It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:55 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #21 Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 3:59 pm 
Lives in sente
User avatar

Posts: 795
Liked others: 93
Was liked: 105
GD Posts: 600
azazil wrote:
Invincible is a wonderful book, but commentary (which is the reason you're buying it right?) is not for kyu players in my opinion.

I have heard kyu players have improved from this by replaying the games and reading the commentaries. Would you recommend other books with commentaries of professionals' matches?

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #22 Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 6:28 pm 
Beginner

Posts: 17
Liked others: 0
Was liked: 0
Rank: IGS 3d
Generally, no.

Most books on topics in go use pro games as examples, and provide commentary that way. So reading other go books often indirectly gives you commentary. Pro games are played at a very very high level, there's no way around it, so commentary on pro games tends to be inaccessible to weak players. Maybe some 5k-1k can get something out of it, but for ddk I think it's definitely a waste of time.

The KGS+ lectures aim at a mostly kyu player audience from what I can tell (though I don't subscribe to them), so they might be a good source of simplified commentary.

I'm not saying not to look at pro games, but I think the in depth analysis found in most commentaries is going to over the head of most kyu players most of the time.

- Az

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #23 Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 12:42 am 
Site Admin
User avatar

Posts: 1125
Location: Allegan, MI, USA
Liked others: 18
Was liked: 121
Rank: KGS 9k
Universal go server handle: Jordus
azazil wrote:
Generally, no.

Most books on topics in go use pro games as examples, and provide commentary that way. So reading other go books often indirectly gives you commentary. Pro games are played at a very very high level, there's no way around it, so commentary on pro games tends to be inaccessible to weak players. Maybe some 5k-1k can get something out of it, but for ddk I think it's definitely a waste of time.

The KGS+ lectures aim at a mostly kyu player audience from what I can tell (though I don't subscribe to them), so they might be a good source of simplified commentary.

I'm not saying not to look at pro games, but I think the in depth analysis found in most commentaries is going to over the head of most kyu players most of the time.

- Az


I gained at least 5 stones just from playing through pro-games without commentaries. It helps you to recognize good shapes and such.

_________________
I'm thinking...

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #24 Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 1:10 am 
Gosei
User avatar

Posts: 1810
Liked others: 490
Was liked: 365
Rank: KGS 1-dan
I know many players, who started to replay pro-matches in their SDK-range and became stronger, so I think, it's less about really understanding but more about seeing what is/which moves are possible in certain situations.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #25 Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 9:58 pm 
Lives with ko

Posts: 172
Location: London / Vancouver
Liked others: 28
Was liked: 12
Rank: KGS 3 kyu
GD Posts: 42
KGS: Nikolas73
DGS: Nikolas73
Thanks once again for all of the suggestions. I do play through professional games sometimes, but not as often as I should.

All of the books have arrived now (a few days ago, actually), and for anyone who's interested I wrote about how I will be using them here.

_________________
All About Go | Go website featuring lessons, history of Go, downloads, articles by professionals and more.

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #26 Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 7:07 am 
Lives in sente
User avatar

Posts: 932
Location: New York, NY
Liked others: 146
Was liked: 150
Rank: KGS 1k
Universal go server handle: judicata
I have had two different go instructors tell me to review pro games and imitate moves (i.e. good shape), even if I don't fully understand why. I have rejected this advice because I do not like to play moves without having any idea why. I also see moves criticized when when they the follow-up is poor because the person obviously didn't know why they made the move.

But, at a certain level (like mine) maybe this isn't such a terrible idea as long as you learn the "why" eventually. I'm still reluctant, though.

Top
 Profile  
 
Offline
 Post subject: Re: Buying some Go books, suggestions?
Post #27 Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 10:41 am 
Oza

Posts: 2264
Liked others: 1180
Was liked: 552
judicata wrote:
I have had two different go instructors tell me to review pro games and imitate moves (i.e. good shape), even if I don't fully understand why. I have rejected this advice because I do not like to play moves without having any idea why. I also see moves criticized when when they the follow-up is poor because the person obviously didn't know why they made the move.

But, at a certain level (like mine) maybe this isn't such a terrible idea as long as you learn the "why" eventually. I'm still reluctant, though.


you do learn why eventually

and part of that learning may be making up your own reasons why as you review -- because you should never play a move without a reason, even if that reason is wrong. If the reason for your move is wrong, you'll soon learn why and have it corrected.

Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group