Today, being a Sunday, was Go class day. I did okay in the class but I couldn't  really focus on the problems as much as I should have been able to. (I'm blaming it on one of the kids who came today instead of Saturday. I think his father actually pulled him out of the class for misbehavior - I mean he fell out of his own chair today and just would not stop mimicking and back-answering the teacher.)

That said however, when it came to playing matches instead of solving problems I seemed to be on a roll today. I did great in class for the fifteen minutes we were allowed to play and then the teacher called me back after class to see if I wanted to come in for some more matches against some women who were also at my level.

I resigned from a game I should have won (had I the patience), and won a game I should have lost (if my opponent had been paying more attention.) All in all though, it's getting the experience which matters.

Below is a snapshot from my second game where we stopped playing (I'm black):



And here is one after a few finishing moves were played and all was counted up:



Last time I played these two women, which was before my accident, I lost to both on 9x9 boards. It's true that I have more experience on the full-sized boards than they do, but I also think I've come a long way from when I first began. Playing matches has actually become quite fun for me.

If you're looking for a game with a difference I highly recommend Go, because unlike Chess and Shogi you absolutely never know where the fire of a battle will end up burning its brightest. If you can get your hands on "The Game of Go: The National Game of Japan" by Arthur Smith, it's a great way to start. If you prefer the drama of a manga/anime, then Hikaru no Go is a must!