Skip to main content
Print This Page
Text Size
Scroll To Top
Join the AGA
Sign In
menu
Home
2026 Go Congress
Learn to Play Go
Find a Club
Events Calendar
News
AGA Ratings
Blogs
Home
News / Articles List
Details
News / Articles
Go Spotting: "The Broken Seal" and the Mystery of Yamamoto's Missing Go
Published on 9/18/2015
"Quite unexpectedly I found an interesting reference to go in a non-fiction book that I am currently reading, 'The Broken Seal,' by Ladislas
Fargo," writes Erwin Gerstorfer.
"This book, first published in 1967, deals with the hidden war between American and Japanese code breakers from WW1 to Pearl Harbour. In discussing Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(left)
, the "brain" behind the attack on Pearl Harbour, Fargo mentions that Yamamoto was considered one of the strongest go players in the Japanese Navy (he enjoyed other games too, like Shōgi, Bridge and Poker). For me it was not too surprising that Yamamoto played go, as many members of the Japanese Navy were fond of it
(see e.g. Ukiyo-e below right)
, but I did not know that he was such a strong player. However, when I checked the curriculum vitae of Admiral Yamamoto in Wikipedia I got another surprise.
While go is listed on the German Wiki among other games that Yamamoto enjoyed, in
his English Wiki entry
go is not mentioned at all. This is quite a contrast to the fact that he was an expert go player.
Yamamoto was killed when American codebreakers identified his flight plans and his plane was shot down.
Return to Previous Page
Menu Links
Learn to Play Go
Find a Club
Events Calendar
News
Go Congress
Ratings
Site Search
Other Links
About the AGA
American Go Foundation
Youth
Tournaments
Forums
Elections
AGA Code of Conduct
Documents
Archived Website
Contact Us
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Get the AGA E-Journal
Get important Go news from the AGA, links to upcoming events and new blog posts.
Subscribe/Unsubscribe
Make a Donation to the AGA
The AGA runs on the generosity of people like you
Donate Today
1997-2022 American Go Association
Powered by ClubExpress
Email Us
contact@usgo.org
Watch our livestreams
Follow us on social media