P
laying go feels like being in a kung fu movie. You dedicate yourself to your training, deepen your knowledge, head into battle against the best competitors you can find, and hope that you’ve cleared your mind enough that your efforts will bear fruit. You muster technique, study strategy, hone your focus, and if you study well, will find that you can trounce lesser foes with a satisfying ease.
I had the experience of playing with several members of a local go club today. I am no particularly talented player, but I’ve put in the time; and seeing one’s dedication pay off in game of pure skill is exhilarating—like the hero heading into a new dojo to represent his master’s style. There are always stronger players, those who could wipe the floor with me without breaking a sweat; but being able to defeat genuinely skilled opponents with just the mind is a remarkable feeling.
On the subject, I cannot recommend enough the documentary “The Essence of Judo”. Please watch 75-year-old, 90lb master Kyuzo Mifune utterly dominate black belts twice his size.