Itsu Demo Doko Demo Dekiru Igo: AI Igo DS/Play

The "Play" menu.

The "Play Mode" (対局 on the main menu; literally "a game of go") is the first option on the main menu and the area in which you'll likely spend most of your time. Here you can play a game of go with customizable settings against either another human or against the computer. There are only three options here, COM, 人間 (Human), and 戻る (Go back). Selecting either COM or Human will provide you with a submenu to get your game set up and ready to play. Go back will simply return to the main menu.

Vs. COM

Choosing COM will take you to a setup menu for a match against the computer. At it's hardest setting the computer is still only able to play at a low amateur level. Someone who has been playing go regularly for around six months would likely be able to beat the hardest setting with relative ease. Here in the COM menu you can adjust difficulty, board size, handicap, and more. The options are as follows:

The COM menu. A handicap game is being setup.

対局相手 - (Taikyoku Aite, Go Partner)

The "go partner" setting is the first option on the COM Menu. Here you can choose one of four difficulty levels for the computer.

• 弱い (Yowai, Weak): Very easy
• 標準 (Hyōjun, Standard): Easy
• 強い (Tsuyoi, Strong): Intermediate
• 最強 (Saikyō, Strongest): Hard

碁盤の大きさ - (Goban no Ōkisa, Go Board Size)

The second option from the top, go board size allows you to choose from one of three commonly used board sizes:

• 9x9: A small size often used by beginners or those looking for very quick games.
• 13x13: A mid-size board for a middle length match.
• 19x19: The full-size board often used for regular games and even tournaments.

互先 - (Tagaisen, Even Game)

The third line offers two different options to set up your game. As it's name would imply, choosing "even game" allows you to set up a game without any handicap.

手番 - (Tetsugai, Choose Color)

Lets you choose which side to play as; black always get the first move.

• にぎりで決める (Nigiri de Kimeru, Decide by nigiri): Your starting color is chosen at random
• あなたが黒 (Anata ga Kuro, You are Black): Play as black
• あなたが白 (Anata ga Shiro, You are White): Play as white

コミ - (Komi, Compensation)

Komi is the term used to describe the points awarded to White for moving second. It also helps to prevent ties since komi usually is a half-integer, meaning that one side will always win by at least ½ point. A komi between five and eight points is typical.

• なし (Nashi, Without): No komi
• 半目 (Moku han, half a point): 0.5 point komi
• 1目半 ~ 9目半 (Ichi ~ Kyū Moku han, one-and-a-half to nine-and-a-half points) 1.5 ~ 9.5 point komi

置碁 - (Okigo, Handicap Go)

置石 - (Okiseki^?, Handicap Stones)

Allows you to choose how many handicap stones to award black. Handicap stones are given to the weaker player and cause White to move first.

• 定先 (Jōsen, Decide Ahead): Always play as black (the same as a one-stone handicap)
• 2子 ~ 9子 (Ni ~ Kyū/Sei Ko, Two ~ Nine-Stone Handicap): Gives black a two - nine stone handicap.

手番 - (Tetsugai, Choose Color)

Lets you choose which side to play as. Black always get the first move and takes handicap stones.

• にぎりで決める (Nigiri de Kimeru, Decide by nigiri): Your starting color is chosen at random
• あなたが黒 (Anata ga Kuro, You are Black): Play as black
• あなたが白 (Anata ga Shiro, You are White): Play as white

コミ - (Komi, Compensation)

Komi is the term used to describe the points awarded to White for moving second. It also helps to prevent ties since komi usually is a half-integer, menining that one side will always win by at least ½ point. A komi between five and eight points is typical.

• なし (Nashi, Without): No komi
• 半目 (Han Ne, Half Eye): 0.5 point komi
• 1目半 ~ 9目半 (Ichi ~ Kyū Ne Han, One ~ Nine and Half Eye) 1.5 ~ 9.5 point komi

対局開始 - (Kaishi, Start Game of Go)

The button on the bottom-left, "start game" uses the settings you defined to create a new game that's ready to play.

戻る - (Modoru, Go Back)

Located on the bottom-right, the back button will return you to the main "Play Mode" screen.

Vs. Human

Two Players, One DS

While multiplayer requires multiple copies of the game, there is a way for multiple people to play with only one game and one DS. Simply start up a game against the computer. Set the rules you wish to play with and be sure to choose to play as black. As soon as the game starts, open the menu and enter edit mode. Set edit mode to alternate between black and white then simply take turns placing your stones on the board!

Choosing to play against a human allows you to play a game over local wireless. This mode requires that both players have a Nintendo DS and a copy of Itsu Demo Doko Demo Dekiru Igo, DS Download Play is not supported. Setting up the game rules is almost completely identical to the COM setup screen (though there is no difficulty setting). Before getting to that screen, however, the multiplayer mode requires some additional setup. You must choose whether to create a new multiplayer game, or join one that has already been set up.

• 作る - Create Game
• 戻る - Go Back
• 探す - Join Game