The game of Go has been around for thousands of years and is still one of the world's most popular board games. Try it out and decide for yourself whether it's really That Good.
I recommend starting with a shortened (but otherwise completely authentic) version called First Capture Go. Shortening the game bypasses some rules and situations that can be confusing to first-timers. That way you can focus on the basic concepts and cycle quickly through several games.
Here's a PDF with everything you and a friend need to play: First Capture Go
Multnomah County Library is offering 5 free Learn and Play Go classes this March as part of their Everybody Reads 2024 program. (This year's Everybody Reads book is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. The book's main characters are video game designers, and one of them creates a game within which the characters play Go.) I'll be teaching two of the classes and the Portland Go Club will be teaching the other three. See the event listing at https://multcolib.org/events-classes?field_event_type_target_id=86&field_event_start_value%5Bmax%5D=2024-03-30.
See also the American Go Association's "Go spotting" page on Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow: https://www.usgo.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=454497&item_id=88576
Regional Go websites -- USGo.org ... OregonGo.org ... PortlandGo.org
Play Go online now -- gokgs.com
Go on Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)
The 2024 US Go Congress will be held July 13-21 in Portland. -- /www.usgo.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=454497&module_id=614707