As a very strategic game, Go has been studied for almost as long as it has existed. Opening strategies have been tried and tested at tournaments, and entire dictionaries of these plays exist. Each person's strategy can be unique, and there are many different ways to win.
There is also a handicapping system in Go to allow beginning or amateur players to play against much better players. This system involves placing extra stones of the beginning player's color (usually black) in designated spots before game play starts. This allows the beginning player to have more control over the board then he would normally have if he and his more advanced opponent had equal turns to move.

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