Editing Go proverb

{{Short description|Aphorism about the board game gained from experience}}
{{GoBoardGame}}
'''Go proverbs''' are traditional [[proverb]]s relating to the [[Go (board game)|game of Go]], generally used to help one find good moves in various situations during a game. They are generalizations and thus a particular proverb will have specific situations where it is not applicable. Knowing when a proverb is inapplicable is part of the process of getting stronger as a Go player. Indeed, several proverbs contradict each other—however they agree in as much as they advise the player to pay attention to the stated situation.

Go proverbs, life-or-death problems ([[tsumego]]), and compilations of go games ([[kifu]]) are the three major traditional teaching resources for the game of go.

Several books relating to Go proverbs have been written, for example ''Go Proverbs illustrated'' by [[Kensaku Segoe]] ({{lang|ja|瀬越憲作}}) was published in 1960. Such books do not just quote the proverb but spend their pages explaining the meaning and application of the proverbs.

Some proverbs have a more general applicability.  For example, one famous proverb is to move where your opponent wants to move.  This may be used as a [[heuristic]] in games such as ''[[Scrabble]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UrhlE15k30sC&pg=PA4 |title=Efficient Control of Selective Simulations |first=Brian |last=Sheppard|date=10 February 2006 |isbn=9783540324881 }}</ref>

==Proverbs==
* Add a second stone to one on the third line then abandon both.
* An [[Life_and_death#Eyes|eye]] of six points in a rectangle is alive.
* Don't make [[Dango#Derived_terms|dangos]].
* Don't make empty triangles.
* Don't peep at a cutting point.
* Don't peep at both sides of a [[bamboo joint]].
* Even a moron connects against a peep.
* Do not be greedy! {{zh|c=贪不得胜|p=Tān bùdé shèng|l=Greed cannot prevail}}
* Play fast, lose fast.
* Don't play 1, 2, 3–just play 3.
* For rectangular six in the corner to live, liberties are necessary.
* [[Go_terms#Hane|Hane]] at the head of three stones.
* Hane at the head of two stones.
* If you don't understand [[Ladder_(Go)|ladders]] then don't play Go.
* If you have lost all four corners then you have lost.
* If you have secured all four corners then you have lost.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://senseis.xmp.net/?BlackShouldResignIfOnePlayerHasFourCorners|title=Black should resign if one player has four corners at Sensei's Library|website=senseis.xmp.net}}</ref>
* In a fight, contact plays strengthen the underdog.
* In a [[semeai]] capture the [[ko rule|ko]] on the final play.
* In the corner six stones live but four stones die.
* Keep your stones connected.
* Learn the eye-stealing [[tesuji]].
* Lose your first 50 games as quickly as possible.
* Never try to cut bamboo joints.
* On the second line eight stones live but six stones die.
* On the third line, four will die but six will live.
* Play in the centre of a symmetrical formation.
* [[Ponnuki]] is worth 30 points.
* Separate your opponent's stones.
* Strange things happen at the 1–2 points.
* Strike at the waist of the [[knight's move]].
* The [[carpenter's square]] becomes ko.
* The comb formation is alive.
* The [[Go terms#Monkey jump|monkey jump]] is worth 8 points.
* The weak carpenter's square is dead.
* There is death in the hane.
* You only have one weak group. Your other ''weak'' groups are dead.
* Your enemy's key point is your own key point.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoProverbs Go Proverbs at Sensei's Library]

{{Go (game)}}
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[[Category:Go strategy and tactics]]
[[Category:Proverbs]]