Beginners can best learn Go starting on tiny boards (5x5) and working up in size as each in turn is mastered, always taking first move (black) with no handicap. On each size board, specific lessons can be learned:

• 5x5
  • Rules of game, simple tactics, when the game ends, scoring (Chinese/area)
  • Staking out corner on 3-3 point, defending corner against invasion, avoiding getting cut
    • squish invaders to minimal size (between your wall and edge)
    • cut succeeds vs. cutting stone can be quickly captured
    • make your group have two eyes (alive)
    • make invaders have one or zero eyes (dead)
  • Optional: Take the WHOLE board: all white stones die
• 7x7
  • Staking out majority of board via 4-4 point, limiting 3-3 invasion to minimal life, preventing second enemy group from living
  • Optional: Start on 3-4 or 3-3 point and see how difficult it is to win compared to starting on 4-4 point
• 9x9
  • Taking two adjacent corners before white gets them, by conservative 3-3 opening moves, or larger but more risky 3-4 or 4-4 moves
  • Pressing against white's corners while defending your own
  • Judging relative value of multiple endplays in different parts of board, usually choosing the largest of them
  • Occasionally a large ko fight will occur, such as happened during my first game with doggone2
  • Starting on this size board, it's typical for more than one nearly independent corner-joseki or other major site of action to develop simultaneously
• 11x11
  • This size and larger are REAL GAMES where even I playing black might lose against a much-stronger player
  • Starting on this size, influence facing away from corners and/or toward the center can aid building a moyo (territorial framework) and/or aiding reduction of opponent's moyo
• 13x13, 15x15, 17x17, 19x19
  • As the board size increases, potential-size and hence importance of moyo or threat to make moyo become increasingly large, resulting in different fusekis (opening strategies and hence choice of corner+side patterns) which aim for central influence more than immediate corner/side territory