2torial #0589:
Learn2 Play Go (continued)

Step 3: Learn to capture

Unlike checkers, where the main point is to chip away at the opponent's pieces, capturing pieces isn't the object of go. Capturing is important, but it may not always be the most strategic move. A player who tries to grab too much territory will most likely be spread too thin and be ripe for invasion (although a player who grabs too little will lose for lack of territory). It's a fine line. Here are some basic guidelines for the technique:

• To capture a stone, you must completely surround the prisoner, covering every liberty with your stones.

• A good strategy for capturing is to target opponent's stones that are in your territory, or in an area you want to gain. This helps you keep control over a specific section of the board. For example, if you are building a group in one area and the other player puts a stone in your way, you don't want to give the stone a chance to become a powerful group, so you surround and capture.

• Once the stone is surrounded, it's removed from the board and placed in the the capturing player's bowl. At the end of the game, these captured pieces will count toward your score.

Here, black is capturing more than one stone. White's last liberty was taken by black, so in the capture black removes all four white stones.

Step 4