Go demonstrations and teaching games were featured at the recent London 
AnimeCon 2013, held at the Rocket Complex, London Metropolitan University from July 20-21. British Go Association (BGA) VP Tony Atkins and go and anime enthusiast Ben Murphy of Billaricay Go Club (“feather” on KGS) demonstrated the basic rules on 9×9 boards and then played against about 40 visitors, introducing subtleties like ko as they played. One novice was so immediately hooked that he downloaded a go app to practice overnight then asked Atkins for a return match the next day. Many were familiar with go from the anime/manga Hikaru No Go and some had even played before. Leaflets about the game were also handed out.
The exhibition was the initiative of 25-year-old BGA member Murphy, who approached the convention organizers, animeleague, who then invited the BGA to participate without charge. “It was a very interesting and fun experience teaching people and I really enjoyed seeing how much people enjoyed the game,” Murphy told the E-Journal. He hopes to be at next year’s event too, provisionally set for February 8-9 2014.
– Tony Collman, British Correspondent for the E-Journal. Graphic courtesy of animeleague.
