The Basic Move, the Brilliant Move, and the Common Move

After retiring, Old Li's greatest pleasure was to play a couple of games at the park's chess stall every afternoon. He called himself a "chess fanatic" with fifty years of experience, proficient in various chess principles, and boasted that he could play chess with "flowing moves, containing profound mysteries." Old Li often said: Go is like life, basic moves, brilliant moves, and common moves are all choices.

There was a young chess player in the park, whom everyone called "Little Ma". Little Ma had a strange style of play, not following conventions, often making seemingly "common moves," but often winning unexpectedly. Old Li disliked Little Ma's style, feeling he was defiling the "elegance" of Go.

One day, Old Li played against Little Ma again. Old Li, playing black, took a deep breath and made what he considered a "basic move," steady and solid. Little Ma didn't seem to care, responding to his basic move with what appeared to be an ordinary move. As the game progressed, Old Li gradually sensed something was wrong. Little Ma's moves became increasingly bizarre. What he had previously thought were "common moves" were now interconnected, seemingly loose, but with hidden killing intent.

Old Li frowned and began to think seriously, trying to find a solution, but no matter how he analyzed, his black pieces were in grave danger. He became anxious, and sweat appeared on his forehead. In the end, Old Li had to admit that he had lost.

"How did you… play that?" Old Li couldn't help but ask.

Little Ma smiled and said, "Nothing much, they're all just 'common moves'."

Old Li was stunned. He couldn't believe that Little Ma was making "common moves," but he couldn't find any other explanation.

In the following days, Old Li played chess with Little Ma constantly, and he was defeated again and again by Little Ma's seemingly "common moves." His self-esteem suffered a severe blow. He began to doubt his fifty years of practice, and he began to question his understanding of Go.

He began to reflect. Was the "basic move" he had always pursued actually a shackle, restricting his thinking? Were Little Ma's seemingly absurd "common moves" actually "brilliant moves"?

One day, Old Li didn't go to the park. Alone at home, he dug out the old Go classics he had collected when he was young. He carefully studied those ancient game records and found that the classic games that had been passed down through the ages often did not blindly pursue "basic moves" but rather flexibly adapted to the situation, and even dared to make some "common moves."

He suddenly understood that the true essence of Go lies not in pursuing "basic moves" in terms of principles but in making the most appropriate choice based on the actual situation. Even if it seems like a "common move," as long as it leads to victory, it's the best move.

The next day, Old Li went to the park again. He didn't play against Little Ma, but instead went to another old man and asked him for a game. The old man gladly agreed. Old Li, playing black, no longer made those solid "basic moves" but boldly tried some moves that he had previously considered to be "common moves."

The old man was surprised, then laughed and said, "Old Li, your playing today is interesting."

Old Li smiled without saying anything. He didn't win this game, but he didn't lose either. He played with ease and enjoyment, and he felt the true fun of Go.

At this moment, a staff member from the park management came over with a loudspeaker and said sternly, "Dear chess players, we have received a notice from higher authorities that in order to rectify the park's order, playing chess is now prohibited in the park. Violators will be fined."

The chess stall was immediately in an uproar, with everyone complaining. Old Li stood there, stunned, looking at the unfinished game on the chessboard, feeling lost in his heart. He suddenly felt that his previous reflections had become meaningless. In the face of this absurd rule, all talk of "basic moves," "brilliant moves," and "common moves" had become laughable.

Old Li looked up at the sky. The sun was still bright, but he felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet. He suddenly understood that life is like a game of Go, but the rules on the chessboard are not determined by the players.