Re: computer-go: Most simple Go rules

[Nick Wedd <nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In message <000201c10093$4673c7f0$093ba8c0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Mark Boon
<tesuji@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes

>> >Suppose black captures two stones. According to the wording above, white
>> >can't recapture. I needed some extra explanation here as a
>> beginner (there is
>> >no repetition if you recapture so its ok).
>>
>> Good point.  Substitute "I managed to grasp the author's intent
>> immediately, by making the same mistake as he had."
>>
>
>I realized the authors mistake but understood what he wanted to say
>perfectly. What good to the actual discussion does all this nitpicking do?
>Are we going to correct each others gramar and spelling next?

I'm not bothered about grammar or spelling.  But there is something to
be said for stating the rules correctly, and this is difficult.  As it
happens, this was brought home to me just an hour ago.

I was teaching go to some children.  I had taught them "atari-go", also
called "first capture":  the first player to make any capture wins.
This is the third week they had been playing, and they more-or-less
understood connected groups, liberties, and capture.  I had not started
on such difficult concepts as territory, ko, or life.

A girl made a move which was suicide.  She then removed her suicided
stones from the board (I was impressed and pleased by this) and claimed
to have won.

This shows that however simple something seems, it is possible to get it
wrong.

Nick
-- 
Nick Wedd