Magic on the First Line - A review
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2019 11:47 am
Magic on the First Line - Nakayama Noriyuki
Nakayama Noriyuki is the author of the amazing The Treasure Chest Enigma, a book filled with colourful essays, three interesting game commentaries and wonderful ladder problems.
While Magic on the First Line doesn't quite feel as magical as the Treasure Chest, it holds up on its own and it's definitely a more practical Go book.
Magic on the First Line focuses, as you may have guessed, on the special properties of the first line on a go board. That first line often surprises us, as beginners at Go only too quickly find out. Nakayama illustrates the 'magic' that happens on the first line through three sets of problems. Going from Beginning Magic (15-5 kyu) to Intermediate Magic (5-1 kyu) and finally to Advanced Magic (1kyu to Dan level).
The problems in this book are very practical* and quite honestly count as tsumego, whereas the "problems" in the Treasure Chest Enigma are more of a "freak" nature, being well-crafted ladder problems. Extremely well-made, but not "practical" as study material. (or should I say, more limited)
These problems are challenging and focus on the special properties on the first line and in the corners.
The book concludes with some first line magic happening in (historic) Go games, going over Shusaku, Yasui Sanchi and, of course, the ultimate Go Saint Dosaku.
The book is rather thin, with "only" 90 problems in total.
Magic on the First Line greatly profits from Nakayama's style of writing. He offers encouragement when necessary, and is not afraid to rebuke you for your wrong answer, in a style that reminds you of Kageyama (Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go).
After this book, you may never look at the first line the same way ever again.
*As a 8 kyu myself, I have only done the Beginners Magic problems (several times) and some of the Intermediate Magic problems.
Nakayama Noriyuki is the author of the amazing The Treasure Chest Enigma, a book filled with colourful essays, three interesting game commentaries and wonderful ladder problems.
While Magic on the First Line doesn't quite feel as magical as the Treasure Chest, it holds up on its own and it's definitely a more practical Go book.
Magic on the First Line focuses, as you may have guessed, on the special properties of the first line on a go board. That first line often surprises us, as beginners at Go only too quickly find out. Nakayama illustrates the 'magic' that happens on the first line through three sets of problems. Going from Beginning Magic (15-5 kyu) to Intermediate Magic (5-1 kyu) and finally to Advanced Magic (1kyu to Dan level).
The problems in this book are very practical* and quite honestly count as tsumego, whereas the "problems" in the Treasure Chest Enigma are more of a "freak" nature, being well-crafted ladder problems. Extremely well-made, but not "practical" as study material. (or should I say, more limited)
These problems are challenging and focus on the special properties on the first line and in the corners.
The book concludes with some first line magic happening in (historic) Go games, going over Shusaku, Yasui Sanchi and, of course, the ultimate Go Saint Dosaku.
The book is rather thin, with "only" 90 problems in total.
Magic on the First Line greatly profits from Nakayama's style of writing. He offers encouragement when necessary, and is not afraid to rebuke you for your wrong answer, in a style that reminds you of Kageyama (Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go).
After this book, you may never look at the first line the same way ever again.
*As a 8 kyu myself, I have only done the Beginners Magic problems (several times) and some of the Intermediate Magic problems.
