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Spark & Whetstonethe grown-up commons

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Go Through the Ages

Four short lessons on the oldest board game still played: what keeps a stone alive, why a group needs two eyes, a famous quiet move from 1846, and the opening that changed the game in 1933 — with a board to try it on.

For grown-ups, from what StoneSong teaches children at Spark & Anvil.

  1. Lesson 1A game of surrounding
  2. Lesson 2Two eyes to live
  3. Lesson 3The ear-reddening move
  4. Lesson 4A new opening
At the table · 2, any ages

The small-board table

You'll need: A 9 × 9 board (a drawn grid and coins work), or the Go page on one device.

  1. Open the Go page and choose the 9 × 9 board. If one player is new, give them a head start of a few stones.
  2. Play a whole game slowly. Before each move, say out loud which group you are worried about.
  3. When you both pass, count together and agree which groups could not have escaped.
  4. Name one group that lived because it had two eyes, and one move that did work in more than one place.

Print the guidebook (all lessons + the table activity) →