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TimBrent

 

Go for Beginners
   

Published by Ishi Press in 1972, this book of Iwamoto's is very good for people just learning Go (and for refreshing your memory).

The book is broken down into two parts. (The following presumably refers to the original Ishi Press edition. The 1976 Penguin edition has only two chapters in Part I, and all the later chapter numbers are therefore different.)

Part I (ch. 1-3): The Rules Of Go, which includes a 9x9 demonstration game, and explanation of atari, ko, seki,and life and death (esp. making false eyes).

Part II (ch. 4-10) Elementary tactics and strategy. This part of the book will give you a very solid Go education as he gets into various aspects of the game,including play along the edge of the board, shicho, life and death, geta, semeai, snapback, and so forth. Chapter 9 is Life and Death. Chapter 10 is General Strategy, especially with corner play.

Chapter 11 talks about the rating syatem, and Chapter 12 has two of Mr. Iwamoto's games, vs. Kitani in 1949 (jigo) and vs, Shusai in 1926 (B+Res).

There is also an appendix with the rules of Go (as they would have been in 1972), a glossary, and a 1972 list of Go organisations around the world.

This is a very clear and readable book,which also contains several very good exercises in most sections. I recommend it.

 Contents:
 Preface...................................1
 PART I:The Rules Of Go....................2
 Chapter 1:Introduction....................3
 Chapter 2:Demonstration Game..............5
 Chapter 3:Capture........................12
 -Liberties...............................12
 -Solidly Connected Stones................13
 -Suicide Is Illegal......................20
 -Ko......................................21
 -Life And Death..........................28
 -False Eyes..............................32
 -Seki....................................40
 PART II:Elementary tactic And Strategy...46
 Chapter 4:At the Edge Of The Board.......47
 Chapter 5:Shicho.........................59
 Chapter 6: Geta and Loose Shicho.........62
 Chapter 7:Semeai.........................64
 Chapter 8:Snap-Back and Oiotashi.........72
 Chapter 9:Life And Death.................76
 -Eye Shape...............................76
 -The Death Blow From Within..............80
 -The Death Blow From Without.............80
 -Cutting Points..........................82
 -Throw-In Plays..........................83
 -Me Ari Me Nashi.........................84
 -Bent Four In The Corner.................85
 Chapter 10:General Strategy..............94
 -The Corners Are Important...............94
 -Shimari.................................96
 -Extensions..............................98
 -Kakari.................................102
 -The 3-3 Point Invasion.................105
 -Hasami.................................107
 -Make Teritory While Attacking..........108
 -Thickness..............................109
 Chapter 11:Ranks And Handicaps..........114
 Chapter 12:Example Games................120
 Appendix:The Rules Of Go................138
 Glossary................................140
 Go Organizations........................142

Main author: TimBrent



This is a copy of the living page "Go for Beginners" at Sensei's Library.
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