Go History & Culture
Go is more than a strategy game. Its history stretches across centuries and cultures, shaping art, philosophy, literature, craftsmanship, and competition.
Explore these All Things Go conversations with researchers, filmmakers, craftspeople, and players about where Go came from, what it means, and what its traditions can still teach us.
Explore the Episodes
Kim Ouweleen (Murugandi) Interview Part I, AI Win-Rate Inaccuracy & the World of Professional Go
Season 1, Episode 2
Artist and Go teacher Kim Ouweleen explains how Go shapes, folklore, and traditional stories influence his artwork, revealing some of the cultural richness behind the game.
Kim Ouweleen (Murugandi) Interview Part II & Fun Hikaru no Go Scenes with Nathan Harwit
Season 1, Episode 3
Kim Ouweleen looks back on BadukMovies, the European Go Yearbook, and his Weird and Wonderful books. Nathan Harwit joins for memorable moments from Hikaru no Go.
Go & Quarto, The History of Go, Pro Dan System Discrepancies & Preventing Burnout
Season 2, Episode 3
Former Korean professional and Go studies professor Chihyung Nam traces Go’s early history, its spread through East Asia, and the development of the modern 19×19 board.
Go Fish, Online Go Events, Lightning Round Part II with BenKyo & Go Nation Author Marc Moskowitz Interview Part I
Season 2, Episode 8
Anthropologist Marc L. Moskowitz begins a conversation about his book Go Nation and what Weiqi reveals about Chinese culture, identity, and everyday life.
Trolling, Go Nation Author Marc Moskowitz Interview Part II, Positive Pro Trends, BenKyo Lightning Round Part III & Devin’s Favorite Tournament Formats
Season 2, Episode 9
Marc L. Moskowitz continues his exploration of Weiqi in China, examining masculinity, social status, and how the game reflects broader cultural change.
Chess GM Plays Go, Surrounding Game Interview, Tournament Time Controls & Season Takeaways
Season 2, Episode 11
Filmmakers Will Lockhart and Cole Pruitt revisit The Surrounding Game, their documentary about North American professional Go, its players, and the community surrounding them.
Fact vs Fiction in The Match, The LG Cup Fiasco with Gazza & Playing Go Seigen with TelegraphGo
Season 3, Episode 1
Longtime Baduk broadcaster Jim Young Kim separates fact from fiction in The Match, the Korean film about the relationship between Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho.
C. Thi Nguyen Interview, TelegraphGo & Pixel Go, Learning Themes & Cheating in Chess vs Go with Gazza
Season 3, Episode 3
Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen considers games as an art of agency, using Go to explore achievement, striving, and why a rewarding game is not always one you win.
Finding Great Go Equipment with Solomon & Two New Pros to Watch
Season 4, Episode 6
Solomon Smilack of the Baduk Club Store explores the materials and traditions behind Go equipment, from glass and Yunzi stones to prized slate-and-shell sets.
The Art of Board Making with Craftsman Naoki Kumasu & Go Lesson Takeaways
Season 4, Episode 7
Japanese craftsman Naoki Kumasu describes the skill and generations of tradition behind Go-board making, including wood selection, drying, shaping, and hand-drawn grid lines.
Anthropologist/Former Korean Insei Chimin Oh 8d & Next Steps for the Aussie Go Scene
Season 4, Episode 10
Former Korean insei and anthropologist Chimin Oh examines the culture of professional Go training in Korea, the pressure to qualify, and how AI has changed that world.
Nie Weiping’s Legacy with Michael Chen 1p & an Update from Isaac Ripoll Machado
Season 4, Episode 11
Professional Michael Chen reflects on Nie Weiping’s China-Japan Supermatch victories, his cultural importance in China, and the lasting influence of his Go academy.
The History of Ancient Go Boards and Giving Back to the Go Community
Season 6, Episode 3
Vianka Singh explores centuries of Go-board design, including Korean flower points, the Sandalwood Goban, and other unusual historical boards and traditions.
John Fairbairn on What the Old Masters Can Still Teach Us
Season 6, Episode 7
Author and Go researcher John Fairbairn explains what older masters can still teach modern players, from Go Seigen’s influences to the history preserved in GoGoD.