During the '60s and '70s there was a series of Sci-Fi short story collection anthologies. One story was particularly interesting and I am wondering if the story relates to any other, longer, ones.
This story started off by describing the oriental game of Go. This was being played out on a galactic scale. Just who was grabbing up planetary systems was not mentioned, but humans were involved.
A military expedition lands and explores a planet. One group falls into a gigantic "amoeba". It digests their useless body parts, except for their brains and additional bits and pieces that can help the thing survive.
Later, two of the expeditions' "brains" utilize the thing's abilities to eliminate the other (militaristic) brains, so that they can go and live in the wilderness. Was there any follow up story?
