Go Among the Visually Impaired

It was exactly five years ago that I first heard of the Japan Society for Promoting Go Among the Visually Impaired. I had returned to Japan for the World Amateur Go Championship, and I heard about the society from Morino Setsuo 9-dan of the Kansai Ki-in, who was one of the tournament referees. Morino Sensei had been active in various fields as a representative of this society for nine years.        As the name indicates, the aim of the society is to make it possible for people with visual handicaps to enjoy go with other fans. Put like that, it may sound simple, but not really. The first thing you need are special go stones with which you can distinguish black and white just by touch. The society mainly uses 9x9 boards and stones with concave and convex surfaces. Also, to make sure the stones don't move when you are checking their location, they fit into slots on the board.        The first step in teaching the game is to take a person's hand and get them to feel the stones with their fingertips.        After all, you can't just say, 'This is territory.'        I've tried it several times. The nerves of my fingertips, which I don't usually use, are so hard to use that I get annoyed. Even on a 9x9 board, I can't even get close to playing go. I find it really moving whenever I see people agilely playing go on these boards.        With typical generosity, Morino Sensei later sent large numbers of these special go sets to me in Italy. The postage was really expensive, but the customs duty was just as heavy. This happened five years ago when my Italian was hardly good enough to argue with the customs officials.        I was reduced to just listening to them talk away on the phone. Apparently they thought it was some new product.
Well, whenever I had a chance, I distributed these 9x9 sets in different parts of Europe, but my stock is finally running out. On one of my visits home, I heard that there was an All-Japan Vision and Hearing Go Tournament and so I went to have a look.        The tournament venue was the Konishi Hall in Kitahama in Osaka. There were about 100 participants, centring on schools for the blind and welfare groups in the Kansai area; they included primary and junior high school pupils and members of the general public. The hall was thronged with helpers and staff members, but it was very quiet; there was a peaceful atmosphere.        This tournament was in its fifth year and featured various different activities; the main events were 9x9 and 19x19 tournaments, and this year, for the first time, there was a Meijin tournament between the champion blind players from Japan and Korea, with the moves being relayed between the two countries by telephone.
The Korean champion, Soong, and the Japanese representative, Nakamaru, who won this tournament last year, were both high-dan players.They played quickly and easily; it was magical to watch. Two games were played, one each on 9x9 and 19x19 boards, and the result was a tie. Everyone enjoyed this go exchange.
On this day, I became friends with primary school twins. One was wearing very thick glasses; the other didn't seem to have any vision at all. They had just started playing go, and every time they played a stone or won a game they had expressions of pure joy on their faces. When I kept losing to them, they ended up encouraging me: 'Come on, Auntie, try harder.' They looked happier than ever.        When these enjoyable games had finished and there was a gap in the conversation, the twin who couldn't see at all suddenly grabbed both my hands. With small but chubby, warm hands. Before I had time to react, he grabbed my arms. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that this was his way of getting to know me. Then, speaking slowly, as if checking his words, he said, smiling shyly: 'Let's play again.' 'Sure, let's play again. Next time I won't lose,' I said, affecting a Kansai accent to hide how moved I was. I pressed his little hand in return. This was a precious experience that has remained in my memory.        This tournament is scheduled to be held again in June 2003. I've revolved to attend it again. Detailed information about the tournament is available on the Net (in English also) at: http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~sgo/ This address gives you access to the Japan Society for Promoting Go Among the Visually Impaired.
('Monthly Go World', August 2002. Translated by John Power.)