SLOW

After being challenged to a game of go on www.itsyourturn.com by LordFoom I decided to procure my own go set. This is not as easy as one might imagine due to the game's lack of popularity in South Africa.

First I looked online, but there was not a lot of information. The best advice came from the excellent Sensei's Library, which advised that there were two places that sell go sets in Africa, both in Rivonia.

Then I thought I'd try my luck in the Chinese section of Joburg city. I found a shop and enquired from a shopkeeper that was sitting outside, taking a smoke break. He barely knew of the existence of the game and assured me there was no go sets in town and that I should look in Eastgate or Sandton.

I had to leave it for the next day. After coffee with some selfstyled go critics in Cresta I went to Rivonia. I bought a fold-up go set from a gift shop called Wat Knot. The shopkeeper pointed me in the direction of the Korean market. I wanted to compare prices. The set I found there was three times cheaper and a lot more user-friendly.

So I ended up with two sets, one of which will be transported down to LordFoom as a gift for introducing me to this ancient and brilliant game.