Chapter 1 — Is it worth investing time in learning to play Go?
Go (Chinese: Weiqi, Japanese: Igo, Korean: Baduk) is the oldest known board game in the world, invented in China about 4,000 years ago and played to this day with its rules remaining almost entirely unchanged.
According to legend, the mythical Chinese Emperor Yao (2337 - 2258 BC) invented the game to enlighten his rebellious son Danzhu, teaching him balance, patience, and strategy.
For centuries, the game was an indispensable pursuit for nobles and intellectuals in China. In ancient China, it was considered one of the four essential arts (along with calligraphy, painting, and music) that a scholar had to master.
Go reached Korea between the 5th and 7th centuries AD, and then Japan. It received great attention, especially in Japan, and in the 17th century during the Tokugawa Shogunate, state-sponsored Go schools (Houses) were established, making the game a professional occupation.
In the 20th century, Go crossed the borders of Asia and spread to the Western world. Today, there are over 70 countries affiliated with the International Go Federation (IGF).
For many years, the complexity of Go seemed to make it impossible for computers to beat human masters. However, in 2016, an artificial intelligence named AlphaGo, developed by Google DeepMind, defeated world champion Lee Sedol 4-1, opening a brand new page in the history of Go. This event redefined the boundaries of the game and offered players the opportunity to discover entirely new strategies.