All Things Go

New to Go? This is the second of five short episodes designed to help you understand what makes Go special, how the game works, how to get started, and how to keep going.In this episode, I walk through the basic mechanics of Go: the board and stones, liberties and capturing, connected groups, the overall goal of the game, and how a game ends and is scored. I also touch on things like who plays first, komi, and handicap stones, giving you enough of a foundation to understand what you're looking at when you sit down to play.This is #2 in the five-part New to Go? series. If you're starting from scratch, you're in the right place.Full transcript, episode notes, and more:https://allthingsgogame.comJoin the All Things Go Discord community:https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4JShow your support hereEmail: [email protected]

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.Episode Summary In this episode, we explore what historic Go boards can tell us about the development of the game across East Asia. The conversation looks at unusual board designs, including historic star and flower points and the mysterious 8th-century Sandalwood Goban, while also discussing the research process behind uncovering these stories and the motivation to contribute that work back to the Go community. ResourcesThe Origins of the Sandalwood Goban — a deep dive into one of the oldest surviving wooden Go boards, its craftsmanship, and the debate over its origins. Some Historic Star Point Designs — examples of Korean flower points, Chinese designs, Sunjang Go boards, and other historical variations. Classical Board Games Review — the broader collection of historical board-game research.Shōsōin Treasure House – Sandalwood Goban — the official Japanese collection page for the historic board referenced in the research.Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:https://allthingsgogame.comJoin the All Things Go Discord community:https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4JTheme music by UNIVERSFIELD & background music by PodcastACShow your support hereEmail: [email protected] SponsorsBadukPop - Learn the rules of the ancient Chinese board game Go - also known as Baduk (바둑) or Weiqi (圍棋) - with a fun, interactive tutorial. Sharpen your Go skills with daily random Go problems (Tsumego) at your choice of difficulty level. Play games online or with a variety of AI opponents, each with its own unique playing style and strength.SmartGo One - Your complete app for the game of Go. Learn to play, practice against the computer, study master games, solve problems, and read Go books. Free to download.

New to Go? This is the first of five short episodes designed to help you understand what makes Go special, how the game works, how to get started, and how to keep going.In this first episode, I talk about why I think Go is worth your time: as an antidote to the distractions of modern life, as a creative and personal game, and as something that can offer a lifetime of depth and discovery.This is #1 in the five-part New to Go? series. If you're starting from scratch, you're in the right place.Full transcript, episode notes, and more:https://allthingsgogame.comJoin the All Things Go Discord community:https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4JShow your support hereEmail: [email protected]

Season 6 begins with an unscripted catch-up after the summer break.Travis reflects on the summer and the U.S. Go Congress, shares the results of a listener poll about whether the unscripted episodes should continue, and talks about how the All Things Go Discord has become a useful home for conversations and smaller ideas that do not always fit into a full episode.He also looks ahead at some of the projects taking shape for the new season, including beginner-focused content, upcoming interviews, and conversations reaching farther into the international Go community, including a recent chat with a dan-level Go player in Africa.It is a look at where the podcast has been, what has been happening behind the scenes, and what is coming next for All Things Go.Full transcript, episode notes, and more:https://allthingsgogame.comJoin the All Things Go Discord community:https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4JShow your support hereEmail: [email protected] SponsorsBadukPop - Learn the rules of the ancient Chinese board game Go - also known as Baduk (바둑) or Weiqi (圍棋) - with a fun, interactive tutorial. Sharpen your Go skills with daily random Go problems (Tsumego) at your choice of difficulty level. Play games online or with a variety of AI opponents, each with its own unique playing style and strength.SmartGo One - Your complete app for the game of Go. Learn to play, practice against the computer, study master games, solve problems, and read Go books. Free to download.

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.For the Season Five finale, Travis speaks with BenKyo about the mental habits that help players improve at Go. They explore move value, detachment from stones and plans, sunk-cost thinking, whole-board awareness, stronger opponents, and deliberate reading practice. Ben also considers the balance between enjoying Go casually and accepting the discomfort required for faster improvement.Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/benkyo-go-improvement-move-value-psychology/Join the All Things Go Discord community:https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4JMore episodes coming after a summer break! Stay tuned and connect via the show discord server!Theme music by UNIVERSFIELD & background music by PodcastACBenKyo League & Lessons - linkShow your support hereEmail: [email protected] SponsorsBadukPop - Learn the rules of the ancient Chinese board game Go - also known as Baduk (바둑) or Weiqi (圍棋) - with a fun, interactive tutorial. Sharpen your Go skills with daily random Go problems (Tsumego) at your choice of difficulty level. Play games online or with a variety of AI opponents, each with its own unique playing style and strength.SmartGo One - Your complete app for the game of Go. Learn to play, practice against the computer, study master games, solve problems, and read Go books. Free to download.BadukTeacher.com - Book lessons with pro-level players, including top Asian pros, without any language barrier thanks to seamless real-time translation during and outside of sessions. With lessons starting at just $25, you get high-level, dojo-trained Go instruction plus the freedom to message your teacher anytime in your own language.