Go as Communication: The Educational and Therapeutic Value of the Game of Go

Go as Communication is the record of a surprising discovery, namely, that a simple game called First Capture Go can have enormous educational and therapeutic value. Yasutoshi Yasuda, the person responsible for this discovery, is a Japanese professional Go player. Concerned about social problems in Japanese schools, Yasuda began introducing a simplified version of Go to school children and discovered to his surprise that it had immediate positive effects. His experiences with school children encouraged Yasuda to expand his efforts to homes for the elderly and then to institutions for the mentally and physically handicapped. In every case, the game had a tremendous positive impact. The version of the game that is used in these programs is quite easy to learn, and it is easy to make playing equipment. The book provides thorough practical guidance for both teaching the game and creating playing sets. There really is no impediment for anyone who finds Yasuda's program as appealing - and inspiring - as I and many other people do. The rewards are immediate and obvious. Scores of people around the world have introduced the capture game to thousands of people of all ages with very satisfying results. Yasuda's program offers everyone an opportunity to make a positive difference. William Cobb