142. The art of Weiqi (Go/Baduk) war (碁#16) 兌 (☱/☶)

I am always amazed at the thoughts that play in my head when I am playing Weiqi (Go/Baduk). The world around me gets put aside, and both me and the world get a bit of me time: Time out from all the weekly bullshit circulating around. If there is a cup of tea beside me, then it becomes the more tranquil moment of "Tea Time equals Me Time". And in that moment, while I am playing – clarity shows up. It's kind of cool to know that while the world is preparing to bash itself silly, I have a way to transcend the looming world war. A war, that if seen from above the drama, actually may be a profitable enterprise for both sides. Several months ago, I replayed an interesting game in which neither side drew any blood, even though eventually one side did win by causing the other side to resign. When I played it on my own plastic mat, it just didn't make sense. Where was the turning point? What caused the capitulation? What was I searching for? The answer eluded me. When I played the same game on my new leather mat, the change of terrain suddenly opened the possibility of being able to see the answers to those very same questions I had been asking. Now, I should be relating weiqi to the art of war, and if you listened carefully you will notice that I am staying on key. The art of war is more than just bullets and guns. Sometimes it's about the numbers — The real numbers. By playing the game for a second time and just letting go of the desire of trying to control the outcome, the numbers start lining up, and the path toward profitability starts showing itself. Now to be honest, the path was always there. The only thing that had changed was the way in which I played the game. The game will always be the game. Politics, economics and war will always be what it is. And they come and go like alternating stones on a Weiqi board. But how a person choses to respond to the circumstances, as they are, in the moment of play is what makes the difference. I chose to take myself out. To leave the board for a while. And in by doing it, the great game went from bigger than me to something just sitting there on a table waiting for the next move. I drop out and then I drop back in. To those locked in the game and who choose to stay through the drama, people like me behave like ghosts – coming and going. Doing what we do. And if you understand what's been said, then at some level you are playing your game in a similar way... Connect with me @ linkedin.com/in/peterhainzl/ ⚔️圍棋戰聖