Go - A game for intellectuals, smart people, nerds and other rejects from society!

[Naskiff]

Summary: What is Go, what if I don't like Chess, and what is it like playing Go in SL.

Go is a strategy board game for two players most often played in Japan, South Korea and China. It has simple rules, but takes a lifetime to master. On your turn, you must place a stone on a 19x19 grid. The goal of the game is to surround more territory than your opponent. On average, a game lasts between 20 and 60 minutes.

When a game starts, the board is completely empty. Thanks to this, the number of viable and realistic variations is absolutely immense, therefore we rarely study sequences and openings. Instead we focus on improving our fundamentals and strategy.

Go uses a handicap system where the weaker player starts the game with a number of stones placed in advance, so it's always possible to have an interesting game when you are new or playing against someone who is new.

Many or most proficient Go players do not play Chess, often because they are bad at it. Chess mostly uses the left hemisphere of the brain, while Go uses both more evenly.

Go is a game that is played in real life and online servers but we have had a small community in Second Life for a decade. People come and go, but more often than not, there are some of us who wish to play or teach the game.

We have a wonderful and unique opportunity here in Second Life to play this game online in a way that feels real. We have an avatar that we care about, we play in beautiful areas, on a 3D board, and we play in a friendly manner, against acquaintances and friends that we get to know more every time.

Here are some quick points about what a typical day looks like.
There are games played every day.
We almost never use a clock and we don't use a ranking system.
The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, not competitive; we play for the pleasure of it and to become stronger players.
We don't only play Go, we also hang out, chat, and play other games.
The only "dress code" is to refrain from doing BDSM activities, so avoid holding someone on a leash. Furries are welcome.

This is an opportunity for you to do something different in SL in a welcoming environment.
You can learn a game that you will never forget for the rest of your life, and a game that is played all over the world.
If you are an intellectually curious person, whether you already play Go or not, I encourage you to join us.
And if you see us playing a game, feel free to sit down with us and watch the game. We will be happy to have you with us.
Our main hang out spot is in Satori: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Satori/244/172/28
And the group we use is named Kido Province.
I recommend that you come to Satori, because the group is rarely used at the moment.

For any question, don't hesitate to contact me in SL.

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Naskiff