Go Lesson 2: The basic rules

Insights into Mathematics

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Let's start with two important opening patterns for the 3-3 invasion of the 4-4 point, leading to an explanation of liberties of stones and some simple captures.

Then to set out exactly how stones are killed and removed from the board, we proceed somewhat mathematically, with pretty clear definitions of fundamental terms: point, clique, liberty, and crucially what makes a legal play. We also introduce the more subtle issue of ko, which prevents takes and immediate retakes of stones.

Note that while the essential rules are remarkably simple, there are some difficulties that occur infrequently that we are not at this stage mentioning.

It is also worth mentioning that my usage of the term "clique" is non-standard: most usual descriptions of how the rules work are somewhat less precise. I use this term to allow the term "group" to be used more flexibly and loosely.

My demonstration uses the nice program Drago to create and edit Go games.

Here are all the Insights into Mathematics Playlists:

Elementary Mathematics (K-6) Explained: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?

list=PL8403C2F0C89B1333

Year 9 Maths: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Ancient Mathematics: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Wild West Banking: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Sociology and Pure Mathematics: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Old Babylonian Mathematics (with Daniel Mansfield): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Math History: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Wild Trig: Intro to Rational Trigonometry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

MathFoundations: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Wild Linear Algebra: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Famous Math Problems: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Probability and Statistics: An Introduction: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Boole's Logic and Circuit Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Universal Hyperbolic Geometry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Differential Geometry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Algebraic Topology: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Math Seminars: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

And here are the Wild Egg Maths Playlists:

Triangle Centres: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLBGX...

Six: An elementary course in pure mathematics: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Algebraic Calculus One: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Algebraic Calculus Two: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...