The Traveling Board

An American 7k in China
September 15,, 2003
by David Doshay

I recently spent a week in China, where I was able to play in clubs and tea houses in Beijing and Shanghai. The locals were quite interested in the American trying to play Wei Qi and kibitzed throughout my games. Though I don't understand Mandarin or the local dialect, Shanghainese, I was able to glean much from the tone of voice. I don't think I played particularly well, but every now and then I was able to make a redeeming move that earned a grin or a nod. However, the observers were also plenty willing to point out better plays with loud interjections and jabs at the board.

The difference in strength between myself and the average Chinese go enthusiast was a bit flustering. I tried to explain that I am about a 7-kyu, but in Beijing they may have thought that I meant 7-dan because they gave me white against a 5-dan. However, in Shanghai, an acquaintance explained that I was given White because as a visitor it would have been an insult to give me Black or a handicap.

At the Shanghai Go Club, I played the man who had brought me there and then one of the most vocal and animated critics of my play asked if I would play a student from the school. I agreed and a small 8-year-old girl was carried in like a sack of rice and plopped down in the chair opposite me. She got Black, and although we did not have enough time to finish the game, I was able to avoid falling too far behind by the time I had to leave. I thought that she was stronger than me, but I was told that the folks watching thought that we were about equal. I asked how many full games a week she played and was told through the interpreter that she plays between 10 and 20 games a week and that she had been attending the school for about a year.

Though it was sometimes a frustrating experience to play in a place where I could not really communicate with anyone, I still managed to learn quite a bit. But then, on a go board, I guess the moves speak for themselves.

- edited by Su Mon Han

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