Why learn to play Go?

In the West, more people will have heard about Chess than Go.

Why learn to play Go?

One short answer is that Go is seen as a good recruiting opportunity of talent for a career in Software Engineering. Go events are often sponsored by software companies seeking to recruit new talent.

A better reason is given in Play Go and Grow! (pdf) a presentation for the American Go Association discussing the developmental benefits of games in general and the advantages unique to Go. This TED talk explores Go’s links to broader societal issues.

You might also find these cultural representations of Go interesting.

Alpha Go is about the first time a computer beat a world class Go player.

Here’s a video introduction and here are some learning resources.