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 THE GAME OF DIPLOMACY GETS A NEW BOARD IN OBAMA GIFT TO HU: (11/20/2009) When U.S. President Barack Obama met with Chinese Hu Jintao this week, he presented Hu with a go set that included an American-made go board and a set of Chinese jade stones contained in glass bowls from the West Coast of the United States. Beyond the simple political symbolism of an ancient asian game seamlessly melding Chinese and American craftsmanship, the choice of a go set – rather than, say, a Chinese chess set – gently raises timely geopolitical issues. "Perhaps this gift expresses the president's respect for China's long history," suggests American Go Association President Allan Abramson. “And that the traditional Western competitive model has room for the cooperation and balance so prized in go and China.” Click on Latest Go News (right) for complete story and more photos. - Chris Garlock; photo courtesy CCTV | |
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Go is... an ancient board game which takes simple elements -- line and circle, black and white, stone and wood -- combines them with simple rules and generates subtleties which have enthralled players for millennia. Beyond being merely a game, go can take on other meanings to enthusiasts: an analogy with life, an intense meditation, a mirror of one's personality, an exercise in abstract reasoning, or, when played well, a beautiful art in which Black and White dance across the board in delicate balance. But most important for all who play, go is challenging and fun.
