GO is an ancient Asian strategy game that is popular in Japan, China, and Korea with enthusiasts throughout the world.  The Japanese call it Go or Igo; The Koreans call it Baduk or Paduk; and the Chinese call it Weiqi or Wei Qi.

Go's few rules can be demonstrated quickly and grasped easily. It is enjoyably played over a wide range of skills. Each level of play has its charms, rewards, and discoveries. A unique and reliable handicapping system leads to equal contests between players of widely disparate strengths. Go is uniquely flexible and rewards patience and balance over aggression and greed. An early mistake can be made up, used to advantage or reversed as the game proceeds. There is no simple procedure to turn a clear lead into a victory.

Go thinking seems to be more lateral than linear, less dependent on logical deduction, and more reliant on a "feel" for the game, a "sense" of form, a gestalt of significant patterns.

Beyond merely a game, Go can take on other meanings to enthusiasts; an analogy with life, an intense meditation, a mirror of one's personality, an exercise in abstract reasoning, or, when played well, a beautiful art in which Black and White dance across the board in delicate balance.

But most important for all who play, Go is challenging and fun.

Slate & Shell is a publisher of Go books and seller of Go software and equipment.  Slate & Shell was created by three active go players in the Fall of 2000 to promote go, primarily by publishing high quality go books in English. We produce books for every level of player, from beginner to advanced.  Slate & Shell is also the distributor of MasterGo, software which  is a dramatic breakthrough for studying joseki and fuseki.