Go
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Go can be said to be Japan's most traditional and widely played indoor
game. It is also one of the most intellectually demanding games in the
world. The wooden board, goban, is marked with intersecting lines to
produce a total of 361 crosses (me: literally meaning "eyes"). These
crosses may be covered by white or black stones, made of shell and slate
respectively. In the simplest terms, the object of the game is to gain the
largest share of the board, but many fine points of play and etiquette are
involved. The game was introduced from China during the 7th-8th centuries
and the Japanese form has been introduced in recent decades to other
countries where it is mainly enjoyed by university students and
intellectuals.
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