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I've been toying with Go for the last few days. There's a lot about Chess that I don't like; I think I nailed it recently when I considered that it's damn near solved: soonish, there's going to be a computer which can win at chess, or at worst stalemate, even the best players. At which point, it's like a larger version of tic-tac-toe: no point in playing, all the permutations are known.
Not that I could ever become that good a chess player. I have trouble visualizing the chessboard the way one needs to in order to get anywhere - I can't 'see' the terrain.
Go's terrain is right there to be seen; the pieces are on the board and I don't need to visualize where they can move, just what can be put where, and the effect. Much easier on my brain. Instead of the terrain rebuilding itself constantly, it's _building_ constantly. There's a difference, I swear.
Of course, the game itself walks all over me. I'm still in the stage where I'm playing on a 9x9 board to get a feel for the dynamic, and even a basic AI has me for lunch 19 out of 20 games or so. But it's fun, and hugely chaotic. The rules are very simple, but produce a grand variety of results. I've watched a couple of high-rank games on the 'net and been entertained by something as simple as the placement of black-and-white pieces on a grid.
I imagine a good tactical and strategic mind could walk all over me as well; there's a lot of that kind of give-and-take. I still tend to consolidate my army too much, and end up badly surrounded; since I don't know how a good player would react, most of my epiphanies against this faceless foe have been brutally learned. If I continue to hold interest to the end of the month, I'll probably get a board, some pieces, and a book or two to learn from. If nothing else, it's a journey I haven't seen anyone try recently, so it's attractive.
Not that I could ever become that good a chess player. I have trouble visualizing the chessboard the way one needs to in order to get anywhere - I can't 'see' the terrain.
Go's terrain is right there to be seen; the pieces are on the board and I don't need to visualize where they can move, just what can be put where, and the effect. Much easier on my brain. Instead of the terrain rebuilding itself constantly, it's _building_ constantly. There's a difference, I swear.
Of course, the game itself walks all over me. I'm still in the stage where I'm playing on a 9x9 board to get a feel for the dynamic, and even a basic AI has me for lunch 19 out of 20 games or so. But it's fun, and hugely chaotic. The rules are very simple, but produce a grand variety of results. I've watched a couple of high-rank games on the 'net and been entertained by something as simple as the placement of black-and-white pieces on a grid.
I imagine a good tactical and strategic mind could walk all over me as well; there's a lot of that kind of give-and-take. I still tend to consolidate my army too much, and end up badly surrounded; since I don't know how a good player would react, most of my epiphanies against this faceless foe have been brutally learned. If I continue to hold interest to the end of the month, I'll probably get a board, some pieces, and a book or two to learn from. If nothing else, it's a journey I haven't seen anyone try recently, so it's attractive.
