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A Game of Go


1990-03
Two hackers play Go
they start with the standard moves
soon they enter into Ko
Hataris pass between them
in this battle of the stones
They play for hours
losing sleep and study time
but God is it fun
matching wits against a friend
in this ancient Chinese game
It is a stalemate
or so it seems to a third
watching by their side
these two have played themselves before
now they know eachother's strategy
Black and white stones spread
like a virus on the board
nineteen by nineteen
while they play the clock ticks down
for the life form of their play
Seconds then minutes
each move requires more thought
one places a piece
a move now made - hatari!
then a hack conceeds a point
A line in trouble
desperate fight to save it
marching to the sea
to sacrifice an army
for all its size... still blind
Nearly four A.M.
then the game must be postponed
classes start at eight
a game to be remembered
and played again tomorrow
One to another
`parting's such sweet sorrow`
`you should not come back`
`think you've gotten away huh?`
`just wait until tomorrow!`
© Copyright 1990 Sheppard <sheppard @ cs.unm.edu> Contact the author for publication permission.