Hoen Shinpo

1) Hoen Shinpo (方圓新法) is an 1882 classic Japanese book by Honinbo Shuho. The books consists of two parts: the first contains handicap openings for four, three and two stones games; the second contains 30 even game openings and 20 commented games played by Shuho against Shusaku and Shuwa. These players are collectively called 'Sanshu' (三秀, The Three Shu's) and regarded as the high watermark of the classical period Go.

Hoen Shinpo served as the basis for Oscar Korschelt's The Theory and Practice of Go.

Digital scans of the original 1882 edition are available at the Japanese National Diet Library: vol.1 and vol.2

A translation of Hoen Shinpo is available on the GoGoD CD.

See also Shuho's Opening Theory.

Reviews

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Table of Contents

• Book 1
  • Preface by Shigeno Yasutsugu
  • Four-stone openings
  • Three-stone openings
  • Two-stone openings
• Book 2
  • Even-game openings
  • Commented games
    • Shuwa vs Shuho (ten games)
    • Shusaku vs Shuho (ten games)
• Afterword by Miyoshi Kitoku

Modern edition

Hoen Shinpo 方円新法 published in 1990 by Kyoikusha 教育社 (defunct). Contains the Preface by Shigeno and the games collection part. Shuho's original comments in old Japanese. Some comments are also translated to modern Japanese and combined with additional comments by Takagi Shoichi. ISBN:978-4315510799

Sample Material

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2) 方円新報 was a magazine for amateurs started in 1908. The editor in chief was Kurumi Masami?. Contributed by Iwasa Kei, Tsuyamori Itsuro, Hayashi Tokuzo and others. It was later renamed 'Kikai Shinpo' (棋界新報) to avoid confusion with 1) above.