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Yagyu
10th July 2000, 22:59
has anyone seen a computer version of the game go? no one will play with me.....boo hoo....

actually, i just want to get better..

Gordon Smith
11th July 2000, 16:23
Once I get past the next three weeks of stress (marriage in four days, dissertation defense two weeks afterward), I'll be happy to play some online games with you. I liked WWGo, at http://www01.tjsys.co.jp/index.htm. They've got a "free" room, and there is the opportunity to chat while you play.

-G-

burp
11th July 2000, 20:33
Howdy!


"Unlike chess and its different pieces and complicated rules, Go is played with black and white stones equal in value, seemingly making it compatible with the binary nature of computers. Since the aim of a move is to control the most territory, the optimal move yields the maximum amount of territory -- a simple counting procedure and a chore computers excel at. Yet in spite of the efforts of the world's best programmers over the last 30 years, the level of computer Go remains about that of a human who has studied Go for a month." -- Richard Bozulich (source: http://www.kiseido.com/ )


Here are a few links to some free software:

http://www.turbogo.com/

http://www.kiseido.com/download.htm
http://www.ippi.com/dir_igo/ish_igo.html


The best (or most capable) software is for sale. You can check http://www.cwi.nl/people/jansteen/go/ under Supplies/Equipment for a list of vendors that sale software. ALSO, check under Go Web Links for a listing of all sorts of Go related links (including Go Servers and computer programs.

One of the Go Servers, the No Name Go Server (NNGS) http://nngs.cosmic.org/~nngs/ , used to have The Many Faces of Go software on their server (they may still have it). You can challenge it to a game and play. It's the same software that you'd have to purchase otherwise.

Computer software is a great way to start playing ... you can play at anytime and get the hang of the basics of GO. The caveat: Later, as you get stronger, it is better to stay away from computer programs ... you'll get to a point where it doesn't help your game, but actually hurts it.

I'm available to play Go ... I usually play on the Internet Go Server (IGS) as "burp", because I can always get a game to play (IGS is the biggest server around with usually around 500 - 600 people of all abilities on there at a time). I've also used WING, NNGS, WWGo, Microsoft Gaming Zone, etc. You say where and I can play. If you have any problems whatsoever, feel free to post questions here.

There is a lot of opportunity now to play with the computer programs and the internet ... especially the Internet!

So ... Enjoy! ;)

mikehansen

burp
11th July 2000, 21:31
Originally posted by burp

... One of the Go Servers, the No Name Go Server (NNGS) http://nngs.cosmic.org/~nngs/ , used to have The Many Faces of Go software on their server (they may still have it). You can challenge it to a game and play. It's the same software that you'd have to purchase otherwise. ...

mikehansen


I just checked and it isn't the Many Faces of Go anymore, but they are using GnuGo. Give it a try ... you can play any size board (9x9, 13x13, 19x19) and if you have any problems you can still ask anyone on the server.

Enjoy!

burp
13th July 2000, 19:55
Howdy!

I just checked out a fairly new Go server called KGS ( http://kgs.kiseido.com/en_US/index.html ). It is Java based, so there is no need for any special client software.

Check it out and let us know what you think. The reason I bring this up is:

- We can create our own room for a game night ... like an E-budo room.
- There is an excellent editing feature that can be used to review games and variations after or during a game is played. Helpful in teaching, discussion, and study!
- SGF game files are the format used.

Anyway ... I was impressed by the game editing / teaching features. Would be very useful in going over games and discussing them.

Enjoy!

mikehansen