1. Using the Game of Baduk/Go/Wei-chi to Teach Across the Disciplines
G. Yakman
Jinsoo Kim
ISETL 2007
A game that is easy enough for a toddler to learn, but can be complex enough to stump a genius.

2. What is Baduk/Go/Wei-chi?
Ancient Asian strategy game
Developed in China about 4000 yrs. ago
Originally played only by royalty
Kept from commoners to hinder intellectual development

3. Why Baduk/Go Stayed East
High Class controlled game
600AD from China to Korea & Japan
Tibetian book Qi Jing 550AD references it
Chess pieces - representative of European culture
Baduk/Go pieces – simplistic
Difficulty for foreigners
Restricted foreign travel -1842
Gambling culture
7th Century
1st Baduk Painting in Tibet

4. How the West Got Baduk/Go
300 AD Danish grave
925 AD Saxon Hnefatafl similar
Jesuit missions into to elite
Matteo Ricci d wrote on topic
10th Century Hnefatafl
Montanus

5. Compared to chess Easier to learn, harder to master
Built in Handicap System
Unlimited possibilities
No computer yet able to play at master level

6. Baduk/Go Schools K-12 devoted schools
Baduk/Go/Chess Clubs at schools (50+ across US)
Professional Development Schools
Collegiate Level
Middlebury – Huang & Schumer – (see syllabus)
One collegiate Department of Baduk, at Myongji University: Korea Founded in 1998 by Asso. Prof. Jeong, Soo-Hyun - 3 faculty
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Nam, Chi-Hyung & Choi, ll-Ho.
Baduk Education, Baduk Research Methodology, Baduk History, Baduk Culture, Baduk Techniques and Education, Baduk Psychology

7. Integrated STEM education
The concept of teaching across the disciplines of
Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
with activities that cover content and application from each of the fields
Einstein with professional Baduk/Go player Fukuda Masayoshi.

8. What is STE@M Education
The concept of teaching across all the disciplines by formally tying the STEM disciplines to the Arts fields, including;
Fine
Physical & Performance
Manual
Liberal & Social
(Education, psych., phil., socio., etc…)

9. .

10. AND IT’S MORE FUN & ENGAGING!
FUNctional Literacy
Teaching across the disciplines directly supports transference of knowledge.
Students not only learn to be literate in a singular (silo) field, but they become life-long learners who are much more capable of being functionally literate and advancing society.
AND IT’S MORE FUN & ENGAGING!

11. Science Relationships
Boards: Katsura wood
Stones: Slate, Shell, Glass, Plastic & Jade
Bowls: wood, woven & decorative
The number of possible games playable on this board has been reckoned to be more than the number of molecules in the universe.

12. Technology Relationships
Creativity
Strategy
Design
Materials and processes

13. Engineering Relationships
Excellent for;
Cognitive development
Balance of design
Computer programming
Since the aim of a move is to control the most territory, the optimal move yields the maximum amount of territory -- a simple counting procedure and a chore computers excel at. Yet, the level of computer Baduk/Go remains about that of a human who has studied Baduk/Go for a month. - Richard Bozulich -

14. Mathematics Relationships
Pattern recognition
Binary mathematics
Movie - Pi
360 intersections plus one.
occupies the ultimate position and governs the four quarters.
number of days in the [lunar] year.
four quarters symbolizes the four seasons.
72 circumference points represent the [five-day] weeks of the [Chinese lunar] calendar.

15. From The Classic of Go, by Chang Nui - 11th C
* Arts relationships
History Ex: WWII Japanese strategy & US camps
Literature ex: compares the four quarters to the four seasons, the stones to night and day, the 361 intersections to the days of the year, and the center point on the board to the Pole Star - 17th C Japanese playwright, Chikamatsu – Graphic & Other Novels
Education Ex: Studying Baduk/Go is a wonderful way to develop both the creative as well as logical abilities because to play it both sides of the brain are necessary.
Cho Chikun, one of the three great prodigies in Go history -
Philosophy Ex: The balance of Yin and Yang is the model for the equal division of the 360 stones into black and white. LaTour - ANT
From The Classic of Go, by Chang Nui - 11th C

16. The Art of Playing
Hold the stones between first and middle fingers, like chopsticks & snap them down on the board with a sharp click
Musical Boards

17. Games
The traditional Baduk/Go board has a 19-line grid. Beginners play on small 9 or 13-line boards.

18. Begin Game Goal: Create territory by surrounding open space
Built in handicap system – 9 points
Players take turns putting stones on the intersections
Black goes first

19. Playing Stones Each intersection is a point of territory
Once a stone is put down it does not move unless it’s captured – Atari = Check
Each captured stone is also worth one point.

20. Ko- Repetition Rule
One may not play a move which repeats a previous board position.

21. Claiming Territory
Fenceposts & Walls

22. Living Groups A safe group of stones must have two eyes
two or more, internal but separate empty points

23. Game Over
Game End: when all the walls defining the territory is taken, and there are no plays left to make.
Captured Stones: Are filled in
Counting: Pieces are moved

24. Most major US cities have Baduk/Go clubs.
Resources:
Top 4:
American Go Association -
American Go Foundation -
Sensei Go -
Goshawk Herron’s Curriculum & promo materials
See accompanying 35 page list
Most major US cities have Baduk/Go clubs.