The game of Go is perhaps one of the oldest surviving games of pure mental skill. Although simple in its rules (there are only 4-5 main rules), and unlike chess, no computer version of Go has outwitted an average player.
The history of Go is not clear, but the game is thought to date back almost 4000 years where it was created by a Chinese emperor to improve his son's intelligence. During the Tang-dynasty, skill with Go was considered one of the "four accomplishments" for a learned gentleman along with painting, calligraphy and lute-playing. It was also at this time that Go was introduced to Japan.
