81. The art of weiqi (go/baduk) war (碁#5) ☶

The game of Go is an abstract board game for two players in which the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent. Weiqi is the Chinese name and Baduk is the Korean name of the same game. For most people, who are aware of the game, the game is the dominion of geeks, nerds and unkept guys who need to take better care of their physical health. To truly play Weiqi well, the mind (through the body) needs to be well maintained. Especially, since the line between what is game and what is life can get blurred. Thankfully, most of these players are unable to visualise the game beyond black and white stones on a board. Least its relevance to war. Baguazhang is one of the three traditional internal martial arts of China. The main difference between Baguazhang and Weiqi is one of strategy and tactics. Baguazhang is about tactics and Weiqi is about strategy. True mastery of the game is like being up on the 57th floor of a tall tower and looking down upon the world below. But first we need to ride the elevator of success to get there. We hop on at ground level. The doors close and we as we begin the ascension, soft elevator music starts playing in the background. Every now and then, the elevator stops to let people on and off. These are the dozen or so, beginning moves. Then at some point, two shady guys enter the elevator. Their presence makes you a little uncomfortable. They're cutting off your exit. But why not three guys? You wonder. What's the perspective? As you ponder on it, the phone rings. You act cool. Put the phone to your ear, and in the sweetest female voice you have ever heard, you hear a voice recording in Mandarin Chinese telling you to pay up or else they'll be trouble. You've only reached the 42nd floor! Bullshit, you say. War's come early. It's at this point that the Baguazhang kicks in and most of you know how the scene unfolds and it is awesome to behold. Come 57th floor and we all know who's steeping out of the elevator, and it is not the thugs ⚔️圍棋戰聖