Let's read Go books

Bought those books for the new year, and embarrassed to report just finished first one. Three weeks one book at least from now on. Who is with me?! Show your book list and plan.

In the beginning: the opening in the game of go. CHECK

opening theory made easy.
the elementary go series:
tesuji
attack and defense
38 basic joseki

7 Likes

Those are some nice books. I own all of them, but still working through some of them.

I liked “Opening Theory Made Easy” more than “In the Beginning”. I think it was written in a more accessible and better organized manner.

I would recommend adding “Life and Death” to that list. It is essentially a companion to “Tesjui” by the same author (James Davies). Those two books are quite challenging to work through cover to cover. I’m still working on them.

“Attack and Defense” is a highly-regarded classic. Definitely recommend.

I think “38 Basic Joseki” can be skipped. I believe it is heavily dated at this point, so at least take it with a grain of salt.

8 Likes

I am currently trying to read “Winning Go” by Richard Bozulich and Peter Shotwell … so far I really like and I’d recommended it highly. I don’t have a date planned to finish it though … I really like to take my board out and study the problems on it and that takes time that is hard to estimate.

After that I really want to re-read “Tesuji” by James Davies (because it is a great book and I didn’t get to use the board while reading it the first time) and after that I want to study some games from “Invincible”.

1 Like

Go books were always too long for me to finish them. I maybe read only one book and still didn’t learn anything from it.

Now I have a new plan: reading go magazines. With articles only few pages long it’s gotta be short enough to immediately learn something every time.

4 Likes
I've recently posted a similar thread. I'm currently reading Kageyama's Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go. The author recommends that it be studied deliberately, one chapter a day at most, so I'm taking it slowly—and I wouldn't have it any other way: it's a book to be savored.

Next in the list are Hideo Otake’s Opening Theory Made Easy, followed by Robert Jasiek’s First Fundamentals. I’m mostly following Justin Teng’s Personal Book Collection and Guide—with some adaptation: @trohde reminded me of Jasiek’s books, for example.

I know that there are many other types of learning materials out there, but I really enjoy reading and I like the structure that books offer, so they’re the ideal format for me. My means are rather limited at the moment, though, so I can’t get every volume I would like to, but this can be useful in its own way: it’s a lesson in patience, resource management and even strategy.

But anyway, I’m with you. :)

6 Likes

Got these while I was in China. The plan is to read through 1/4 of them by the end of the year :slight_smile:

9 Likes

Nice. Next time before I visit China, I will ask your recommendations.

Really? Never seen one before.
Where can I find some?

Have you heard about Go World? It covered the international Go scene and included both in-depth game commentaries and articles. Kiseido still sells back issues.
1 Like

No, never.
Beautiful covers. :slight_smile:

Is there anything that I could read online? PDF, ebook or something?

I got you: check out the British Go Journal. The last four issues are members only, but there are 182 more for you to choose from. :]
6 Likes

I haven’t thought my plan through yet. Maybe better to call it “idea”. Or an itch.
For example: https://e-gobooks.nihonkiin.or.jp
A lot of it are news magazines. I’d like those. Some are learning material, though mostly basic (although I’m in a slump and fail even some basic ones).
Anyway, I like new stuff. After all, it wouldn’t hurt to try.

1 Like

You got me indeed! That page is amazing! :star_struck:

It seems to come out from a time machine: :robot:

  • Issue #0 dated Spring 1967, written by typewriter with no pictures at all
  • The “Configuring browsers” section mentioning Netscape v2.02 and MS Internet Explorer v3.0a

I had a quick glance at the latest issues available and they seem very interesting. Thank you very very much.

3 Likes

finished second one: opening theory made easy

2 Likes

Started reading: Shape Up by Charles Matthews and Seong-June Kim. :sunglasses:

1 Like

Finished Shape Up. On to Fuseki:sunglasses:

1 Like

The one by the Nihon Ki-in?

yep

Thanks - I have just ordered this from amazon on you recommendation. - I will let you know what I think.

1 Like

Add another one,

Way of Creating a Thick and Strong Game by Hane Naoki 9 Dan

2 Likes