Chapter XVI: Go-Ban

BY HERR MEYER.

This game is of Japanese origin, and the name means Go = five, and Ban = board. It has, however, become gradually corrupted into ‘Go-bang,’ and thus it is now generally written.

In Japan it is played on a board of more than three hundred squares, but in Europe on boards of sixty-four squares (as in chess and draughts), or on larger boards. The Japanese have schools for the study and practice of the game, and divide the players into nine classes. A late account says that at present there is no player of the highest (the ninth) class living; but one of the eighth class, named Murase (in German spelling pronounced Moo-răh-sey), is editing a periodical, in which he publishes the theory of the openings, actual games, problems, poems, &c.

This game of Go (or game of five) is in China called Ki (= Kee), and was invented there about 2,000 years B.C. It is therefore older than chess. It was introduced into Japan about 1,100 years ago, and was there brought to higher perfection.

It is played by two persons. In Japan they use more than a hundred men on each side. If played on the _chess-board_, then generally one plays with _twelve white men_, the other with _twelve black men_. The aim of each player is to get _five men in a line_--_i.e._, five of his men close together in a straight line, either in row, a file, or a diagonal. In Japan each player tries to form a chain with his men around the others, etc.

The play is carried on thus:--The players decide as to first move; afterwards they begin alternately. The first player, say White, places a man on any of the sixty-four squares, then Black places a man on any of the remaining sixty-three squares: thereupon White puts down his second man on any unoccupied square, and so on until all the twenty-four men are placed. Now the moving begins. The first player moves one of his men to any of the _next_ unoccupied squares, but must not leap over a man, and the second player proceeds in the same manner. So the play continues until one or the other succeeds in getting five men in a line.

Thus the play consists in _placing_ and _moving_. If a player be not sufficiently attentive he can lose in the first part of the game. The moving may extend from two or three to any number, according to capacity of the players.

The game requires a great deal of watching, for the ‘Go,’ or ‘Five,’ can be made in any of four directions--horizontally, vertically, or on the right and left diagonals. There are eight lines for each of the two straight ways, and seven lines for each of the two diagonal ways; in all thirty lines. Four positions of the ‘five’ are possible in a row or a file, and as many in each of the longest diagonals, whilst the shortest diagonal permits of only one position, so that the number of all positions is 4 × 8 + 4 × 8 + 2 (4 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 1) = 96.

Many players prefer this game to draughts. It may also be played by four persons, taking partners as in ‘whist,’ when each player receives six men. Odds can be given in this game, a superior player having eleven against twelve men.

Whenever a player has three men in an open line the opponent must stop him, for should he get four, then the adversary could block him on only one end. This blocking, however, is not necessary if the second player can first make ‘five.’

The student will learn the method of playing from the games we shall give with explanations. The system of description is the International Chess Notation, as will be shown on the frame of the diagram to follow. The letters in brackets after the moves will refer to the explanatory notes.

The following two games were played between G. W. S. and H. F. L. M.:--

WHITE. BLACK.
1. d4. d5.
2. e4. e5 (_i_).
3. f4. c4 (_j_).
4. f5. e6.
5. f7 (_k_). f6.
6. g6. d3.
7. g4. h4.
8. g4. g3.
9. e3. d2.
10. c5. f2 (_l_).
11. e2. f3 (_m_).
12. b3. g7 (_n_).

The men are now placed as shown in this diagram:--

Now the moving begins:--

WHITE. BLACK.
13. b3 c3. f2 e1 (_o_).
14. e2 f2. d5 c6.
15. f2 e2 (_p_). e1 d1.
16. c5 d5. d1 c2.
17. d5 c5. c2 b3.
18. f7 e7. e5 d5.
19. e7 f7. d2 c2 (_q_).
20. e2 d2. g7 h6.
21. c3 b2. c2 c1 (_r_).
22. g6 g7. f6 g6.
23. g5 f6. e6 e7.
24. g7 f8 = five.

NOTES.

(_i_) Experience has shown that it is best to occupy the central squares, for the men then have the greatest freedom of action.

(_j_) This move is necessary, for if Black had placed the man on c5, White would have won by placing his next man on c4 or g4.

(_k_) He must block the line at a2 g8, just as well as Black must now block the f file.

(_l_) The last six moves were all forced for Black.

(_m_) A weak move, which places the black men awkwardly. He would have done better to place it on b3 in order to force the last white man to go to a2, and then Black could have placed his last on c3, and try to make a ‘five’ in the a5 e1 or the a6 f1 or the c file.

(_n_) Necessary, for if placed on b6 or a5, White would have won thus:--g6 g7, f6 g6, g5 f6, followed by g7 f8.

(_o_) Endeavouring to bring this man to the other side of the board.

(_p_) He is afraid of e1 e2.

(_q_) A bad move, for although he can block at h6, he can afterwards not stop the g or f file. Black should have tried to move from c6 to a2.

(_r_) Must. White now wins easily, even if e6 stood on e7, for g6 g7, e7 f8, f7 g8, f6 g6, f4 e5, g6 f6 (else f5 f6), f5 g6.

GAME NO. 2.

Between H. F. L. M. (_White_) and G. W. S. (_Black_).

WHITE. BLACK.
1. e4. d5.
2. d3. c4.
3. f5. c2.
4. g6. h7 (_i_).
5. e5. e6.
6. b3. e3.
7. d4. c3.
8. c5. f4.
9. d6. d2.
10. g5. e7.
11. g7. e2.

The position is now so interesting that we give it on a diagram.

It appears at first sight that White might now place his last man on h8 and win. Black would then be obliged to place his last man on f6. White would continue f5 g4, and Black must answer h7 g8, and White would now win with e5 f5, followed by h8 h7, if Black could not play e7 f7 and come first in making ‘five’ in the diagonal a2 g8. To prevent these ‘five’ of Black, White would have to play g7 f7 (instead of e5 f5), and then Black would win easily by c3 b2, followed by e3 f2. White therefore must place his last man so that he can at once stop the approaching line of ‘five’ in the second row. He might place it on f2, but does better to put it on g3, and thus compel the last black man to go to g4. Therefore the game went on thus:

WHITE. BLACK.
12. g3. g4.

All the men are now well placed, and _the moving_ can begin.

13. g7 f7. e3 f2.
14. b3 b2. f4 f3.
15. g3 g2. f2 g3.
16. g5 f4. g3 h4.
17. g6 h5 (_j_). g4 g5.
18. g2 g3 (_k_). d5 c6.
19. h5 g4 (_l_). f3 g2.
20. g4 f3. e6 f6.
21. f7 e8. e7 e6 (_m_).
22. e8 d7 (_n_). e6 d5.
23. d7 c7 = five.

NOTES.

(_i_) These two moves of Black were compulsory.

(_j_) Must, because he cannot stop the line at d1.

(_k_) White now threatens to win by c5 c6 and on to c7.

(_l_) A good move to go on to h2.

(_m_) He ought to have played c6 d7, then the game might have proceeded thus: e8 d8, d7 c7; e4 d5, e7 d7; d6 c6, c4 b5; d3 c4, h4 g4; c5 b4, any; e5 e4 = five.

(_n_) There are now two lines for White, and only one can be stopped.

The third game between these two players had twenty-four moves, lasted about half an hour, and was won by the second player (M.). The fourth game lasted two hours, had seventy-five moves, and was won by the second player (S.).

GAME NO. 3.

Played between H. M. (White), and L. S. (Black).

White to play, and win in five moves.

The white men are on the squares b4, c2, c4, c5, c6, c7, d4, e3, e4, e5, f2, and g4.

WHITE. BLACK.
1. g4--f3 g3--g2 (_a_)
2. f3--e2 d2--e1
3. e3--d2 a5--a4 (_b_)
4. b4--b3 (any move).
5. b3--b2 = five.

NOTES.

(_a_) He must prevent the man going from f3 over g2 to g1.--If he were to play g3--g4, White would answer e4--f5, and win in two more moves by making a ‘five’ in the diagonal a7 g1.

(_b_) Any other move would not prevent White from making ‘five’ in the second row, for Black must not move the man c3, as White would obtain ‘five’ (or even six) in the _c_ file.