![]() RecentChanges Referenced by
|
Teaching Paths
Keywords: Problem
Inspired by a discussion going on on rec.games.go, I would like to gather some reflections on the path people should follow when studying Go. The discussion evolves about statements by RobertJasiek that there is a complete lack of a systematic approach to Go Theory at least in Go literature available to the Western world. He intends to write volumes of his own to cover this gap. I wondered, if I were to redo my studying experiences, knowing what I know now, a.o. the professional advice to study tsumego, what I would study and in what order. Likewise, if a beginner would ask me to bring him to a certain level in the shortest time possible, how would I take on the endeavour ? Since by no means I intend to write something myself, I'd use material already available. I came up with the following: 1. The rulesTheory: from Go for beginners; Kaoru Iwamoto Exercises:
Remarks:
See also: Atari Go As A Teaching Method 2. The concept of territoryTheory: from Go for beginners; Kaoru Iwamoto Exercises:
3. The concept of life and deathTheory: from Go for beginners; Kaoru Iwamoto Exercises:
4. The theory and analysis of life and deathTheory: from Life and death; James Davies Exercises:
5. Fighting: counting liberties; how to win capturing racesTheory: from Second book of Go ; Richard Bozulich, Chapters 7 & 8 (Richard Hunter) Exercises:
6. The concept of efficiency: shape and tesuji
Theory on shape: Bruce Wilcox Exercises:
7. The fundamentalsTheory: Lessons in the fundamentals ; Kageyama Remarks for step 4 to 7
8. The concept of positional judgmentTheory: Positional judgment ; Cho Chikun Exercise: in each game, make a positional judgment 5 times a game 9. Strategic conceptsTheory and exercises:
10. More tesuji and tsumegoTheory and exercises:
11. The endgameTheory: from The endgame; Ogawa and Davies Exercises: Get strong at the endgame ; Bozulich 12. Study professional games
References:Notice the relatively low presence of strategy books and especially the complete abscence of systematic study of joseki, as opposed to the high exposure to tsumego. The former would be kept only until Dan level is reached.
--Dieter
TakeNGive 10k: Hi Dieter, good thoughts. My news server is spotty, and i missed the RGG thread. Maybe i'll try to find it with Deja. My gut feeling is that go students should be systematic with the capturing game (your step 1 "the rules") -- but probably should play "capture one" and "capture five" at least a few hundred times, to get firmly grounded in the fundamentals before proceeding further. (Milton Bradley has argued against the capturing game, but i think it is beneficial, and i wish i had been taught that way.) When the capturing game grows dull, move the student to "real" games of go; but i think at this point, no systematic study -- just play a few hundred more games (9x9, 13x13) with other newbies, and play teaching games with a stronger player who can explain why your groups all die. Gradually the new player gets a glimpse of how deeply convoluted the game is, and he is now ready to study systematically. First, life and death, and lots of it (never stop studying life and death, i don't think); and as you suggest, counting liberties and winning capturing races, including the quirks of the corner. Next, endgame plays -- polishing the endgame will win many close games. The next step perhaps, analysing your games with a stronger player; then, analysing pro games, on your own and with other players. After that, i have no idea; but that is how i now wish my learning had gone. Part of the problem is that formal study just isn't as much fun as actually playing. So, make playing a big part of the formal study? Good books you chose. What's y'all's opinion of Janice Kim's Learn to Play Go series? My two cents, - TakeNGive This is a copy of the living page "Teaching Paths" at Sensei's Library. (C) the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0. |