Fractional Team Go, Game 1

[antonTobi]

Position after B3:

(next move will be black/red)

[martin3141]

I play C2 here:

[Groin]

Looking like the birth of a new virus variant

[martin3141]

Not sure what to think about that but, you know, if the variant spreads in popularity as fast as a virus, that would be great

[Groin]

Was my feeling looking at the position, not a judgement of the whole go variant.

[yebellz]

Crazy idea, what if I just go ahead and cut at D4, letting them play at E2 (or maybe they would go B2 next)?

Are we screwed either way?

[yebellz]

Ok, let’s do D4

#YOLO

[martin3141]

Alrighty, here’s the new position:

Let’s see what @Here_We_Go is going to play here

[Here_We_Go]

Though one between B2 and E2. I think E2 seems more urgent, so I will play that.

[martin3141]

Ok, here is the new position:

By the way, lately I’ve been thinking about possible setups for future fractional games. Although a diplomatic game mode is definetely possible and also promises to be fun, I like the clear incentives of the two teams setup. Furthermore it can naturally be extended to accomodate many participants, all play with two-coloured stones, one team colour and one shared with exactly one player on the opposing team.
Like @Vsotvep wrote earlier, the mode we are playing at the moment feels a lot like Rengo with additional possibility for stones getting captured. I dare say that with four players it still feels a lot like regular go, but imagine bigger teams, suddenly captures due to lack of liberties of the “secondary colour” will be much more prevalent I imagine

[Vsotvep]

I think I have little choice but to play B2 now.

[martin3141]

Not much to think about, so I’ll play D1 without delay:

[yebellz]

Sorry, I forgot that it is my turn. I think I should go at F2 next? That’s not a terrible idea, is it, @Vsotvep?

Edit: Oh, maybe it is not working, since they blue/black makes atari with F1, and blue/white connecting at G2, leads to red/black taking with G1, which necessitates another connect at G2, and eventually the red/white group in the bottom right gets smothered to death?

Maybe I just connect at G2 instead?

[Vsotvep]

Oof, I had a couple beers tonight (it’s “beer week” in my city right now), let’s see…

I think it’s our only move if this weren’t 4-coloured rengo, but I’m not entirely sure in this variant. F1 would be white-atari, which requires me to fill G2, but then Martin can capture that, since G2 is blue-self-atari, which would need an immediate G2 by white-red afterwards, bringing us to:

Is that good?

As another option we could play F1, I guess? Blue-Black F2 wouldn’t be as much of a thread if I fill G2, since all blue stones would form a chain:

Those blue stones are going to be captured sooner or later, but I’m not sure if that’s necessarily a bad thing for us.

[Vsotvep]

Ah, no, F1 is definitely bad, when Black-Blue plays G2 instead I have no way to save the group.

[edit] Or no, maybe I do, since there’s a Black-atari left, then… Oh boy, this is twisting my brains today…

[yebellz]

Maybe just connect at G2 now? However, I’m not sure, and maybe should sleep on it. I’ve also just opened my second beer, for inspiration.

[Vsotvep]

It helps, the inspiration.

Not really for playing Go, but it definitely helps with other things. Perhaps.

[yebellz]

Ok, I’ll play at G2

[Maharani]

This looks way too easy to understand. Why isn’t this being played on an Escherian board?

[Here_We_Go]

I’d like to play B1 to keep the pressure on that group since we only have one eye now.