The name IAGO (International Abstract Games Organization) was suggested by Bill Taylor on the usenet newsgroup rec.games.abstracts. The name IAGO is based on Shakespeare's character Iago, who was noted for his cunning and scheming. IAGO, the association, seeks to embody and promote a form of play for abstract strategy play that focuses on the cunning and scheming of players.  For IAGO, abstract strategy games are the purest environment to measure how well players plot and scheme against one another.  Because of this, IAGO wants to promote a true "war on a board" experience, creating high tension, and increase interest and excitement in abstract strategy games.  As was said by Bobby Fischer, "It's just you and your opponent on the board and you are trying to prove something", and "I like the moment when I break a man's ego". 

IAGO would also like to thank Scott (mindprint from the IAGO discussion forums), for creating and donating the logo that appears on the top left section of this page, to IAGO. Also, IAGO would like to thank Gary Gifford for the picture of the pieces to the right. Finally, IAGO sends a special thanks to Matthew Powell for creating the look and feel for the pages on this site, like this one.