The game pictured above has many names depending on the language:

  • Go
  • Igo
  • Baduk
  • Wéiqí
  • Goe

As far as I know, this is the oldest board game to still be competitively played today. It is apparently over 4000 years old. That alone should tell you how transcending this game is from a human point of view: it was both rudimentary enough to invent with limited technological knowledge, yet is still deep enough that humans have not been able to grow out of it despite all these years.

The game could be considered a human constant at this point. It has existed throughout most of written human history. We have collectively been banging our heads on the topic of Go, and no one has been able to fully grasp everything there is to say about it. For this reason, I believe Go to be the most “humane” game you could play in your lifetime. It can sometimes feels like connecting into what makes us human beings.

It is way more than just “an old Asian game comparable to chess”.

My favorite platform to play on is OGS. Click here to view my player profile .

As you will notice from my rankings, I am actually quite bad at the game. For all the praise I give this game, I sure wish I was a little better at it. Still, every game, whether it’s a victory or a loss, feels like a footstep. I’m looking forward to challenge some of you down the line, just send me an invite! 😃