This book features the first five games of the historic ten-game match between Gu Li and Lee Sedol (the remaining games are featured in Part Two of this series), two players who have dominated go in the first decade of the 21st century. For years, these two have been rivals, competing for the top spots in numerous international go tournaments. Both are famous for their severe attacks and their fighting skills. Gu has a thick style accompanied by an exquisite feeling for the opening from which he often emerges with an advantage. In contrast, Lee plays a fast, profit-orieented game, leaving behind thin positions. This means that his groups often come under attack. Most players would collapse under Gu's relentless attacks, but this brings Lee's game to life and he creatively finds the best possible way to settle these groups or to somehow escape with them. This contrasts in style and especially Lee's daring strategies in the middle game are what make the games in this books especially fascinating and give birth to innovative moves and spectacular fights. The games are analyzed in great detail so the reader can
The middle game of go often appears chaotic, but there is order in the chaos, as this book plainly reveals. The result of a joint effort by a tournament-winning Japanese professional player and an experienced American go writer, Attack and Defense lays down a few clear principles, then goes through a wealth of applications: examples, problems, and case studies from professional play. The reader emerges with a thorough grasp of how to choose strategy, how to execute dual-purpose attacks, how to defend with contact plays, how to force his opponent into submission or cooperation, how to invade and reduce territorial frameworks, and when to fight a ko. This is knowledge that no player can afford to be without.?
Good shape is a subject that has received scant attention in Japanese go literature. Although references to shape are made in most books, there is no one book devoted exclusively to this subject. However, understanding and recognizing good shape is important for becoming a strong player and developing intuition that will instantly guide you to find the strongest moves in the opening and the middle-game fighting. Shapes are the building blocks of your groups. They determine whether your stones are working together efficiently or are sitting in each other?s way. Good shape is a source of strength to build on, while bad shape often comes back to haunt you. There are two aspects of shape. One is to make good shape for your own stones; the other is to spoil the shape of your opponent?s stones. However, good shape is more than a static form; it is dynamic in the way it builds eye shape and stays ahead of the opponent in running battles while building up more eye shape. This book provides an extensive theoretical introduction to shape, beginning with the efficient placement of stones. It illustrates various techniq
This book features the first five games of the historic ten-game match between Gu Li and Lee Sedol (the remaining games are featured in Part Two of this series), two players who have dominated go in the first decade of the 21st century. For years, these two have been rivals, competing for the top spots in numerous international go tournaments. Both are famous for their severe attacks and their fighting skills. Gu has a thick style accompanied by an exquisite feeling for the opening from which he often emerges with an advantage. In contrast, Lee plays a fast, profit-orieented game, leaving behind thin positions. This means that his groups often come under attack. Most players would collapse under Gu's relentless attacks, but this brings Lee's game to life and he creatively finds the best possible way to settle these groups or to somehow escape with them. This contrasts in style and especially Lee's daring strategies in the middle game are what make the games in this books especially fascinating and give birth to innovative moves and spectacular fights. The games are analyzed in great detail so the reader can
The middle game of go often appears chaotic, but there is order in the chaos, as this book plainly reveals. The result of a joint effort by a tournament-winning Japanese professional player and an experienced American go writer, Attack and Defense lays down a few clear principles, then goes through a wealth of applications: examples, problems, and case studies from professional play. The reader emerges with a thorough grasp of how to choose strategy, how to execute dual-purpose attacks, how to defend with contact plays, how to force his opponent into submission or cooperation, how to invade and reduce territorial frameworks, and when to fight a ko. This is knowledge that no player can afford to be without.?
Good shape is a subject that has received scant attention in Japanese go literature. Although references to shape are made in most books, there is no one book devoted exclusively to this subject. However, understanding and recognizing good shape is important for becoming a strong player and developing intuition that will instantly guide you to find the strongest moves in the opening and the middle-game fighting. Shapes are the building blocks of your groups. They determine whether your stones are working together efficiently or are sitting in each other?s way. Good shape is a source of strength to build on, while bad shape often comes back to haunt you. There are two aspects of shape. One is to make good shape for your own stones; the other is to spoil the shape of your opponent?s stones. However, good shape is more than a static form; it is dynamic in the way it builds eye shape and stays ahead of the opponent in running battles while building up more eye shape. This book provides an extensive theoretical introduction to shape, beginning with the efficient placement of stones. It illustrates various techniq
