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Book Review: The Workshop Lectures Volume 2

The Workshop Lectures Volume 2 Cover

The Workshop Lectures (Volume 2)

Description: The Workshop Lectures Volume 2 is part a series of lectures given by Yilun Yang at workshops in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The topics covered include: “How to Invade,” “Choosing the Proper Pincer,” “Side Extensions in the Opening,” “Playing a Territorial Game,” and “Playing a Moyo Game.”

Book Details

Title, The Workshop Lectures (Volume 2)
Series, The Workshop Lectures
Author, Yilun Yang (7P)
Publisher, Slate & Shell
Published, “2006”
Language, English
ISBN, 1-932001-31-X
Length, 81 Pages

Table of Content

  1. How to Invade
  2. Choosing the Proper Pincer
  3. Side Extensions in the Opening
  4. Playing a Territorial Game
  5. Playing a Moyo Game

Before I Read This Book…

My Abilities

  • A mid-high SDK (single digit kyu) who has read his fair share of books and has a decent foundation of most areas in go.

My Perspective

  • Since these are written to be more of a “workshop” format, I was looking forward to a new style of writing along with a refreshing perspective on some common questions that most players might have.

Synopsis

What did I enjoy about the book?

  • Topics are broken down into simple explanations that I could easily understand.
  • The topics are extremely relevant to the average player.
  • Yang usually has a checklist of questions for each section to remind the reader of the important things to remember.

What did I gain from reading this book?

  • A better understanding of some prerequisites a player should have before invading an enemy’s sphere of influence.
  • A much better grasp of how the purpose of different pincers work.
  • A new perspective on how to evaluate potential when choosing side extensions in the opening.

What style of teaching does the book use?

  • Workshop Format

    *   Topics of broken down into its simplest format and represents more of an outline than a thorough textbook.

  • Primary Learning Mechanism:

    *   Explanations with accompanying diagrams

  • Other Learning Mechanisms:

    *   Practice problems with explanations for each solution

What aspect can be improved on?

  • No complaints here!

Is this book easy to read?

  • Yes. The explanations are concise and the accompanying diagrams are often no more than a few moves long.

Bottom Line

  1. Breaks down topics into really easy to understand explanations.
  2. Has a lot of valuable content for such a short book!
  3. Worth every penny you spend on it!

My Review

I continue to be impressed with Yilun Yang’s ability to take concepts that most strong players take for granted they understand and break it down for weaker players like myself who often make fundamental strategic errors such as choosing the proper pincer. Like any other book I’ve read, applying it to my own game will take some time; but the sheer fact that I was able to understand his main point the first time around is extremely commendable on his part. Finally, Yilun Yang does a great job simplifying the two primary styles of go: territorial vs. moyo and explaining how one should properly play if one is to choose one or the other. Definitely worth checking out if you’re confused about any of the topics covered in this book!

  • Players who are 10 kyu or stronger.
  • Players who want a road map on how to handle the topics covered in the book.

Where Can I Buy It?

  • Slate and Shell - $18.00 USD (shipping and handling not included)
  • SmartGo Books - $5.99 USD (e-Book for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch Only)

Other Books in This Series…

Last Updated on August 6th, 2013