Book Review: Graded Go Problems for Beginners, Vol. 2

Overall Rating: 5 / 5 Ponnuki

Basic Information

• Title: Graded Go Problems for Beginners, Volume 2
• Author: Kano Yoshinori
• Translator: Richard Bozulich
• Publisher: Kiseido Publishing Company
• Publication Date: September 1985
• Page Length: 248 pages
• Number of Problems: 327

Synopsis

• Does a great job building on the first volume.
• Continues to live up to the series’ reputation of great problems and easy to understand solutions.
• Appropriate for 20 kyu and stronger.
• Recommended for casual players and above.

Detailed Review

Readability - 10 / 10

The diagrams begin to get a little bit more complicated in this volume. While this may seem slightly daunting at first, this is excellent exposure to how things will look when you’re actually playing a game. In addition, the problems are still kept to a simplicity that will further ease the transition into bigger boards and more complicated positions.

For overall readability explanation, see the readability section in the review on the entire series.

Content Quality - 10 / 10

While the cover states that the book is appropriate for 25 kyu to 20 kyu players, if you can do all the problems in these book, you are most likely going to be in the 12 to 15 kyu range.

For overall content quality explanation, see the content quality section in the review on the entire series.

Table of Contents

1. Preface
2. Glossary

3. Part One: Problems

   1. Elementary Problems: Level One

      1.  Section 1\. How to Capture Stones
      

      1. Section 2. Connecting and Separating Stones
      2. Section 3. Defending Your Positions
      3. Section 4. Ko
      4. Section 5. Capturing Races
      5. Section 6. Living Groups and Dead Groups
      6. Section 7. How to Play in the Opening

      7. Section 8. The End of the Game

      8. Elementary Problems: Level Two

         1. Section 1. How to Play in the Opening
      9. Section 2. How to Capture Stones and Related Problems
      10. Section 3. Defending Your Positions
      11. Section 4. Life and Death
      12. Section 5. Ko
      13. Section 6. Capturing Races

      14. Section 7. Endgame

      15. Elementary Problems: Level Three

          1. Section 1. How to Play in the Opening
      16. Section 2. How to Capture Stones
      17. Section 3. Connecting and Separating Stones
      18. Section 4. Defending Your Positions
      19. Section 5. Life and Death
      20. Section 6. Ko
      21. Section 7. Capturing Races

      22. Section 8. Endgame

      23. Elementary Problems: Level Four - Life and Death Problems

          1. Section 1. Making Life
      24. Section 2. Killing Groups
      25. Section 3. Seki
      26. Section 4. Ko
      27. Section 5. Capturing Races

4. Part Two: Answers

5. Appendix: Nakade and Bent Four in Corner
6. Go Associations

Recommended Vendors:

1. GoGameGuru - $20.99 (S&H not included)
2. Kiseido - $21.00 (S&H not included)
3. SmartGo Books [E-book] - $5.99 (Apple users only)

Last updated December 24th, 2012 - 6 kyu