Life In 19x19 :: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement

Author:

ez4u [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:32 am ]

Post subject:

Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement

1. GoGoD - Not a book but for £20, €25 or $30 the best single 'text' on Go available, bar none. Just consider the "Quick Links"...

2. Dictionary of Basic Joseki (Ishida, in my case) - I am way to lazy to study joseki. I read Ishida like a book (it was being published volume by volume when I began to play Go in the '70's) - an adventure in good play versus bad shape if you will. It is thousands of examples of proper play with brief but often understandable explanations even for kyu players, which I was at the time. Thirty-five years later it still is the one work that always sits at shoulder height on my bookcase, just to the left of my keyboard.

3. Go World - Absolutely tons of material. Go forth and acquire either paper or electronic copies of as many of the back copies as you can find!

4. 1971 Honinbo Tournament - Still the one and only tournament book in English. It was the story and pictures that sucked me into Go one day when I mistook it for a chess book in a San Francisco book store. The quintessential story of the young hero who challenges the master (himself still young, but let's not spoil the story :rambo:

) one on one and triumphs. It stirs the blood, which is much more important than exercising you techniques. Needless to say, I found most of the commentary incomprehensible as a beginner but there were still some things I could make out even then. Every time that I have pulled it out in the intervening decades, it has yielded new treasures to ponder.

Honorable Mentions (In place of a fifth choice):
Hikaru no Go (There are dozens of books you can study until you fall asleep but there is only one HNG!),
First Kyu (read it and think about it - what does 'study' really mean in the context of a competitive game like Go?),
The Go Consultants (the best analysis ever, IMHO - even if there is only one game in the book),
The Breakthrough to Shodan (The 'study' book that I enjoyed the most as a kyu player. Lightweight fluff? Probably, but it is lots of fun! Grab it if you see a copy. :blackeye:

)

Edit: Just to clarify, I believe that enthusiasim and persistence are the biggest factors for improvement. I own a couple hundred of, mainly Japanese, Go books. I've never been able to finish the vast majority of 'single theme' books. The resources that I have gone back to time after time are those that have variety, depth, and back story to hold and rekindle my interest. Of course I have my favorite problem books. But I have honestly never met anyone who liked exactly the same ones I did so why recommend those!

Author:	logan [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:16 am ]
Post subject:	Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Hi, I thought that it could be helpful for some new players and those looking for improvement if people would share an ordered list of their top five, English books for improvement. Although there are many other threads aimed at helping people to improve, I thought that these lists might offer a different way of looking at things. And maybe after enough input is added we can make a nice tally of everyone's votes. Look forward to seeing your lists : ) Sincerely, logan Quote: Example list: 1. Level Up! Essential Life & Death 2. Speed Baduk for Beginners 3. Opening Theory Made Easy 4. The Life, Games and Commentaries of Honinbo Shuei 5. Invincible: The Games of Shusaku

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Author:	Boidhre [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 2:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
For breaking through to sdk: 1. Graded Go Problems - Absolutely Essential Reading. 2. Get Strong at Tesuji - I haven't found any online problem set to cover what this covers for this level. 3. 1001 Life and Death Problems - Your reading is what's holding you back almost certainly, so throw in more tsumego! 4. Speed Baduk - Honestly, I don't rate the fuseki sections but the middle game sections on connecting, protecting cuts etc are invaluable. It's very Korean, work on your hangema and life and death, leave the fuseki theory until you're quite a bit stronger. It's hard to disagree with this approach I think for strong ddks/weak sdks but if you're like me and find fuseki theory/problems interesting it's a bit of a let down. 5. Opening Theory Made Easy - If you only read one theory book at this level, this is the one. It's a lot more subtle than it appears, it'll still be relevant to you as a weak sdk. I've pretty much just listed problem books. I don't think theory helps much when you're a ddk. I think reading theory is fine, I did it and continue to do it but the real progress will come from working on your reading and learning some of the basic shape moves.

Author:	SoDesuNe [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:59 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
1. Graded Go Problems For Beginners Series 2. Opening Theory Made Easy 3. Get Strong at Tesuji 4. Tesuji (Elementary Go Series) 5. The Life, Games and Commentaries of Hoinbo Shuei

Author:	crux [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
logan wrote: Hi, I thought that it could be helpful for some new players and those looking for improvement if people would share an ordered list of their top five, English books for improvement. Although there are many other threads aimed at helping people to improve, I thought that these lists might offer a different way of looking at things. And maybe after enough input is added we can make a nice tally of everyone's votes. These are the ones that probably helped me the most: 1. Attack & Defense 2. Graded Go Problems for Beginners (mostly Vol 3 & 4) 3. Whole Board Thinking in Joseki 4. Beyond Forcing Moves 5. Get Strong at the Endgame Honorary mentions to Richard Hunter's Counting Liberties and Redmond's The ABCs of Attack and Defense (I probably would have gotten more out of the latter if I'd read it earlier). I could also make a list of books of the kind "this contains a huge amount of material, I wish I could make better use of it".

Author:	cdybeijing [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Some interesting responses so far, some emerging points of consensus, and some surprising omissions. I've had to think about this quite a bit. There are a few books I have benefited a lot from and a few that I maybe read at the wrong time. Given the topic title, my general list which doesn't necessarily reflect personal experience: 1. Attack and Defense 2. Opening Theory Made Easy 3. Tesuji / Get Strong at Tesuji (read them concurrently) 4. Invincible 5. Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go Suggestions 1-3 are the absolute best books I know to take someone quickly to the strong kyu ranks. After that, it's just hard work to make dan. Books 4 and 5 are the English go books with the best re-reading value that I know of.

Author:	jts [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Not that this needs to be more than a fun exercise, but what exactly do we mean by "top five English books for improvement (for new players)"? If we mean "the first five books a new player should read to improve quickly", I might suggest five problem books. But if we mean "the only five books you will ever need" or "the books that will make the highest impact at some point in your infatuation with go", I would give a different list.

Author:	logan [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Wow, thanks for all the interesting replies so far. I think a few books are already starting to stick out. jts wrote: Not that this needs to be more than a fun exercise, but what exactly do we mean by "top five English books for improvement (for new players)"? If we mean "the first five books a new player should read to improve quickly", I might suggest five problem books. But if we mean "the only five books you will ever need" or "the books that will make the highest impact at some point in your infatuation with go", I would give a different list. Hi jts, You can use your best judgement when deciding what constitutes improvement for your list. I understand that it may be difficult to make just one list, but if you try your best I'm sure you can pull something together : ) These may help to clarify some ideas: Audience: new players and/or those looking for improvement Content: top English books for improvement #items in list: 5 Possible, helpful questions to ask yourself: "Does this book provide long-term benefits?", "Is this book too narrow?", "Are the concepts in this book more fundamental or important than those in another book I'm considering?" "Is the book an efficient use of time?", etc. Also, if anyone has any other clarification questions for me, please feel free to PM. Hopefully we can keep the thread clean and straightforward. Sincerely, logan

Author:	Boidhre [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:37 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Define new player. Most of the books I see above I wouldn't recommend to what I'd consider a new player. Every one though I've seen recommended at some level below 1 dan for some purpose and the ones that I own I have found very interesting/helpful. Honestly if new player = ddk and we're to recommend books relevant right now to them I don't think it'll be particularly interesting other than seeing which problem books people favour and what mix of problem to theory they think is best. If it's books that'll be relevant at some point to them and they should put on their wishlist then I think it'll be far more interesting and varied.

Author:	tchan001 [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
for absolute beginners to progress upwards 1. Learn to Play Go series from Janice Kim 2. Graded Go Problems for Beginners (Kiseido) 3. Second Book of Go (Kiseido) 4. The Fundamental Principles of Go by Yilun Yang 5. First Fundamentals (RJ)

Author:	zac [ Sun Apr 28, 2013 12:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
For me so far it's been; 1. Opening Theory Made Easy 2. Graded Go Problems for Beginners 3. Get Strong at Tesuji 4. 1001 Life and Death Problems 5. Fundamental Principles of Go

Author:	ez4u [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:32 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
1. GoGoD - Not a book but for £20, €25 or $30 the best single 'text' on Go available, bar none. Just consider the "Quick Links"... Games of Go on Disk Paths and Quick Links The alphabetical links relate to topics that are covered in detail in the linked article. For minor references try Search. Numbers are indexed as words (e.g. 6 is under S). 21x21 boards A Acom Cup Age achievements (item 44 in NIG) Agon-Kiriyama Cup [China] [Cupwinners' matches] [Japan] Aichi Expo Goodwill Match Aixin Cup Akaboshi Intetsu All-Japan Championship (Yomiuri) All-Japan Go Championship (Mainichi) All-Japan First Place Championship All-Japan Quickplay Championship All-Japan Women's Championship Amachua Kenkyukai Amateur Study Group Amaken Amateur tournaments [Amateur Best Ten] [Amateur Honinbo] [Amateur Meijin] [International Amateur Go Tournament] [Wanbao Cup] [Women's World Amateur Championship] [World Amateur Baduk Championship] [World Amateur Go Championship] Ancient China [Go in Ancient China] [Origins] Anderson, Philip Asahi Meijin Asahi Pro-Am Best Ten Matches Asia Team Tournament Asian Arts Cup Asian Games Associations [China] [Japan] [Korea] Atom Bomb game [3rd Honinbo] [Go in wartime Japan] Avalanche Joseki Awards [Medals] [Prizes] B Bacchus Cup (Ch'eonweon) Baduk Masters Baduk TV Cup Baduk Wang (KBS Cup) Bai Juyi [At the Pond] [On Enjoying the Depths of Spring] Ban Gu Bao Yun (New In Go 65) Baosheng Wire & Cable Cup Barry, Daniel Bawang [Bawang] [Leino Cup: Bawang] Baxi Cup BC Card Cup (Sinin Wang) BC Card Cup World Championship Behind the Scenes Bent Fours Bestiary Bian Liyan Big Game Big pro, little pro Biggest in go Bingsheng Cup Blind go [Blindfold Go (Item 65 in New In Go)] [Go for Blind players] [Japan's Fingertip Players (New In Go 49)] Blunders (New In Go 38) Boards [21x21 boards] [Driftwood board] [Expensive boards] [Go Equipment] [Sun, Moon and Flower boards] [Sunjang baduk boards] Bohae Cup Bosai Cup Boundary Play Mathematics Brain Trophy Bunshi Igokai C Cacomo (item 63 in NIG) Caltex Cup Career records (Japan) Castle Games [Ceremony] [Listing] Catalin Taranu CCTV Cup Census Central Japan Saikoi Ch'eongpung Air Purifiers Cup Ch'oegowi Tournament Ch'eonweon See also Tengen and Tianyuan [Bacchus Cup] [Ch'eonweon Tournament] [Ch'eonweon-Tianyuan Match] Ch'ung-am Brigade Chang Hao Changqi Cup Charles Matthews [CGT] [Exchanges, Part 1] [Exchanges, Part 2] [On Your Side] [ShapeUp] [Setpiece Kos] Chen Yi Cheongkwanjang Cup Cheongseok Go Culture Research Society Chikurin Cup China Agon-Kiriyama Cup China Cities League China Eastern Airlines Cup China Go Champion China go history China NEC Cup China-Japan [Aichi Expo Goodwill Match] [5 vs. 5 Internet Match] [Goodwill Exchanges] [Mingren-Meijin Match] [NEC Supergo] [Tianyuan-Tengen Match] [TV Championship] China-Japan-Korea [China-Japan-Korea Team Tournament] China-Korea [Female New Stars Match] [King of the New Stars Match] [League Winners' Match] [Lotte Cup Match] [New Stars Team Match] [Sun-Moon-Star Cup] [Tianyuan-Ch'eonweon Match] Chinese Go Association (Zhongguo Qiyuan) Chinese National Championships [Individual Championships, Men & Women] [National Team Training Tournament (SARS)] [Team Championship] Chinese poems Chinese tournaments Chitoku & Genjo Cho Hun-hyeon Chosei Choseon Kiweon Chu Sizhuang Chuiji Gems problem Chukyo Igokai Chunlan Cup Chuo Ki-in Chuzan Denshinroku Cities League Classics CMC Cup [Domestic event, Taiwan] [International event] Coffee-break Go Commentaries Concepts Library Consultation go Cosmic go Cream of Women's Go Tournament Crown Prince of Sikkim CSK Cup (Asia Team Tournament) Cuibao Cup Currency equivalents D Daejoo Strongest Veteran Cup Daguoshou Daiwa Cup Daiwa Grand Champion Daiwa Ladies Cup Dali Travel Cup Dawn Club Dawn Wind Club de Havilland, Walter Denso [Toyota & Denso Cup] Desperate Confrontations Diplomas (item 44 in NIG) Discovery Showdown DoCoMo Cup Dongfang Cup Donggang Cup [China] [Taiwan] Donguri-kai Dolssiatt Cup Dosaku Dream League Dream Pool Essays Driftwood Board Du Mu [On Repeated Farewells] [Seeing off Wang Feng] Duan Qirui E East-West Japan Matches EBS Cup Edo books Eight Strongest Tournament Eikyu Cup Einstein, Albert Ekishusha Endo Shusaku Epigrams Erdős, Paul Etland Cup European Championship Events database Expensive boards F Famous Amateurs Famous Go Boards Famous Players Association Fan Shixun - see Fan Xiping Fan Xiping [Fan and Shi Dingan] [Peach-Blossom Spring Manual] Fans Features Feldmann Bestiary Films Firsts in Go Five Bulls Cup: Wangwei Five Strongest League Fragrant Bait problem Freetel Cup (Paedal Wang) Friday Club Friendship Cup Fujimura Problem Fujisawa Hideyuki Fujitsu Cup Fuju Cup Furinkai Futeno G Gambling Go Gateway to All Marvels Genan Inseki Genji [New In Go - Item 33] [Takekawa poems] Genjo & Chitoku Genkichi Genran Gentlemen's Cup Genyukai Getsuyokai GG Auctions Cup Go boards [21x21 boards] [Driftwood board] [Expensive boards] [Go Equipment] [Sun, Moon and Flower boards] Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters Go Consultants Go Equipment Go Masters Cup Go Players' Styles Go Review Index Go Secrets Go Seigen Go Syllabus Go World Index Gokyo Seimyo (New In Go, Item 28) Gongs Goodwill exchanges [Japan-China] Gorinkai Gosei Tournament Goseikai Grades history Green Dragons Cup Groups [China] [Japan] [Korea] GS Caltex Cup Guiyang Weiqi Cultural Festival Guo Bailing [Profile] [Xianji Wuku] Guo Tisheng Guoshou - see also Taiwan Guoshou Gyopukai H Haifeng Cup Haifeng Foundation Haifeng Qiyuan Habu Yoshiharu Hall of Fame Handicap games [Big pro, little pro] Hamete, Ten Best Hanezeki Hanguk Kiweon [Hanguk Kiweon (KBA)] [Hanguk Kiweon Championship] Hanseong Kiweon Haojue Cup Haomao Cup Hashimoto Chikuka Hashimoto Utaro Hatoyama Ichiro Hattori Inshuku Hayago Championship Hayago Meijin Hayashi Bokunyu Hayashi Genbi Hayashi Genetsu Hayashi Hakuei Hayashi Hakugen Hayashi Incho Hayashi Monetsu Hayashi Monri Hayashi Monnyu Hayashi Monnyusai Hayashi Shuei Hayashi Tennyu Hayashi Tetsugen Hayashi Yubi Hayashi Yugen He Xiangtao Heo Chang-heui School High Dans Tournament Hirose Heijiro [Biography] [Iwamoto Kaoru and ..] Hiroshima Aluminium Cup Hiseikai History History of the Sui Dynasty Hitachi Cup Pair Go Hochi Shinbun consultation game Hoensha [Association] [Honinbo-Hoensha W&C] Hoen Shinpo Home page Hongsam Cup Honinbo [Amateur Honinbo] [Honinbo Tournament] [Honinbos and 8-dans] [Origins of Tournament] [Pro-Am Honinbo Matches] [Women's Honinbo] Honinbo Chihaku Honinbo Dochi Honinbo Doetsu Honinbo Dosaku Honinbo Genjo [Honinbo lineage] [Results with Chitoku] Honinbo Josaku Honinbo Jowa [Honinbo lineage] [Name mystery] [Sage or Scoundrel?] Honinbo Retsugen Honinbo Satsugen Honinbo Sanetsu Honinbo Sansa Honinbo Shuei [Career highlights] [Honinbo lineage] Honinbo Shuetsu Honinbo Shugen Honinbo Shuhaku Honinbo Shuho [Honinbo lineage] [Hoen Shinpo] Honinbo Shusai [Honinbo lineage] [Lament by Ogawa Takuji] [Retirement Game] [Takagawa Kaku and ..] Honinbo Shusaku [New discoveries] [Poem #1 in praise of ] [Poem #2 in praise of] Honinbo Shusaku Cup Honinbo Shuwa Honinbo-Hoensha Win & Continue Honnoji Honours How Many Pros Are There? Huang Azhong Huang Longshi Huang Longshi Jiayuan Cup Huaxi College Cup Hungchang Cup I IBM Cup IBM (Hayago) Open ICOB Igo Asia CSK Cup Igo Championship Igo Doshikai Igo Kenkyukai Igo Shinsha Igo Shoreikai Igo Shukairoku Ing Cup Inoue Dosa Inseki Inoue Dosetsu Inseki Inoue Egeta Inseki Inoue Genan Inseki [Biography] [Igo Shukairoku] Inoue Insa Inseki Inoue Intatsu Inseki Inoue Kohei Inoue Matsumoto Inseki Inoue Otsuka Inseki Inoue Sakuun Inseki Inoue Setsuzan Inseki Inoue Shunsaku Inseki Inoue Shunseki Inseki Inoue Shuntatsu Inseki Inoue Tabuchi Inseki Inseis [Insights by Norman Chadwick] [Promotion] Inshuku International Amateur Go Tournament International Conference on Baduk International Go Society International tournaments Internet [5 vs. 5 Internet Match] [Internet World Go Open] Internet World Go Open Ishida Yoshio [Games with Kato Masao] [Tribute to Kato Masao] Iwamoto Kaoru [.. and Hirose Heijiro] Iwasa Kei Iwasaki Kenzo Iyama Yuta J JAA Cup JAL [JAL Shinei Hayago] [JAL Supe Hayago] [JAL Women's Hayago] Japan Asia Airways Japan-China [Aichi Expo Goodwill Match] [5 vs. 5 Internet Match] [Goodwill Exchanges] [Meijin-Mingren Match] [NEC Supergo] [Tengen-Tianyuan Match] [TV Championship] Japan-Korea [IBM Cup] Japan-Taiwan [Japan-Taiwan New Stars] Japan's oldest games Japan Championship (Yomiuri) Japan Go Championship (Mainichi) Japanese poems Japanese tournaments Jasiek, Robert Jiangling Cup Jianqiao Cup Jinfukai Hosu Tournament Jinro Cup Jowa [Name mystery] [Sage or Scoundrel?] JP Morgan Chase Cup JT Cup Judan Tournament Junying Cup K Kakusei Tournament [Kakusei] [Women's Kakusei] Kangwon Land Cup Kanren Kanrokukai Kansai Igokai Kansai Ki-in [Advice from Pros] [Inseis] [Group] [Kansai Ki-in 9-dan Tournament] [Kansai Ki-in Championship] [Kansai Ki-in First Place] [Kansai Ki-in Go Stars] [Kansai Ki-in Top Place] [Kansai Ki-in vs. Taiwan Match] Kansai Ki-in Championship Kansai Women's Tournament Karigane Junichi KAT Systems Cup Kato Masao [Career highlights] [Games with Ishida Yoshio] [Kitani Dojo] [Umezawa Yukari and ..] Kawabata Yasunari KBA (Hanguk Kiweon) KBS Cup (Baduk Wang) Keiinsha Keller, Jerry Kibi no Makibi Kido Hokokukai Kifu Genran Kim Ok-kyun King of Kings [China, Yongda Cup] [Korea, Etland Cup] King of the South-West Kinyokai Kirin Cup Kisei See also Kiseong and Qisheng [Kisei Tournament] [Women's Kisei] Kiseisha [Nihon Ki-in/Kiseisha organisation] [Nihon Ki-in/Kiseisha Match] Kiseong See also Kisei and Qisheng [Kiseong Tournament] [Kiseong-Qisheng Match] Kita Fumiko (item 35 in New In Go) Kitani-kai Kitani Minoru [Call up] [Early years] [Kitani-kai] [Otake Hideo and ..] Kitayama Yoichi Kiwang [LG Cup, World Kiwang] Ko [Double ko in games] [Evaluating kos] [Honnoji triple ko] [Mannen-ko in rules] [Mannen-ko Oteai incident] [Quadruple ko in games] [Triple ko in games] [Setpiece Kos] Kogyokukai Komi history Korea-China [Female New Stars Match] [King of the New Stars Match] [League Winners' Match] [Lotte Cup Match] [New Stars Team Match] [Sun-Moon-Star Cup] [Tianyuan-Ch'eonweon Match] Korea-Japan [IBM Cup] Korea go history (see also Sunjang baduk) Korean Baduk Association (Hanguk Kiweon) Korean League Korean Mobile Communications Cup (Paedal Wang) Korean Names Korean National Championship Korean tournaments Korla Cup KPI Cup (Korea Price Information) Korea-Taiwan [Goodwill Exchange] Kosetsukai KT Masters Cup KTF Cup Kukgi Tournament Kuksu [Kuksu Tournament] [Women's Kuksu] Kume Masao Kweon Kap-yong School L Ladders [Etymology] [In games] Langchao Cup Lanke Cup Lasker, Edward Lebaishi Cup Lee See Yi Leino Cup: Bawang LG Cup [LG Cup, World Kiwang] [LG Refined Oils Cup] Liao Xingwen Liaozhai Zhi Yi Lin Jianchao Liu Xiaochuo Liu Xiaoguang Liu Zhongfu Longest in go Longxing Cup Lord of the Rings Cup Lord Sakai of Iwami Lotte Cup [Kr-Cn Match] M Ma Rong (item 41 in NIG) Magazines Magic Sword Joseki Manchuria [Interview with Wu Huan (item 25 in New In Go)] [Miyasaka Shinji and Two Manchurian Ki-ins] Mane-go Mannen-ko [Rules incidents] [Segoe-Takahashi game] Mao Zedong Matches (individual) Mathematics Matsuda Tamezo (item 44 in NIG) Matsudaira Go Tournament Matthews See under Charles Matthews Maxim Cup Maxwell House MBC Emperor MBC-TV Kukgi Medals Meijin See also Mingren and Myeongin [Asahi Meijin] [Behind the Scenes] [Meijin-Mingren Match] [Old Meijin] [Special Commentary] [Tournament history - Yomiuri (old) Meijin] [Tournament history - Asahi (new) Meijin] [Women's Meijin] [Yomiuri Meijin] Meijin's Retirement Game (Honinbo Shusai) Meikikai Meitner, Lise Mihori Tadashi = Mihori Sho Mimic go Mingren See also Meijin and Myeongin [Meijin-Mingren Match] [Mingren Tournament] [Women's Mingren] Mini-go (9x9) Mirror go Miyasaka Shinji Mojie Cup Molasses ko Monday Club Mongolian go Monster Go Moonshine Life Morgan Chase Cup Movies Muramatsu Shofu Myeongin See also Meijin and Mingren Myeongji University Group N Nadare Joseki Nakamura Doseki Nakano Cup Under-20s Championship Names [100 signatures by Chinese pros] [Jowa's name] [Korean names] [Names Dictionary] Nanfang Securities Cup (Veterans) National Championships [China, Individual (Men & Women)] [China, Team] [Korea] National Team Training Tournament (SARS) National Weiqi League NEC [China NEC Cup] [NEC Cup] [NEC Shunei] [NEC Supergo] New In Go column New Kids on the Block New King Tournament New Physical Education Cup Newspaper go history NHK Cup Nichiren [Famous amateur] [Nichiren's problems] Nie Weiping Nihon Igo Kyokai Nihon Igokai Nihon Ki-in [Hall of Fame] [Nihon Ki-in organisation] [Nihon Ki-in Championship] [Nihon Ki-in First Place Championship] [Nihon Ki-in New Faces] [Nihon Ki-in/Kiseisha Match] Nihon Saikyo Tournament Nirensei (item 46 in NIG) Nongshim Cup North American Masters Tournament North China Go Institute North Korea North Korean Baduk Association Northern & Southern Dynasties Nozawa Chikucho NTV Cup Nyobutsu's Judgement O Ogawa Doteki Ogawa Takuji O-Kage Cup Okan Okinawa go history Old Meijin [Old Meijin (Yomiuri)] [Women's Old Meijin] Old Shinei Oldest in go On Your Side Onomasticon Opening history Origins of go [John Fairbairn] [Pi Rixiu] Origins of Honinbo Tournament Osram Korea Cup Ota Yuzo Otake Hideo [.. and Kitani Minoru] Oteai [Early days] [Post-war years] [Promotion system] Outlets Cup Oza - see also Wangjwa [Oza Tournament] [World Oza] P P'aewang Paedal Wang Paengnam Cup Pair Go [Hitachi Cup, China] [Ricoh Cup, China] [Ricoh Cup, Japan] Pandanet ProAm Open Passports Peach-Blossom Spring Manual Periodicals Phoenix & Chicks Cup Phoenix Cup Open Physical Education Cup Pi Rixiu Pieter Mioch Interviews Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon Player ratings Players Players' Styles Poems [Chinese] [Doers and Dreamers] [Japanese] [Modern senryu - New In Go, Item 24] [Senryu] Prime Minister's Cup Primitive Rules of Go - Item 54 in New In Go... Prince Su Prizes Pro Senior Tournament Pro-Am [Asahi Pro-Am Best Ten Matches] [Pro-Am Honinbo Matches] [Sankei Pro-Am Tournament] [Taiwan Pro-Am Match] [Wanbao Pro-Am Matches] Pro Best Ten Pro commentaries Pro Cup Progor ratings Promotion Tournaments [China] [Japan (Oteai)] [Korea] [Taiwan] Psychology Pu Zhongye Q Qi Jing Qi Jue Qilingwang Cup Qisheng See also Kisei and Kiseong [Qisheng Tournament] [Qisheng-Kiseong Match] [Taiwan Qisheng] Qiwang [Chinese Qiwang Tournament] [Taiwan Qiwang Tournament] [Weifu Cup: China Qiwang] Quzhou Lanke Cup R Rai Itsuan Ratings Records [Biggest in go] [Famous amateurs] [Firsts in go] [Longest in go] [Oldest in go] [Shortest in go] Records of Northern & Southern Dynasties Retirement Game of Honinbo Shusai Ricoh Cup [China, individual tournament] [China, New Players] [China, Pair Go] [Japan, Pair Go] Reimeikai Ri-hwa Rikka-kai Rin Kaiho Rin Kaiho Foundation Rin Kaiho Ki-in Riyuexing Cup Romance of the Three Kingdoms Rui Naiwei Rules [Ancient Chinese scoring (item 37 in NIG)] [FAQ] [French rules (item 61 in NIG)] [Incidents] [Nyobutsu's Judgement] Russian Professional Go Championship Ryokusei Academy Ryuen Cup Ryukyu Islands [Chuzan Denshinroku] Ryusei Tournament S Saikoi [Japan Saikoi] [Central Japan Saikoi] Saikyo [Nihon Saikyo Tournament] [Women's Saikyo] Saint Nichiren Sakai Yasujiro Samsung Cup Sanada Masayuki Sanguozhi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) Sankei Pro-Am Tournament SARS [5 vs. 5 Internet Match] [National Team Training Tournament (China)] SBS [SBS Cup Win & Continue] [SBS Cup World Team Championship] Sealed moves Segoe Kensaku [Life] [Mannen-ko dispute] [Tesuji classification] [Youthful anecdote] Seihokai Seiza Tournament (JT Cup) Seinen Igo Kenkyukai Seki (item 34 in New In Go) Seki Genkichi Sekiyama Sendayu Senryu [Modern senryu - New In Go, Item 24] [Traditional senryu] Seoul Baduk Research Institute Seoul Go Association (Hanseong Kiweon) 7-8-9 Dans Tournament Shanghai Go Society (Shanghai Yishe) Shape Up Shenshi Cup Shi Dingan Shi Xiangxia Shibukawa Shunkai [Famous amateur] [Yasui lineage] Shicho Shimada's Primitive Rules of Go (item 54 in New In Go) Shinei [Old Shinei] [Shinei Select] [Shinei Tournament] Shinjin-O Shinseikai Shioiri Itsuzo on tsumego Shishokai [Group] [Day in the life of...] Shogi [Brief history] [Past champions] Shortest in go Shotwell Archive Shuanghua Youth Tournament Shuei, Honinbo [Career highlight] [Shishokai] Shusai Cup Shusai's Retirement Game Shusaikai Shusaku, Honinbo - see also Endo Shusaku [New discoveries] [Poem #1 in praise of ] [Poem #2 in praise of] Shusaku Cup Sikkim, Crown Prince of Sinin Wang (BC Card Cup) Siptan Tournament 6-dan Winners' Oteai Siyuan Cup SK Telecom Cup (Paedal Wang) Sky Baduk Cup Sosohoe Sotetsu [Women's World Amateur Championship] Space shuttle Special commentary Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio Strongest Players Tournament Strongest Tournament Study groups [China] [Japan] [Korea] STV Cup Style Guide Sui Shu, Jing Zi Zhi Sun-Moon-Star Cup Sunjang Baduk Suzhou-fu Zhi Supergo Super Meijin Suzuki Tamejiro T Taehan Kiweon Taewang Taida Cup Taijinkai Tailide Cup Taiwan [Kansai vs. Taiwan Match] Taiwan Chi Yuan Cup Taiwan Donggang Cup Taiwan Guoshou Taiwan Pro-Am Match Taiwan Qisheng Taiwan Qiwang Taiwan Tianyuan Taiwan Wangzuo Taiwan Zhonghuan Cup Takabe Dohei Takagawa Kaku (= Takagawa Shukaku) [.. and Honinbo Shusai] [Profile] Takahashi Kinesaburo Takahashi Yuseki Takasaki Taisaku Takeda Shingen Takemiya Masaki [.. and Tanaka Minaichi] [Cosmic fuseki]< [Takemiya School syllabus] Tale of Genji [New In Go - 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Dictionary of Basic Joseki (Ishida, in my case) - I am way to lazy to study joseki. I read Ishida like a book (it was being published volume by volume when I began to play Go in the '70's) - an adventure in good play versus bad shape if you will. It is thousands of examples of proper play with brief but often understandable explanations even for kyu players, which I was at the time. Thirty-five years later it still is the one work that always sits at shoulder height on my bookcase, just to the left of my keyboard. 3. Go World - Absolutely tons of material. Go forth and acquire either paper or electronic copies of as many of the back copies as you can find! 4. 1971 Honinbo Tournament - Still the one and only tournament book in English. It was the story and pictures that sucked me into Go one day when I mistook it for a chess book in a San Francisco book store. The quintessential story of the young hero who challenges the master (himself still young, but let's not spoil the story ) one on one and triumphs. It stirs the blood, which is much more important than exercising you techniques. Needless to say, I found most of the commentary incomprehensible as a beginner but there were still some things I could make out even then. Every time that I have pulled it out in the intervening decades, it has yielded new treasures to ponder. Honorable Mentions (In place of a fifth choice): Hikaru no Go (There are dozens of books you can study until you fall asleep but there is only one HNG!), First Kyu (read it and think about it - what does 'study' really mean in the context of a competitive game like Go?), The Go Consultants (the best analysis ever, IMHO - even if there is only one game in the book), The Breakthrough to Shodan (The 'study' book that I enjoyed the most as a kyu player. Lightweight fluff? Probably, but it is lots of fun! Grab it if you see a copy. ) Edit: Just to clarify, I believe that enthusiasim and persistence are the biggest factors for improvement. I own a couple hundred of, mainly Japanese, Go books. I've never been able to finish the vast majority of 'single theme' books. The resources that I have gone back to time after time are those that have variety, depth, and back story to hold and rekindle my interest. Of course I have my favorite problem books. But I have honestly never met anyone who liked exactly the same ones I did so why recommend those!

Author:	Kirby [ Thu Jun 13, 2013 12:22 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
oren wrote: Kirby wrote: * Top 1% (3 books) Isn't Top 1% cheating the question? No English release unfortunately. One of these days I'll have to see those books of yours because it somehow got to 14 books in the Japanese edition. Sorry, I didn't notice that it indicated "English" go books. In that case, I'll say that I simply like Yilun Yang's (English) books.

Author:	snorri [ Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:56 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Kirby wrote: oren wrote: Kirby wrote: * Top 1% (3 books) Isn't Top 1% cheating the question? No English release unfortunately. One of these days I'll have to see those books of yours because it somehow got to 14 books in the Japanese edition. Sorry, I didn't notice that it indicated "English" go books. In that case, I'll say that I simply like Yilun Yang's (English) books. What is Top 1%?

Author:	golem7 [ Fri Jun 14, 2013 10:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
my top five books that contributed most to my improvement (ordered chronologically) 1. opening theory made easy (when you don't know where to play on that huge empty board) 2. tesuji (teaches you how to read) 3. attack and defense (instant +2 stones as sdk, finally began to understand what's it all about) 4. strategic principles of go (finally understood the concept of aji, essential for dan level) 5. joseki dictionary (ishida, later takao: full of examples of good shape and equal exchanges) honorable mentions: making good shape, tesuji and anti-suji of go (should have read them earlier) add tsumego for reading and pro games for instinct and inspiration

Author:	Wasiqi [ Thu May 09, 2013 6:48 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
My top 5 books: Opening Theory Made Easy - Instant level up in opening Tesuji - in my opinion the best intro/learning aid on tesuji. A true mind opening experience Graded Go Problems for Beginners - lots of tsumego The Endgame - a very important book for an undervalued subject Kamakura/9 Dan Showdown/Final Summit - Amazing commentary of one of the most influential players of our time.

Author:	bofinken [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 1:40 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Like ez4uI think motivation is a key factor for improvement. There is enormous amount of good books and other online material out there to grab but it boils down to how you handle your time and energy. But still, good books: * First kyu * So you want to play go (series, choose one according to your level) * Attack and defense * Graded go problems (all of them, but I can pick Graded Go Problems for Dan Players tesuji, for tesuji is funnier than life and death for me (right now at least)) * Attacking and defending moyos But most value for the time I think, like many others, is to dig into Weiqi 1000, Cho Chikun's life and death and tesuji books or other of that kind...

Author:	Kirby [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
* Train like a Pro (2 books) * Top 1% (3 books) I kind of like anything by Yilun Yang, too.

Author:	walleye [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:39 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
"Contact fights" and "Sector fights".

Author:	oren [ Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Kirby wrote: * Top 1% (3 books) Isn't Top 1% cheating the question? No English release unfortunately. One of these days I'll have to see those books of yours because it somehow got to 14 books in the Japanese edition.

Author:	foeZ [ Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:48 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Please Share Your Top 5 English Go Books for Improvement
Boidhre wrote: 5. Opening Theory Made Easy - If you only read one theory book at this level, this is the one. It's a lot more subtle than it appears, it'll still be relevant to you as a weak sdk. It's still relevant for strong SDK and low dan players. A lot of things are common sense for them but most of it is still worth revisiting every few years.

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