Honinbo
Posts: 10905
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:24 pm
Has thanked: 3651 times
Been thanked: 3373 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bill Spight »

Inkwolf wrote:Don't go fishing when your house is on fire!


Get out the marshmallows instead. :mrgreen:
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.
Bki
Lives with ko
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2015 6:59 am
Rank: IGS 3k
GD Posts: 0
KGS: Bki
IGS: mlbki
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 14 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bki »

I personally like "Strange things happens at the 1-2 points".
User avatar
Bantari
Gosei
Posts: 1639
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:34 pm
GD Posts: 0
Universal go server handle: Bantari
Location: Ponte Vedra
Has thanked: 642 times
Been thanked: 490 times

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by Bantari »

Bill Spight wrote:
Bantari wrote:My favorite one: When in doubt, tenuki.
There is a kind of zen wisdom in that, I find. ;)


You're welcome. :)

You came up with that? Lol...
My hat off to you! This *is* the best proverb, I think.
- Bantari
______________________________________________
WARNING: This post might contain Opinions!!
DrStraw
Oza
Posts: 2180
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:09 am
Rank: AGA 5d
GD Posts: 4312
Online playing schedule: Every tenth February 29th from 20:00-20:01 (if time permits)
Location: ʍoquıɐɹ ǝɥʇ ɹǝʌo 'ǝɹǝɥʍǝɯos
Has thanked: 237 times
Been thanked: 662 times
Contact:

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?

Post by DrStraw »

Bantari wrote:
Bill Spight wrote:
Bantari wrote:My favorite one: When in doubt, tenuki.
There is a kind of zen wisdom in that, I find. ;)


You're welcome. :)

You came up with that? Lol...
My hat off to you! This *is* the best proverb, I think.


The converse is "If the opponent tenukis, doubt your last move."
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).
Post Reply