Life In 19x19

I've been reading "Making good shape" and it's quite enjoyable. Are there perhaps similar books out there? Ofcourse, one could review pro games until the brain melts but the condensed form of problem books is nicer

Why you little...!!!

As far as I know "Making good shape" is the only english book dealing with this topic. "Get Strong at Tesuji" offers a lot of shape problems, too, but they are quite easy to spot in most cases. At least easier than in "Making good shape".

Perhaps there are non-English books on shape?

I'll probably get the Get strong at Tesuji book, from reading about it it seems that it would be both easy to digest at my level and instructive at the same time.

Shape Up by Charles Matthew (didn't read)
L'Âme du Go, les formes et leur esthétique, by Fan Hui (in French) (what contradicts Making Good Shape on several points, noticeably is the diagonal jump always bad for him. For weaker player than making good shape, but still interesting - less problems but more explanation)

Tryphon wrote:Shape Up by Charles Matthew (didn't read)
L'Âme du Go, les formes et leur esthétique, by Fan Hui (in French) (what contradicts Making Good Shape on several points, noticeably is the diagonal jump always bad for him. For weaker player than making good shape, but still interesting - less problems but more explanation)

Obligatory sensei's link :
http://senseis.xmp.net/?LAmeDuGo

It contains a translation of the book's main points.

Tryphon wrote:Shape Up by Charles Matthew (didn't read)
L'Âme du Go, les formes et leur esthétique, by Fan Hui (in French) (what contradicts Making Good Shape on several points, noticeably is the diagonal jump always bad for him. For weaker player than making good shape, but still interesting - less problems but more explanation)

Nice. I had forgotten about Shape up. It has some problems in it. I'll dig out the printed version I have somewhere.

Yeah ! I was liked

Tryphon wrote:Shape Up by Charles Matthew (didn't read)
L'Âme du Go, les formes et leur esthétique, by Fan Hui (in French) (what contradicts Making Good Shape on several points, noticeably is the diagonal jump always bad for him. For weaker player than making good shape, but still interesting - less problems but more explanation)

I'll second the comment on the Fan Hui book. While it's really a DDK book, it has some insights that I hadn't seen elsewhere. It's not a problem book like Making Good Shape, but more a theoretical book with examples. And, yes, he doesn't agree with Making Good Shape, but that's fine.

Skillful Finesse For Sabaki
( http://senseis.xmp.net/?VitalPointsAndSkillfulFinesseForSabaki )

The translation is kinda crappy but the diagrams are excelent. The book is on a high level but I think even on mid SDK level I was able to get something out of it. The book contains many problems of how to make sabaki in certain gamesituations. Because Sabaki is the concept of playing light and flexible, shape is always involved.

If you want to see good shape in practice, check out Otake Hideo's games on program like SmartGo2. This sensei's page lists Otake's characteristics as "fond of good shape" and "abhors vulgar style". I can second that notion. We amateurs could definitely improve by studying his games.

Jonas wrote:Skillful Finesse For Sabaki
( http://senseis.xmp.net/?VitalPointsAndSkillfulFinesseForSabaki )

The translation is kinda crappy but the diagrams are excelent. The book is on a high level but I think even on mid SDK level I was able to get something out of it. The book contains many problems of how to make sabaki in certain gamesituations. Because Sabaki is the concept of playing light and flexible, shape is always involved.

I believe it will be too difficult for me at this point, but I'll make a note about it on my "to read someday" list since it sounds very interesting.