The Art of Strategy: Life Lessons from a Famous “Go” Game

Photo by Elena Popova on Unsplash

Background

I grew up playing the game of Go and currently work in the field of applied machine learning. As advances in reinforcement learning eventually led to AlphaGo and the Netflix documentary on its development, I began to think of the game differently.

Is it really “solved” for?

Many Go engines utilize Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) combined with other CNNs or deep learning algorithms. MCTS is a search algorithm that consists of four main steps: Selection, Expansion, Simulation, and Backpropagation. The algorithm iteratively performs these steps to build a search tree and determines the best move based on the tree’s structure.

Here’s a high-level example of how it works:

1. Selection: Starting from the root node (the current game state), traverse the tree by selecting the child node with the highest Upper Confidence Bound applied to Trees (UCT) value, which balances exploration and exploitation. The traversal continues until a leaf node is reached.
2. Expansion: If the leaf node represents a non-terminal game state, expand the node by generating all possible moves and adding them as child nodes.
3. Simulation: Run a random playout (simulation) from the newly-expanded node’s game state until a terminal game state (win, loss, or draw) is reached. In Go, this involves randomly placing stones on the board while following the game’s rules until the game ends.
4. Backpropagation: Update the nodes in the path from the leaf node to the root node based on the simulation’s result. Each node keeps track of the number of simulations that have passed through it (visits) and the total score obtained from those simulations.

The algorithm repeats these steps until a predefined time limit or a maximum number of iterations is reached. The move corresponding to the child node of the root with the most visits is chosen as the best move.

But does the way a Go engine interprets the game really convey the depth behind the game? Is there still value in playing such a complicated game?

Let’s explore a bit further by understanding a bit of the history behind the game and then a specific game example.

What is Go?

Go is an ancient board game that originated in China over 2,500 years ago, and it is known as “Weiqi” in Chinese, “Baduk” in Korean, and “Igo” in Japanese. It is a strategic two-player game played on a grid of 19x19 lines, although smaller boards (such as 9x9 or 13x13) are also used for faster games or educational purposes.

The objective of the game is to surround and capture more territory than your opponent. The game is played with two sets of stones, one black and one white. Players take turns placing their stones on the intersections of the grid, with black going first. Once placed, a stone cannot be moved unless it is captured by the opponent.

Capturing occurs when a group of stones is completely surrounded by the opponent’s stones, causing them to be removed from the board. Additionally, the concept of “liberties” is important in Go, which refers to the empty points directly adjacent to a stone or group of stones. When a group of stones has no more liberties, it is captured.

Go is a game of immense strategic depth, with a large number of potential moves and complex interactions between groups of stones. As a result, this is what makes it a popular subject for artificial intelligence research.

A famous game & move example

One of the most famous series of moves in Go history is the “ear-reddening move” (耳赤の一手), which occurred during a game between two legendary Japanese Go players, Honinbo Shusaku (本因坊秀策) and Gennan Inseki (厳然因碩), in 1846. Shusaku was just a teenager at the time, while Gennan was a top player in his 50s and considered one of the strongest of his era.

The ear-reddening move is a single move (move 127) played by Shusaku during this game. It was a surprising and deep move that demonstrated Shusaku’s exceptional reading ability and strategic insight. Legend has it that Gennan’s ears turned red with embarrassment upon realizing the implications of Shusaku’s move, hence the name “ear-reddening move.”

This move eventually led to Shusaku’s victory and further solidified his reputation as one of the greatest Go players of all time. The game itself is also famous and is known as the “ear-reddening game” (耳赤の一局). It is still studied by Go players today for its high level of play and the insights it offers into the game’s strategic depth.

A more detailed analysis

1. Opening (Fuseki): Shusaku, playing as Black, opens with a diagonal move in the lower right corner (4–4 point, position D16). White’s response is the 3–4 point in the upper left corner (C4). Shusaku’s opening strategy is known as the “Shusaku Fuseki,” which focuses on rapid development and strong positions.

Shusaku Fuseki

2. Moves 31–60: The players work on expanding their frameworks while keeping an eye on their opponents’ weaknesses. Shusaku’s moves during this phase, such as move 35 at R9, R10, aim to reinforce his territorial claims and secure groups. White, on the other hand, looks for ways to invade or reduce Black’s potential territory.

Framework expansion

3. Move 70: White invades Black’s moyo (a large framework with the potential to become territory) at position O10. This move is critical because it challenges Black’s territorial claims in the center and the left side of the board.

White challenges Black’s framework

4. Moves to 90: In response to White’s invasion, Black tries to surround and attack White’s group, aiming to strengthen his own position while putting pressure on White. A key move to note is Black’s move at position O5 earlier, which challenges White’s attempts to secure his invaded group.

5. Moves 91–126: White manages to create a living group on the left side of the board, reducing Black’s potential territory. However, Black’s moves, such as move 119, continue to pressure White’s groups and create opportunities for future attacks.

6. Move 127 (Ear Reddening Move): Shusaku plays at K11, a subtle move that threatens to connect his stones on the left side while also reducing White’s influence in the center. This move shifts the balance of power in the game and marks the beginning of the end for White. Experts have praised this move as a brilliant example of Shusaku’s deep understanding of the game, as it creates multiple threats and opportunities without directly engaging the opponent.

The famous ear reddening move at move 127

1. Moves 128-End: As the game progresses, Shusaku manages to exploit the weaknesses exposed by move 127, leading to a decisive advantage. White is unable to recover from the position created by the Ear Reddening Move, and Black eventually secures the victory.

An analysis like this highlights the strategic planning and fighting spirit displayed by both players, particularly Shusaku’s ability to identify and exploit opportunities.

A modern Go engine might be able to provide a similar recommendation on this series of moves, but what other lessons can we learn from this game?

Lessons beyond the game

The Ear Reddening Game, like many other classic Go games, offers valuable lessons that can be applied to life more generally.

Here are seven things we can learn from the game:

1. Patience and foresight: Shusaku’s Ear Reddening Move (move 127) demonstrates the importance of patience and the ability to see long-term consequences of one’s actions. In life, being patient and considering the long-term effects of our decisions can lead to better outcomes.
2. Balance: In Go, players must balance attack and defense, territorial gains, and influence. Similarly, in life, it’s essential to maintain a balance between different aspects, such as work and personal life, short-term and long-term goals, and risk and reward.
3. Adaptability: Throughout the game, both players had to adapt their strategies in response to their opponent’s moves. In life, being adaptable and flexible in the face of changing circumstances can help us navigate challenges more effectively.
4. The importance of small moves: In the Ear Reddening Game, seemingly small moves had a significant impact on the final outcome. In life, small actions can sometimes have far-reaching consequences, so it’s essential to pay attention to details and not underestimate the value of small efforts.
5. Learning from others: The game offers an opportunity to learn from the strategies and tactics of two great Go players. In life, we can grow by learning from the experiences, knowledge, and wisdom of others.
6. Resilience and perseverance: The players in this game faced setbacks and challenges but continued to play until the end. In life, resilience and perseverance are crucial qualities that enable us to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.
7. Appreciating the beauty in complexity: The Ear Reddening Game is a beautiful example of the depth and complexity of Go. In life, we can learn to appreciate the beauty and intricacies of complex systems, relationships, and situations.

Even if Go engines can get to an advanced level of gameplay, studying and learning from classic Go games like the Ear Reddening Game can offer valuable insights and teach us important life lessons that extend beyond the game board.

Reference

GoKifu replay. Link.

Sensei’s Library. Link.