All Things Go

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we look at what it takes to grow the game of Go, both by introducing it to a new generation and by building communities in parts of the world where Go is still relatively uncommon.

First, I speak with Al Tang and Paul Barchilon about teaching Go to kids and young players. We talk about what makes a good Go teacher, how to keep...

New to Go? This is the second of five short episodes designed to help you understand what makes Go special, how the game works, how to get started, and how to keep going.

In this episode, I walk through the basic mechanics of Go: the board and stones, liberties and capturing, connected groups, the overall goal of the game, and how a game ends and is scored. I also touch on things like who plays first, komi, and handicap stones, giving you enough of a foundation to understand what you're looking at when you sit down to...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we explore what historic Go boards can tell us about the development of the game across East Asia. The conversation looks at unusual board designs, including historic star and flower points and the mysterious 8th-century Sandalwood Goban, while also discussing the research process behind uncovering these stories and the motivation to contribute that work back to the Go community.

Resources

New to Go? This is the first of five short episodes designed to help you understand what makes Go special, how the game works, how to get started, and how to keep going.

In this first episode, I talk about why I think Go is worth your time: as an antidote to the distractions of modern life, as a creative and personal game, and as something that can offer a lifetime of depth and discovery.

This is #1 in the five-part New to Go? series. If you're starting from scratch, you're in the right place.

Season 6 begins with an unscripted catch-up after the summer break.

Travis reflects on the summer and the U.S. Go Congress, shares the results of a listener poll about whether the unscripted episodes should continue, and talks about how the All Things Go Discord has become a useful home for conversations and smaller ideas that do not always fit into a full episode.

He also looks ahead at some of the projects taking shape for the new season, including beginner-focused content, upcoming interviews, and conversations reaching farther into the international Go community, including a recent...

I recently found this recording from before All Things Go officially launched. It was essentially a proof of concept: me thinking out loud about what the show might become and experimenting with some early segments. It’s rough around the edges, but I thought it would be fun to share this little time capsule from the beginning of the podcast.

Full transcript, episode notes, and more: All Things Go

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https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4J

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Email: Al...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

For the Season Five finale, Travis speaks with BenKyo about the mental habits that help players improve at Go. They explore move value, detachment from stones and plans, sunk-cost thinking, whole-board awareness, stronger opponents, and deliberate reading practice. Ben also considers the balance between enjoying Go casually and accepting the discomfort required for faster improvement.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/benkyo-go-improvement-move-value-psychology/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with João Figueira, creator of the Hane Board, a portable Go board whose intersections rotate between empty, black, and white positions. João explains that he developed the board after struggling to transport a conventional Go set when meeting a friend to play in coffee shops and other public places.

The conversation explores João’s extensive prototyping process, including 3D printing, cast-resin stones, the board’s clicking mechani...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

In this unscripted episode, Travis announces the launch of the All Things Go Discord server and explains his hope that it will foster deeper conversations among listeners without overwhelming the larger online Go forums. He also reflects on what makes a strong Go-learning website, shares his experience commentating at the San Diego Go Championship, and reviews the Japanese film Bushido and the documentary Go Through the Dark.

The episode then turns...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with Gazza White about PlayGo.gg’s inaugural Battle of the Sexes tournament, which featured Shin Jin-seo, Kim Ji-seok, Choi Jeong, and Kim Eun-ji in an unusually fast double-elimination format. They discuss the quality of the event, the challenge of making professional Go engaging for Western audiences, the importance of English-language commentary and player interviews, and whether formats such as 13x13 or social-media streaming could make Go more accessible. In the se...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with Justin, host of the Star Point podcast, about what inspired him to create an audio-first Go show and how he has sustained it for more than 100 episodes. Justin discusses his production process, the importance of consistency, the role of listener mail and Discord in shaping the show, and how he balances structure with a casual, lightly edited style. They also explore the value of Go podcasts, community participation, learning from...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with twin brothers Nathan and Matthew Harwit, co-founders of PlayGo.gg, about their lifelong connection to Go and their effort to build a more unified, engaging home for the game. They discuss how PlayGo.gg aims to combine online play, AI review, puzzles, learning tools, community features, and spectator-friendly events in one place. The conversation also explores the influence of Chess.com, the challenge of growing Go in the West, the...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with German 6-dan player and teacher Jonas Welticke about his path through Go, study experiences in Japan and China, unconventional openings, competitive achievements, and twelve simultaneous one-color games. The conversation centers on visualization and reading: how players retain positions, manage variations, combine pattern recognition with calculation, and train these skills deliberately.

Jonas also discusses emotional barriers, productive tension, confidence, honesty in self-assessment, and the design of his Reading Dojo...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis shares updates about upcoming All Things Go collaborations, including a Star Point crossover, an interview with Jonas Welticke, and live commentary with Gabe from Strugglebus Go. He then reflects on a birthday game review with Nico (Tuerda), using it to explore weak groups, running toward safety, good and bad shape, and the value of pattern recognition. The episode closes with lesson takeaways from Nathan Harwit on cutting, liberty counting, cognitive load, plateaus...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis speaks with Manja Marz, president of the European Go Federation and a 4-dan player, about a pilot study examining what happens in the brain during high-level Go games. Manja explains how the study measured brain oxygenation, pulse, muscle tension, game position, and player self-reports, and she shares early observations involving time pressure, major mistakes, individual thinking styles, and possible differences between male and female participants. The episode also includes a surprise birthday...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis reflects on teaching games and a game review from Strugglebus Go, previews upcoming commentary and interview projects, and considers a local screening of the Go-centered film Bushido. He also shares plans to play Go on his birthday and discusses improvement speed, rating fluctuations, Go camps, and community news.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/strugglebus-go-review-teaching-games-local-outreach/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis talks with his father, a longtime Go dabbler with a background in leadership and culture change, about curiosity, complexity, uncertainty, patterns, and what the game can reveal about how people react under pressure. They also discuss learning as an adult, the value of a patient teacher, and how to help a beginner stay engaged.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/talking-go-with-my-dad-complexity-uncertainty-learning/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis connects metacognition to the temporary decline that can come with learning new Go skills, reviews the Carlsen-Niemann documentary, and considers the benefits of playing people rather than bots. Nathan Harwit closes with teaching advice and a lesson on simplifying decisions by counting liberties.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/metacognition-go-humans-vs-bots-counting-liberties/

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https://discord.gg...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Rémi Coulom explains the creation of Crazy Stone, the rise of Monte Carlo Tree Search, whole-history ratings, and the long technical challenge of building Kifu Snap. Anthropologist and former insei Chimin Oh then discusses AI’s impact on Korean Go, the continuing value of human expertise, and his return to a dojang as a researcher.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/remi-coulom-crazy-stone-kifu-snap-chimin-oh-ai/

Joi...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Longtime Western Go community member and teacher Nico, known online as Tuerda, evaluates the wave of new Go websites and apps. He explains why another server may fragment the player base, what AI tools can and cannot teach, and how developers can build more useful learning products before responding to listener questions.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/tuerda-new-go-apps-server-fragmentation-ai-learning/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Nathan Harwit joins Travis to review practical lessons about liberties, aggression, shape, contact moves, and when to tenuki. Travis also surveys new Go tools and projects, discusses the difficulty of turning AI moves into useful explanations, and revisits his interview with chess grandmaster and Go player Tiger Hillarp Persson.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/go-lesson-liberties-ai-study-tools-tiger-hillarp/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

On the tenth anniversary of AlphaGo’s match with Lee Sedol, Travis revisits the breakthrough’s famous moves, its wider AI legacy, and the psychological experience of facing a machine. He also draws lessons from chess growth, discusses the film Bushido, remembers publisher Richard Bozulich, and surveys several new Go projects and community stories.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/alphago-ten-year-anniversary-lee-sedol-go-media/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis explores how AI is reshaping elite professional Go, including the tension between standardized openings and renewed creativity. He also highlights a handmade Go mat, ancient board history, Edward Lasker’s famous extraterrestrial Go idea, community outreach, and early research on Go and cognition.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/ai-changing-professional-go-ancient-boards-research/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord.gg/uf...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis introduces the more sustainable All Things Go Unscripted format and recounts an in-person café game with his friend Adam. He reflects on live versus correspondence Go, recording a game on OGS, playing publicly, and why the podcast will remain primarily audio-first rather than moving fully to YouTube.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/all-things-go-unscripted-in-person-go-youtube/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Chess grandmaster and EGF 2-dan Tiger Hillarp Persson compares learning Go with a lifetime in professional chess, including creativity, opening theory, AI, competition, and the freedom of being a beginner again. Nathan Harwit then explains why strengthening weak groups often begins by attacking the opponent rather than defending passively.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/tiger-hillarp-persson-chess-go-beginner/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:<...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

North American professional Alexander Qi explains how focused endgame work, life-and-death training, and a calmer style helped him win the 2025 World Youth Go Championship. Travis then closes Season Four by reflecting on the guests, themes, and signs of growing Western talent explored throughout the season.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/alex-qi-world-youth-go-championship/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Michael Chen explains why Nie Weiping’s victories in the China-Japan Supermatches made him one of the most influential figures in modern Go and how his academy helped reshape Chinese Go education. The episode then checks in with Spanish amateur Isaac Ripoll Machado after his national championship victory and intensive training at a Korean baduk academy.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/28/nie-weiping-legacy-michael-chen-isaac-ripoll-machado/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Former Korean insei and Oxford anthropologist Chimin Oh reflects on professional training, qualification pressure, emotional discipline, and the cultural effects of AI on Korean Go. Gazza White then examines the future of the Australian Go scene, including congresses, national organization, and pathways for strong players.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/28/chimin-oh-korean-insei-anthropology/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Professor Marius Lindhauer explains why building a strong Go-playing AI is different from building an AI that teaches humans well. The conversation explores Hikaru no Go, early Go programs, human-centered AI, style-aware recommendations, understandable variations, AutoML, and the continuing need for human judgment.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/marius-lindauer-ai-go-teacher/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord.gg/uf3...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Silvia Lozeva explains how philosophy led her to Go, how she built a TEDx talk for an audience unfamiliar with the game, and how Institute 361 applies Go concepts to education, leadership, and innovation. Gazza White then discusses the Kisei, Shibano Toramaru, Ichiriki Ryo, and the Japanese terminology that shaped Western Go communities.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/silvia-lozeva-go-tedx-institute-361/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China

Japanese craftsman Naoki Kumasu, interpreted by Reiichiro Kato, explains how his family selects, dries, shapes, and lines traditional Go boards using techniques passed through generations. Nathan Harwit then helps Travis examine counting, liberty awareness, clamps, and endgame invasions that repeatedly appeared in his recent games.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/naoki-kumasu-japanese-go-board-craft/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Baduk Club Store’s Solomon Smilack explains how to choose Go stones, boards, bowls, and travel or club equipment based on use, feel, durability, and care. Gazza White then introduces rising professionals Tu Xiaoyu and Wang Xinghao and explains why their results and styles make them important players to follow.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/go-equipment-solomon-smilack-stones-boards/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

In this episode, Travis speaks with North American 3-dan professional Ryan Li about his early experiences learning Go, becoming a professional, handling competitive pressure, and teaching players through the New York Institute of Go. Ryan also discusses the future of professional Go in North America and what it may take for the game to reach a wider audience.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/ryan-li-professional-go-teaching-north-america/<...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis reflects on a personal rating plateau before speaking with mathematician and Go player Nikola Tsarigradski about how different rating systems work. They compare Elo, Glicko, whole-history ratings, Fox-style promotion systems, and the dan-kyu system, with particular attention to uncertainty, predictiveness, handicap, and rating inflation or deflation. The episode then shifts to Gazza White, who introduces a new world championship tournament and considers what it could add to the professional Go calendar.

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Chess journalist Peter Doggers traces the events that transformed chess into a global media phenomenon and considers which lessons might transfer to Go. Gazza White then explains the continuing fallout from the LG Cup final, including Chinese responses, Ke Jie’s absence, and the broader effect on international competition.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/peter-doggers-chess-revolution-go/

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This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Jake Kim explains how Go for a Better World uses the game to support healthy aging, intergenerational connection, and dementia-prevention education. The episode closes with Nathan Harwit reviewing liberty counting, forcing moves, and endgame decisions that can prevent avoidable late-game collapses.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/jake-kim-go-better-world-healthy-aging/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://discord.gg/uf3jgEAA4J<...

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Show your support here

Email: AllThingsGoGame@gmail.com

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Show your support here

Email: AllThingsGoGame@gmail.com

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Show your support here

Email: AllThingsGoGame@gmail.com

This episode is from All Things Go, a podcast about the board game Go, also known as Baduk in Korea and Weiqi in China.

Travis reviews his long search for practical travel Go sets, including magnetic, 3D-printed, custom wooden, and four-piece boards. Members of the Honolulu Go Club then explain what makes their community welcoming and sustainable, before Travis closes Season Three with lessons drawn from the season’s interviews.

Full transcript, related episodes, and additional resources:

https://allthingsgogame.com/2026/07/27/travel-go-sets-honolulu-go-club/

Join the All Things Go Discord community:

https://di...