Go Basics: Concepts and Strategies for New Players

[zarzamora]

I was wondering if anyone had read this book and how they felt about it. I'm a natural book collector in addition to everything else, so I tend to pick up new Go books when they're available (since they go out of print so quickly), even ones for elementary players (I figure reviewing the basics again can't hurt me).

I suppose I'm wondering if this book would offer anything at all to someone who already owns the Janice Kim series and a couple of other similar level books. The thing that most caught my eye about this one is that they focus on 9x9 which is one of my weak points. I don't just mean the board size. I mean the close contact/fighting aspect of it.

Anyway...opinions? Has anyone taken a look at it?

[CarlJung]

At 29k all you need to do is play, play and play some more. Reading books is time wasted not playing.

[zarzamora]

At 29k all you need to do is play, play and play some more. Reading books is time wasted not playing.

Yes, I understand that this is the prevailing opinion, but I'm afraid it doesn't work like that for me. And, in any case, to play I have to be at home. But I can't be home all of the time. I have work, class, and other things to do that often leave me with wait periods or random free time. I'd much rather spend that time reading a book about Go than staring off into space.

[judicata]

And, in any case, to play I have to be at home. But I can't be home all of the time. I have work, class, and other things to do that often leave me with wait periods or random free time. I'd much rather spend that time reading a book about Go than staring off into space.

In that case, if you already have Kim's books (at least the first two volumes), then you dont' need another introductory book. I absolutely recommend a problem book or two (or three...). Graded Go Problems for Beginners volumes 1 & 2 are probably perfect for you. I promise that this will help you improve much more than reading another introductory book.

[zarzamora]

I absolutely recommend a problem book or two (or three...). Graded Go Problems for Beginners volumes 1 & 2 are probably perfect for you.

Yes, I've been working out of the first book for the last week. I've reached the third section in it, and the problems are becoming noticeably more difficult, so I've been reviewing those.

[Chew Terr]

Yes, I totally understand your situation of "I know I don't need books, but I like them!"

The previously-recommended Graded Go Problems for Beginners that Like Books with Long Names and Janice Kim's books are both great. Jonathan Hop has a book for DDK in his 'So you want to play Go' series. I have only read the top book in the series, but I really enjoyed it, and am sure the DDK book is of similar quality. Additionally, books that have reviewed games of amateurs may be good for you. For those, consider the third Janice Kim book, How Not to Play Go, and Freegame's book, which I have not read but know includes lots of reviewed novice games. Beyond these and a few other problem books... I believe that In the Beginning was my first introduction to a lot of large-scale strategic thinking, and it's more readable than most books, even the others from the same series.

[amnal]

At 29k all you need to do is play, play and play some more. Reading books is time wasted not playing.

Yes, I understand that this is the prevailing opinion, but I'm afraid it doesn't work like that for me. And, in any case, to play I have to be at home. But I can't be home all of the time. I have work, class, and other things to do that often leave me with wait periods or random free time. I'd much rather spend that time reading a book about Go than staring off into space.

I bet it does, to be honest. It's fine to have books and enjoy reading them, but it's highly unlikely that playing games instead wouldn't help your Go more.

Reading go books in random free time is obviously a great idea, if you enjoy it.

[CarlJung]

At 29k all you need to do is play, play and play some more. Reading books is time wasted not playing.

Yes, I understand that this is the prevailing opinion, but I'm afraid it doesn't work like that for me. And, in any case, to play I have to be at home. But I can't be home all of the time. I have work, class, and other things to do that often leave me with wait periods or random free time. I'd much rather spend that time reading a book about Go than staring off into space.

Alright then, if playing is out of the question for most of the day, the answer is tsumego, tsumego and more tsumego.

[hyperpape]

I guess you don't have a laptop or smartphone? At your level, you can learn quite a bit from just playing against the computer. There will be time to worry about accumulating bad habits later.

[xed_over]

This is why I don't post my Go rank... when I ask for a book review (in the book forum, no less), I don't want to be lectured about I should be playing more Go instead of reading books.

zarzamora, I have the book on my shelf, but I must admit, I haven't read it yet, so I can't offer any advice.

have you seen these reviews? http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoBasicsConcept ... NewPlayers

[oren]

I'd recommend getting a game collection book to read if you have problem books you're already happy with and want some variety.

1971 Honinbo Tournament from Kiseido
Kamakura or Final Summit from Slate and Shell

[karaklis]

(Buy Invincible in hard cover! Yay! )

I'd recommend getting a game collection book to read if you have problem books you're already happy with and want some variety.

1971 Honinbo Tournament from Kiseido
Kamakura or Final Summit from Slate and Shell

Game collections of professionals make sense at 9k and stronger, but not at 29k.

If you want to look at commented games, go and browse through the Go Teaching Ladder. You're better off with that, and it's free of charge.

Besides, I second Carl Jung: If you cannot play games, do tsumego.

[SpongeBob]

Besides, I second Carl Jung: If you cannot play games, do tsumego.

I would say: Do problems. It does not necessarily have to be tsumego - everything that trains your reading is fine.

[mohsart]

I would say: Do what you enjoy!

If you enjoy reading Invincible, read it.
If you enjoy life & death problems, do tsumego.
If you enjoy playing, play games.
etc...

But be aware that some paths will help you develop faster.
For most people playing games and doing tsumego is best as for getting stronger, but if you don't enjoy it I doubt it will do you any good in the long run.

/Mats

[xed_over]

I suppose I'm wondering if this book would offer anything at all to someone who already owns the Janice Kim series and a couple of other similar level books. The thing that most caught my eye about this one is that they focus on 9x9 which is one of my weak points. I don't just mean the board size. I mean the close contact/fighting aspect of it.

Anyway...opinions? Has anyone taken a look at it?

I picked it up off my bookshelf and skimmed through it on the bus this morning.

I had forgotten that the primary reason I bought it was to get the CD, because one of the things it included was software for running tournaments, WinTD -- that I was so far unable to get from any other source (including from other people I knew, who had it). The same CD had been offered a couple of times in membership drives and such, and yet I was still unable to get a copy.

The book, I think, is better than the Sensei's reviews. Some people think that 9x9 isn't Go and shouldn't be used for teaching (and say even worse things about Capture Go). I think both can be a very effective tool in learning many basic concepts that translate very well to the larger board.

Capture Go only get a mention in the book. The 9x9 games used are played by unnamed professionals in attempt to not teach bad habits from the start.

There were other books -- aimed at beginners -- that I read as a beginner that I thought were too hard. I'm no longer a beginner, so its difficult to judge how useful this book might be, but at first glance, its easy to read and understand, and I think can be useful for beginners.

Most basic concepts seem to be covered, using examples from the 9x9 professional games. And at the end is a chapter dedicated to beating igowin

The CD contains a lot of other useful resources, a few of which are now dated and obsolete (some internet links, etc.). It includes the popular igowin program, as well as other shareware versions of GoWrite and SmartGo for viewing sgf files.

It include a small collection of Shusaku games as well as some Go Seigen games.

It also includes the popular online tutorial The Interactive Way To Go. A video tutorial, Complete copies of past member's yearbook CDs (which include member's EJournal content for those years), and lots of other resources, most of which are already available on the AGA website, if you know where to find them.

In my opinion, the CD alone is worth the price of the book (even though the AGA usually gives this same CD away for free, except I've never been able to get a copy)