Have you ever heard of saying Baduk is a miniature of life? Although it sounds difficult, philosophical or too deep it’s actually a good way to describe its features more easily. If you had played baduk for longer than a while, you may have realized that it’s not just a game of capturing or building territories but there are plans, objectives, calculating the situation and psychological strategies as well in the game. Just like this, if you observe the flow of the game more carefully you would find many things yourself that you missed while enjoying the game itself.

     At the beginning, you start with nothing on an empty board. Every game looks alike here, but soon it becomes unique. In this stage, players make the groundwork of the game. Well constructed opening often leads to a better position, but it doesn’t guarantee the victory of the game. Wu Chingyuan, the living legend of this field, famously said that “Baduk is harmony.” Admittedly many players have different styles, but I believe that the best strategy in the opening is to balance between territories and thickness just like children should be educated both physically and mentally.

     Busiest part of life may be 20’s and 30’s since lots of important things happen during the period. That is also true for Baduk. Between the opening and endgame is the most complicated but exciting part of a game. Attacking, invading, reducing, building moyos are all belongs here and in many cases these courses decide the winner and the loser.

     What about an endgame then? It’s easier to explain. We settle and arrange what we achieved during the course of life or a game. Isn’t it simple?

     However there are significant differences between life and baduk, too. First of all, we don’t start in reality as fairly as we do in baduk. Secondly, there is no winner or loser in life. Last but not the least; we can always restart a game of baduk. You lost a game? Then start another game! You might win this time.

    

     There was an amateur teacher in the baduk academy where I studied baduk. Though he never taught me directly, (he taught only kids who were relatively weak) he was always with I and my peers. He had lunch and dinner with us, and sometimes gave us a useful tip for studying baduk more effectively. Because our academy was not a big one, all students and teachers were just like a huge family. We were all close and had fun together.

     The teacher has passed away. It was a few days ago. He found a cancer a few weeks ago and it was too late to cure than. When I heard that he had a cancer at first, I couldn’t believe that. He always seemed just the same and I didn’t even notice that he was getting older. I thought he would be there like for ever. Yet he’s gone now. It happened all so suddenly. What made me sadder was that I heard in the funeral. I met a girl, who studied baduk with me, there and she told me that the teacher was so proud of me that I got into an international university. You know, when I visited him and told him that I was gonna be a freshman soon he only told me “You could be the top player.” So I thought he didn’t like the fact that I chose to go to a collage. But now I remember that it was his style of saying. He never said warm words to me when I was around him, but many people around him told me later that he said so many good things about me.

     Oh I miss him already.