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Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 9:33 am
by TheJaz49
Share your fvourite Go proverbs, or proverbs you like to use in the context of Go!
I've always been very fond of:
"Lose Your First 50 Games As Quickly As Possible" and "You Can Play Go But Don't Let Go Play You".
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:12 am
by EdLee
- Proverbs are traps. (Like this one!)

- No rules.
- Open your mind.
Re:
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:21 am
by Bonobo
I absolutely LOVE Go proverbs and I have about half a dozen books about them (if I count the stratagem books). But/and I also know that one has to decide for oneself — i.e. for every situation — whether it applies.
One of my favourites is this:
• Go proverbs only apply to Black.
<edit>Oh, and of course these:
• If you have all four corners, resign.
together with
• If your opponent has all four corners, resign.
(this seems to be one of those that only apply to Black players, as I understand it)
</edit>
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:38 am
by oca
Mine is "mieux vaut un tient que deux tu l'auras" but it's not a go proverb

I'm not sure how to translate that in english... I think it is "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" but I'm not sure...
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:43 am
by DrStraw
oca wrote:Mine is "mieux vaut un tient que deux tu l'auras" but it's not a go proverb

I'm not sure how to translate that in english... I think it is "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" but I'm not sure...
The English equivalent is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
And I was about to post "A go proverb over the board is worth two in the book", but I guess you preempted me.
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:53 am
by TheJaz49
That's such a classic proverb, but it certainly does seem applicable to Go ^^
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 1:15 pm
by Bonobo
• Forgo the small and take big

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 2:44 pm
by DJLLAP
"Cut, no matter what."
Well, maybe it's not a real go proverb (or very good advice), but it does rhyme.
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 2:45 pm
by HermanHiddema
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 3:24 pm
by SpongeBob
It's not really a proverb, but still good advice:
If you can't take the pain, don't play the game!

Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 6:38 pm
by Inkwolf
Don't go fishing when your house is on fire!
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 6:59 pm
by Bonobo
• A rich person shouldn’t pick a fight. (Meaning to play conservatively = not risky when one’s ahead)
And the counterpart:
• When behind, complicate the game.
And since I still can’t count, I always get these wrong 
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 10:54 pm
by oca
SpongeBob wrote:It's not really a proverb, but still good advice:
If you can't take the pain, don't play the game!

This one remind me of "If you don't like ko, don't play go"
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 10:57 pm
by SpongeBob
I followed Herman's advice, read
the book and came up with this one:
Don't start a fight for no good reason.
Re: Favourite Go Proverbs?
Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 3:39 am
by CnP
my favourite has to be
"If you don't like Ko don't Play Go"
just a great sentiment really.