Sally and Treize play the game of go
Hmmm, Go is a board game that's a little bit like chess in that there's strategy, there's tons of websites out there explaining the game. It's a tribute to the manga Hikaru no go.
"You never said that you were a master of go," said Treize as they sat across from each other in the school library. Treize was only pretending to read "The Art of War."
"You never asked and I am not a master of go," said Sally. "I just happen to be the head of the go club, that's all." She flipped through an anatomy book to a diagram of the hand and its muscles.
"You've won some tournaments."
"I didn't say that my team wasn't good. All I'm saying is that I'm not a master. There are professionals who make their living off this, I could never be that good."
"I see."
"Are you interested in joining?"
"Perhaps... Would I be able to have you teach me some lessons?"
Without looking up from her book, she said, "Only about go, not about anatomy."
"Your tongue is sharp as a scalpel... Sally Po."
Treize walked into the go club where people were practicing game play. Almost everybody looked up in astonishment since not only was Treize walking into a not-so-popular club, but that he was heading towards Sally Po.
"Sally Po, I believe you owe me a game." He said, sitting down in front of her, the game board between them.
"You know the rules?" Sally Po said, raising an eyebrow.
"I have done some reading... I believe I can play without breaking any of the rules."
"Would you like a smaller board? I think I could get a 9X9 board or a 13X13 board instead of the full 19X19 board. It's simpler yet doesn't distort the basic nature of the game."
"No, thank you."
That man reeks of confidence, she thought. "The weaker player takes black and goes first. I'm assuming that since it's your first game, you should get the black pieces. However, since you insist on playing it at this level already, be warned I will play to the best of my abilities."
"Agreed."
"Your pride won't be hurt if I win?" she said, teasingly.
"You learn more if you lose some of the time," he said.
"This from a man who's never lost," she said.
"Oh, I don't win all the time. Besides, a man who wins all the time is someone who hasn't been challenging himself," said Treize.
He's really interesting if a bit hard to figure out, Sally thought.
He took a black piece and put it down on the board.
Sally raised an eyebrow. An interesting move, she thought. I bet he read a lot of books on various strategies as well.
She took up a white piece and put it down on the board.
After a few moves, Treize said, "The interesting thing about go is that the pieces don't have rank like chess."
"Also, each piece are capable of being put almost anywhere on the board."
"Like how the queen can go almost anywhere while the knight only has certain moves."
"That's probably the reason why that computers still can't beat a professional go master like Akira Touya."
Treize looked surprised then smiled. "I'm glad."
"Why? Ah, I captured a couple of your stones." She took his black pieces off the board.
Treize made an annoyed sound, but had no reaction otherwise. "I'm glad to find that there's something that can't be determined by computers, but only by humans. I play a lot of chess, but I'm finding this game to be much more interesting."
"It's probably because it reflects a whole different mindset. Without giving particular pieces special privilege or arbitrary rules on how to move, it opens the game up to new and interesting strategies."
"So, in one sense, it's a lot more like war than chess is." Treize put down one of his black pieces.
"I wouldn't say that," said Sally. "Isn't war all about rank and having the other pieces protect the 'king?'" She put down a white stone after thinking carefully. He plays quite well for a beginner. I wonder if he practiced with one of his friends before coming in.
"Well, among the generals and high-ranking officer perhaps in their office games, perhaps. However... at the battlefield, it doesn't matter what your rank is, you are still fighting someone one to one. There are no special privileges when it comes to dying. Also, I like thinking that a couple pieces at the right location and time can totally change the nature of the game no matter what their rank. Ah, I captured one of your stones."
They continued playing like this until they were done. Both of them counted the territory captured by both sides. Sally smiled, "I won, but only by 10 points."
"You weren't holding back on me, were you?"
"No, I wasn't. You seem to be a natural."
"Let us play again sometimes. I found the game enlightening."
"Of course... which game?"
Treize raised an eyebrow.
The End
(:./mk/go)
