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Good books for a beginner
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Author:  Boidhre [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:43 am ]
Post subject:  Good books for a beginner
I know I don't need to be reading yet but I enjoy it for the sake of it even if it might hinder me a bit! I was curious as to what books people would recommend for a high DDK. I've read Learn to Play Go 1 & 2 and found them entertaining and fairly useful. Would a book on life and death be a good idea?

Second question: Would MFOG be a good alternative to getting the first two volumes of Graded Go Problems for drilling purposes? It's only marginally more expensive for me given postage to Ireland for the books so I'm considering it.
Author:  CnP [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
If you want to read Go books, you should! I don't know if something like this is too easy for you, quite possibly, I like it though. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Complete-Introduction-Beginner-Elementary/dp/4906574505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331134063&sr=8-1

Also, MFOG actually comes with problems from the Graded go series (probably not all of them though) - plus you get a lot more than just problems.
Author:  karaklis [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
You may also want to have a look at this list.
Author:  otenki [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
First of all: Opening theory made easy (http://senseis.xmp.net/?OpeningTheoryMadeEasy) This helped me a lot in the beginning

For the rest I have been realy getting a lot better by reading the elementary go series:(http://senseis.xmp.net/?ElementaryGoSeries) Especialy the Tesuji one was an eye opener

Cheers,
Another high ddk, Otenki :-)
Author:  Boidhre [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Anyone have good opinions of Learning to Play Go 3, 4 & 5? I liked 2 quite a bit and reread it already. Also, is Basic Techniques of Go far too advanced for me at the moment? It's a decent enough price on SmartGo Books at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.
Author:  hermitek [ Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:
Anyone have good opinions of Learning to Play Go 3, 4 & 5? I liked 2 quite a bit and reread it already. Also, is Basic Techniques of Go far too advanced for me at the moment? It's a decent enough price on SmartGo Books at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I *loved* the Learn to play go series. It explained all the basic concepts and terms, it helped me with cluelessness of the beginner standing in front of 19x19 board etc. Maybe the first volume wasn't as useful because it focused more or less only on the rules but the rest was really cool. I highly recommend them. If you read them, it should bring you at least to 15k in no time.

The Elementary Go series is imho suited for SDK. Some other recommendations are at http://senseis.xmp.net/?RecommendedFirstBooks
Author:  RobertJasiek [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
hermitek wrote:
I *loved* the Learn to play go series. [...] I highly recommend them.


Maybe they are ok for beginners because the readers don't notice the books' mistakes. From my 5d POV though, the authors should have been more careful in avoiding desinformation concerning some details while selling it as entertainment and superior knowledge of the authors (example: some remark like "too small book margin to write down the proof", where actually the fact is less generally valid than pretended). It can be hard to unlearn wrong knowledge.
Author:  RobertJasiek [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
hermitek wrote:
http://senseis.xmp.net/?RecommendedFirstBooks


Attack and Defense as a first book recommendation??!!
Author:  karaklis [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
RobertJasiek wrote:
Attack and Defense as a first book recommendation??!!

I agree that this suggestion is nonsense. Attack and Defense becomes interesting after you have reached the SDK ranges. However I can recommend "In the Beginning" from the "Elementary Go Series". It contains some of the topics of A&D and is comprehensible for beginners. It was my first book and I have learned very much from it.

Also "Making Good Shape" doesn't seem to be appropriate for beginners. While the first chapters are fine (also for beginners), the 245 problems (which actually make up most of the book) seem to be addressed to dan players.
Author:  Boidhre [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
RobertJasiek wrote:
hermitek wrote:
I *loved* the Learn to play go series. [...] I highly recommend them.


Maybe they are ok for beginners because the readers don't notice the books' mistakes. From my 5d POV though, the authors should have been more careful in avoiding desinformation concerning some details while selling it as entertainment and superior knowledge of the authors (example: some remark like "too small book margin to write down the proof", where actually the fact is less generally valid than pretended). It can be hard to unlearn wrong knowledge.


What would you recommend instead?

karaklis wrote:
However I can recommend "In the Beginning" from the "Elementary Go Series". It contains some of the topics of A&D and is comprehensible for beginners. It was my first book and I have learned very much from it.


Would you recommend it before "Opening Theory Made Easy" then or instead of?
Author:  RobertJasiek [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:
What would you recommend instead [of "Learn to play"]?


Up to 14.5 kyu: Visit a club. Play a lot and get at least some personal advice. If a club is not available and books are really about the only choice, then I'd suggest Graded Go Problems 1 + 2 and an online teacher pointing out ONLY the greatest recurring mistakes of a few sample games. Such advice may cost EUR 20 - 30 but is more valuable than any of the beginner books for a similar (total) price available so far.

Above 14.5: So far this is OT for this thread's earlier request, which is concerned for high DDK level.
Author:  Boidhre [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
RobertJasiek wrote:
Boidhre wrote:
What would you recommend instead [of "Learn to play"]?


Up to 14.5 kyu: Visit a club. Play a lot and get at least some personal advice. If a club is not available and books are really about the only choice, then I'd suggest Graded Go Problems 1 + 2 and an online teacher pointing out ONLY the greatest recurring mistakes of a few sample games. Such advice may cost EUR 20 - 30 but is more valuable than any of the beginner books for a similar (total) price available so far.


So, just to make sure I understand, do problems to improve tactics/get my head around key concepts and find out my biggest mistakes and rectify them? Ignore the rest for the time being?
Author:  karaklis [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:
karaklis wrote:
However I can recommend "In the Beginning" from the "Elementary Go Series". It contains some of the topics of A&D and is comprehensible for beginners. It was my first book and I have learned very much from it.

Would you recommend it before "Opening Theory Made Easy" then or instead of?

Both books have only very few overlaps and the skill requirements are similar, so there is no recommendation which one to start first. It is also possible to study them simultaneously.
Author:  judicata [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:
Anyone have good opinions of Learning to Play Go 3, 4 & 5? I liked 2 quite a bit and reread it already. Also, is Basic Techniques of Go far too advanced for me at the moment? It's a decent enough price on SmartGo Books at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.


I would definitely recommend the rest of the series.
Author:  RobertJasiek [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:
do problems to improve tactics/get my head around key concepts and find out my biggest mistakes and rectify them? Ignore the rest for the time being?


Tactics is necessary and basic tactics is essential for beginners, so that they overcome the "escape from atari and run into the board's edge" level. Tactics itself does not teach key concepts ("Defending one connected group is easier than defending two separated groups."); those are also necessary. Your biggest mistakes can be tactical or strategic; probably you make mistakes of both kinds. Big mistakes must be perceived rather than ignored.
Author:  jts [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
Boidhre wrote:

So, just to make sure I understand, do problems to improve tactics/get my head around key concepts and find out my biggest mistakes and rectify them? Ignore the rest for the time being?

By the way, it's fun to play go in person, but it's likely that at a club the player you challenge will not yet be able to remember your game. You're likely to get better advice on kgs (For free), because you get an automatic game record.

I don't think there's anything wrong with attack and defense. It is not going to be the most efficient way to improve, but no book is, yet; you may find it just as fascinating as any other book.

In the beginning is, iirc, more oriented to advice that is specifically and exclusively about the opening. Opening theory made easy, otoh, is more focused on ideas that are important throughout the game, which you can use as the building blocks of your opening strategy.
Author:  Boidhre [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Good books for a beginner
jts wrote:
Boidhre wrote:
So, just to make sure I understand, do problems to improve tactics/get my head around key concepts and find out my biggest mistakes and rectify them? Ignore the rest for the time being?

By the way, it's fun to play go in person, but it's likely that at a club the player you challenge will not yet be able to remember your game. You're likely to get better advice on kgs (For free), because you get an automatic game record.


Yeah, the only club within 3 hours train journey of me is a college one and that'll be finishing up for the academic year now. Current idea is to play until the autumn and join the club when it restarts. That's if there aren't some summer activities going on with the club here.
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