Oliver and Thomas Wolf

Professor Thomas Wolf’s regular Brock Go Club has educated people of all ages on one of the world’s most popular games.

Now it’s paying off for someone a little closer to him — his son.

The Mathematics professor’s son Oliver, 11, took the top prize in the Junior Redmond Cup, a North American championship for players under 12 held earlier this month at the U.S. Go Congress. In March, he placed fourth in the European U12 Championship, as well as sixth in the German U18 Championship. He also traveled to Seoul, Korea with his father this summer — all expenses paid — to play in the Korean U12 tournament.

Wolf started the Brock Go Club more than five years ago. Its members are Go players aged six to 70. But Oliver, who started playing at age four, is to be credited for his own success, Wolf said.

“One could argue he gets relatively much support from me and from teachers on the internet, but the conversion of support to success is not automatic,” Wolf said. “His achievement is great, irrespective of the support he gets.”

Go originated in China more than 4,000 years ago and is the oldest game played essentially in its original form. Steeped in the virtues of patience and balance, the game’s popularity in the east surpasses the appeal of chess in the western world. Japan’s top Go players are major celebrities, and a professional Go system exists in Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan.

Wolf researches computer Go and has published articles about it in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Last year, he wrote a book about the game. Two years ago, he received a substantial grant from a U.S. defense agency to research computer Go. He also supervises a number of students in undergraduate research of computer Go.

While a game of chess may have 50 moves, Go has as many as 300 moves, so strategy and intuition play a crucial role, Wolf said. Its rules can be learned quickly, but its implications can be explored over a lifetime.

Players learn a lot about each other without saying a word, just by observing how the other plays, Wolf said.

“There’s a Chinese saying that if you want to marry a girl, play a game of Go with her first,” he said.

Oliver knew the basics from an early age, but took a serious interest in Go about three years ago, Wolf said. Lately, the Richmond Street Public School student has spent more time reading books about Go, solving Go problems and analyzing games. He plays at a 2 Dan grade level, and can memorize games and replay them from memory. He also plays with a team from Berlin in Germany’s Go Bundesliga.

Oliver said he has fun with the tournaments and travel opportunities Go has provided.

“You have to practice if you want to be a good Go player.”

Brock’s Go Club meets Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. in MCJ434. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact Thomas Wolf at twolf@brocku.ca or visit the site for the Brock Go Club.

Links:
• Brock University Go Club
• American Go Association