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Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:12 am
by topazg
hailthorn011 wrote:But then you'll have quite a mess to clean up. My suggestion would just be to randomly start taking stones off the board so you're opponent's like, "what the fudge, dude?"
That would be ... soo ... funny. I really would love to see that at club or at a tournament or something, it would make my day
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:15 am
by John Fairbairn
I used to be a competent chess player but I gave up because I found I didn't like most chessplayers.
I've since met many chess masters and even world champions, and have occasionally been inspired to go back to chess, but again most chess players have put me off.
You can draw your own inferences about go.
I don't like that there is no dramatic way to resign. In chess, you can slam your king down on the board or, if you want to be more theatric, build a pagan altar and place your king on it as a sacrifice (you lose the game, but you might get some nice weather out of the deal). In go, what can you do? Play an illegal move... place two moves simultaneously
You obviously don't know about Sakata pushing all the stones over into Rin's lap in order to start the obligatory post mortem in a title match. In fact it is said that the Japanese phrase for resigning (chuu oshi) means more or less that - pushing the stones into the middle of the board - though it may be a folk etymology, like ko = aeon.
There is also this story from our New In Go:
Eventually White got to play 7 (252 in the game). At that point, as Kajiwara recorded - no doubt gleefully on behalf of the Nihon Ki-in - in an article called "Tales of Modern Blunders" in Kido, "As soon as I played 252, Sumino leapt up. He yelped something and ran round the middle of the room and then resigned." That sounds like a style worth copying...
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:28 am
by TMark
I also used to be a chess player and lived for a while in north London. One time, when there were no go clubs to visit, I thought I would look in on the local chess club and play a game or two. In one game, I saw a brilliant (for me, at least) way to win and when checkmate came I scooped up the knight and banged it down on the board with a triumphant "Mate!". Instantly, everyone in the room turned to say "sssshhhhh" and the noise level sank back to that of an empty church. There was no post-mortem to stoke my pride on my great win and, in fact, no conversation at all. I left and never returned.
One thing that has not yet crept into the normal go club.
Best wishes.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:40 am
by hailthorn011
topazg wrote:hailthorn011 wrote:But then you'll have quite a mess to clean up. My suggestion would just be to randomly start taking stones off the board so you're opponent's like, "what the fudge, dude?"
That would be ... soo ... funny. I really would love to see that at club or at a tournament or something, it would make my day
Same here. Although I'm not sure how I'd react if my opponent did that to me. <<
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 8:26 am
by amnal
hailthorn011 wrote:topazg wrote:hailthorn011 wrote:But then you'll have quite a mess to clean up. My suggestion would just be to randomly start taking stones off the board so you're opponent's like, "what the fudge, dude?"
That would be ... soo ... funny. I really would love to see that at club or at a tournament or something, it would make my day
Same here. Although I'm not sure how I'd react if my opponent did that to me. <<
I'm not sure how you could choose anything other than taking stones off yourself, alternating with your opponent.
To do otherwise would be rude.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 9:00 am
by palapiku
Go takes too long to play, making every game a serious commitment. This is why people hate escapers so much. It also makes losing hurt more.
None of my friends play it.
Any attempt on their part to learn the game ends in failure, because it takes too long to understand what's going on (I mean the concept of territories and a basic idea of what should be done to secure them with live groups).
Even if they managed to learn go, they wouldn't be able to play with me for half a year or so, except teaching games where even with a 9-stone handicap I have an advantage. And I'm not even a dan player.
Some tactical stuff is kinda boring.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 9:30 am
by oren
Araban wrote:Anyone can list all the things they like about this game, but what are some of the things you don't like about it (maybe hate is a bit too strong of a word)? I'll start with a few:
- It is a very unforgiving game. I can play my very best for 200 moves and stay ahead, but if I make one careless move I lose the game instantly, especially in L&D scenarios.
- The komi system. There's just something gimmicky about it, although a crucial part of the game. Same with triple ko.
- In meatspace games, the counting stage requires the trust of your opponent to not mess up or try to cheat as he's rearranging the stones.
- I find the opening and endgame stages of Go to be kind of dull. They feel like formalities to introduce and conclude the middle game, where all the action is.
- This sounds like every game. I've been into motorsports for a while and try to picture something like LeMans where you have 24 hour race that can be ruined by the smallest thing near the end that you have no control over
- I like komi and triple ko. Superko makes me sad for some reason.
- Sure, but how many of those games have any real meaning and are done incorrectly?
- I find them all the segments interesting
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 9:53 am
by rubin427
The thing I don’t like about Go:
Meeting someone through a shared interest in Go can really complicate a friendship. On the board we fight to the death – no mercy. Off the board, can we transition back to amicable behavior? Will my friend take the results of this match personally? If I win, can I do so gracefully? If I lose, can I endure another round of gloating?
Will rivalry ever foster true friendship?
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:35 pm
by Chew Terr
rubin427 wrote:Will rivalry ever foster true friendship?
Yep. When you first meet someone, the game is bigger than the friendship. However, eventually, the friendship can be bigger than the game.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 2:12 pm
by daal
1. I wanted go to make me smarter, instead it makes me feel more stupid.
2. Playing go is more interesting than doing something productive.
3. When I win it's because I got lucky, when I lose it's because I suck.
4. It's a sport where you get beaten by children and nerds.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 2:19 pm
by mw42
3. When I win it's because I got lucky, when I lose it's because I suck.
I'm glad I am not the only one who feels this way. It makes me feel less neurotic.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 2:28 pm
by yoyoma
I don't like the atmosphere I feel from many people that there are all these negative things everywhere in the world including playing a game of Go.
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:08 pm
by BaghwanB
I don't like the fact the the outcome of such a fun, challenging and engaging activity has to end with a "winner" and a "loser". This can change a fun, family, friendly thing into an outright competition with hurt feelings and all sorts of issues.
I know that's what makes this a game and not a hobby but compared to all the good things about go, it can be a real sticking point.
Bruce "Rule 1 of pair go is never gripe at your partner (not kidding this time)" Young
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:17 pm
by daniel_the_smith
BaghwanB wrote:Bruce "Rule 1 of pair go is never gripe at your partner (not kidding this time)" Young
The second rule of pair go is that you do NOT gripe at your PARTNER.
Edit: you gripe about them to others, afterwards, of course!
Re: Things you don't like about Go.
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:22 pm
by Mnemonic
The thing I hate most about go is that I can't combine it with drinking. I can play most games while drunk (soccer, various card games, board games, rolleplaying games, drinking games, ect) depending on the game I might even get better at it (read: I'm having more fun)
But go is almost as unforgiving as math. If I'm playing a random board game I can take several pints before anything effects my decision making process. Whereas in go I lose around 2 stones per beer
