Cardiff University

What is Go?

Go, otherwise known as weiqi or baduk, is an ancient Chinese board game, around 4,000 years old. The objective is to surround as much of the board as possible without being captured by your opponent – simple! With over 40 million players, it is one of the most popular board game in the world.

Is it like chess?

Being a purely strategic, abstract game people often compare Go to chess. Go however, is far more complex despite having simpler rules; it is truly the embodiment of ‘a minute to learn, a lifetime to master'. Its complexity allows for a far wider range of playing styles and players are encouraged to be creative and develop their own personality within the game. The number of possible positions in Go is of the magnitude of 10^170 compared to chess' 10^43. (It's also a lot more fun)!

How do I join?

Just turn up! It is completely free and doesn't require any commitment. Anyone can join - staff, students or non-students.

What if I can't make it?

If you aren't free on Tuesdays but are still interested, or have any queries, send an email to BurlandJ@cardiff.ac.uk and we can arrange another time to meet up!