Graded Go Problems For Beginners
A great set of books by Kano Yoshinori. Published by the Nihon Ki-in, copyright 1985. This series is currently available from Kiseido.
- Volume 1 is 30-25-kyu.
- Volume 2 is 25-20-kyu.
- Volume 3 is 20-15-kyu.
- Volume 4 is "advanced."
Table of contents | Table of diagrams Volume 1 - Black to kill a stone Volume 2 - Black to play Volume 3 - Black to surround Volume 4 - Black to rescue his three stones, all ladders work |
Which Volume Should I Buy?
If you are a beginner, buy the book that fits your level.
Note: These ratings are steep. Some of the problems in Vol. 1 are pretty advanced. If you think you're ready to skip ahead to Vol. 2 because you're 23k on IGS, read Vol. 1 anyway. -- Scartol
Volume 1 problems are solveable at glance by AGA 8k. Volume 2 starting about problem 100 require reading verification of the intuitive solution -- Velobici
If you have to mail order or something, here are the first problems from each of the books (if the answer isn't immediately apparent, that is the book you want)
Reviews
I was reading volume 1, and noticed how well the author introduces Go concepts to the complete beginner. For example:
- Problem 1: capture
- Problem 2: capture using the edge of board
- Problem 3: capture using a corner, capture with a stone in atari
- Problem 4: capturing multiple stones
- Problem 5: local area may have unequal numbers of stones?
- Problem 6: capturing multiple stones with a group in atari
- Problem 7: as above, but away from an edge
- Problem 8: capturing two groups at once
- Problem 9: capturing big groups
- Problem 10: capturing a big group with stone becoming atari
Questions / Solutions
This section covers questions readers have regarding specific problems.
- Volume 3, Problem 56
- Volume 4, Problem 18
- Volume 4, Problem 334: see BQM251