Copyright © 1990 and 2000 by Kano Yoshinori
English Translation © 1990 and 2000 Richard Bozulich

Graded Go Problems
For Beginners

Volume Four
Advanced Problems

Kano Yoshinori 9-dan
Translated by Richard Bozulich

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

This final volume in Kano’s treatment of elementary tactics, tesuji and life and death problems is the most challenging of the series. It will be found equally useful by beginners who have worked through the first three volumes and by veteran players who want a systematic review of the problems that come up in actual play.

The four volumes in this series are the ideal books for players who have just learned the rules of Go, bridging the gap between a beginner’s book and some of the more advanced elementary books. Combined, they contain 1,377 problems that thoroughly drill the reader in the fundamentals of the game. They will lay a solid foundation for progress by helping the beginner to master the elements of capturing and defending stones, life and death of groups, elementary tactics, the opening and the endgame.

If you are trying to teach beginners or trying to popularize Go, these are the perfect books to use as a follow up to an introductory text.

Volume Four contains 390 advanced level problems (8-kyu to 3-kyu).

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About the Author & Translator

Kano Yoshinori was born on April 14, 1928 in Kyoto and died on May 2, 1999. He came to Tokyo at the age of nine and became a disciple of Suzuki Hideko 5-dan. He became 1-dan in 1943 and in 1968 he attained the top rank of 9-dan. In 1948 he won the Young Professional’s Championship, in 1955 he won the top section of the Oteai, and in 1961 he won the 5th Prime Minister’s Cup. He played in the 14th, 20th, 25th, and 26th Honinbo leagues. In 1975 he went to Austria and Russia, then in 1979 he led a team of high school go players to China for a goodwill match. He graduated from the Japanese Literature Department of Japan University, making him one of the few professional go players to have graduated from university. His most prominent disciple is the Taiwanese go player, O Rissei 9-dan, winner of the 2000 and 2001 Kisei titles. In 2001 he won the Judan title which he currently holds.

Richard Bozulich is the president of Kiseido Publishing Company. He learned how to play go in 1958 while a studying mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley. He came to Japan in 1967 to study go and founded The Ishi Press for the purpose of publishing go books in English. In 1982, he founded Kiseido. Invincible: The Games of Shusaku by John Power was its first publication.

Copyright Page

Graded Go Problems for Beginners

Kano Yoshinori 9 dan

Published by
Kiseido Publishing Company
CPO Box 1140
Tokyo, Japan

Copyright © 1990 and 2000 by Kano Yoshinori
English Translation © 1990 and 2000 Richard Bozulich

All rights reserved according to international law. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise copied for public or private use without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN of the printed version: 4–906574–49–1

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Contents

Graded Go Problems for Beginners

About the Author & Translator

Copyright Page

Preface

Glossary

Advanced Problems Level One

Middle Game Problems

The chapters in gray are included only in the full book.

Opening Problems

Living Groups and Dead Groups

Endgame Problems

Advanced Problems Level Two

Middle Game Problems

Opening Problems

Life and Death Problems

Capturing Race Problems

Endgame Problems

Advanced Problems Level Three
Life and Death Problems

Saving Groups

Ko Problems

Seki Problems

Capturing Races

Strange Positions

Advanced Problems Level Four
Life and Death Problems

Go Books from Kiseido

Buy This Book

About SmartGo Books

Preface

This is the fourth and final volume of the series Graded Go Problems For Beginners and is aimed at the 8-kyu to 3-kyu player. The problems here are more difficult than the ones in volume three and if you could solve problems of the same level of difficulty during your own games, your strength would be higher than 3-kyu.

The answers to many of these problems are a bit terse, but we are assuming that many of the elementary tactics covered in the first three volumes have been learned by the reader. One reason for the brevity of the answers is to encourage the readers to think out all the other possible variations and to assure themselves that the solutions do lead to the desired result. The reader should attempt to ‘refute’ the correct answer until he knows beyond a doubt that the correct answer does in fact work. By pondering each problem in this way, the reader will develop an instinct for finding the winning move in his games.

Kano Yoshinori 9-dan
March, 1990

Glossary

atari – a move threatening to capture on the next move.

dame — neutral points which profit neither Black nor White.

dan — rank given to players to indicate their strength at the game. When a player’s strength improves after attaining the rank of 1-kyu, he is promoted to amateur 1-dan and as he becomes stronger, the numerical value of his dan increases. The top amateur dan rank is usually 6-dan. The professional dan ranks start at 1-dan and go up to 9-dan, which is the highest rank attainable. A professional 1-dan is usually about two stones stronger than an amateur 6-dan. See kyu.

double atari – a move that puts two different groups of stones into atari.

eye — a point on the board that is surrounded by stones of the same color.

ko — a situation in which two opposing stones can capture and recapture each other endlessly. In a game, immediate recapture is forbidden.

kyu — a ranking scale running from 30-kyu (beginner) up to 1-kyu, the highest rank before 1-dan. See dan.

nakade — a move played inside an opposing group’s eye space that prevents the formation of two eyes.

oi-otoshi — a move which gives atari to a group of stones in such a way that no matter how one defends, the group will still be in atari.

oshi-tsubushi — a shape in which you give atari to two or more of your opponent’s stones in such a way that he cannot defend against this atari without committing suicide.

seki — dual life. A situation in which neither of two groups of opposing stones has two eyes, but neither can attack the other without losing his stones.

snapback — an atari on an opposing group such that, if the stone making the atari is captured, the capturing stones will still be in atari.

Advanced Problems Level One

Middle Game Problems

Problem 1

Problem 1 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black play to rescue his three stones at the top? All ladders are favorable for Black.

Answer 1

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

When Black plays 1, the points 2 and 3 become miai, so Black can capture the white stones at the top or in the center in a ladder.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Playing the atari with 1 first fails. Black must answer 4 with 5, after which, White plays 6. The three black stones at the top can now be captured.

Problem 2

Problem 2 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Black has a tesuji that enables him to capture three white stones.

Answer 2

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is the tesuji. If White answers with 2, Black 3 captures three white stones.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black plays 1 without any preparation, White plays the sequence to 6 and Black has no follow-up. All of his stones at the bottom will be captured.

Problem 3

Problem 3 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black connect to ensure that the white groups at the top and bottom remain separated?

Answer 3

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

The diagonal connection of Black 1 is correct. With the moves to Black 9, White’s two groups have been effectively separated.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black makes a solid connection at 1, White plays 2 and his stones on the right side are linked up. Black has failed.

Problem 4

Problem 4 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Black has a tesuji which will enable him to capture two white stones. Black’s first move is important.

Answer 4

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is the tesuji. If White resists with 2 and 4, after Black 5, White must give up his two stones in atari. If White 2 at 3, Black A.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 may look like a tesuji, but, after White 2, Black has no follow-up.

Problem 5

Problem 5 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Black has to give up a stone at the top. What is the best way to sacrifice it?

Answer 5

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black should first atari with 1. White is forced to connect with 2. Next –

Correct Answer Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

Black ataries with 3. This is the correct order of moves.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black first ataries with 1, White captures with 2.

Wrong Answer Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black now plays 3, White answers with 4, so Black’s three stones are short of liberties. This result is inferior to the correct answer.

Problem 6

Problem 6 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

What is the best way for Black to invade White’s territory?

Answer 6

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black should jump down and attach at 1. If White resists with 2, the moves to 7 follow. White has been separated into groups.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 does not work. White answers with 2 and 4; Black has run out of moves. White’s position is still intact as one group.

Problem 7

Problem 7 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Black has a tesuji by which he can either rescue his isolated stone in the corner or prevent White from linking up his four at the top.

Answer 7

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Peeping with Black 1 is the key move. White has no choice but to defend at 2 to limit his loss. Black can now isolate the four white stones at the top with 3.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 fails. Black may try to push in with 3 in response to 2, but, after White 4, he has no follow-up.

Problem 8

Problem 8 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Where is the vital point that robs White’s stones of their base? Hint: Black’s best move is one that makes good shape.

Answer 8

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 takes away the base of White’s group while making good shape for his stones on the right.

Wrong Answer 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 may attack the white stones, but the black stones are now heavy and make an inefficient shape.

Wrong Answer 2

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is too direct. After White 2, Black’s stones on the right are vulnerable to attack.

Wrong Answer 3

＞＜ ▶︎

Trying to separate the stones below from the ones above with 1 and 3 fails after White plays 4. Clearly, Black 1 in the correct answer is the best move, since it gives Black good shape.

Problem 9

Problem 9 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black answer White 1? Hint: Black should think mainly about defending the shape of his own stones.

Answer 9

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Extending to 1 is the move that prevents Black’s shape from collapsing.

Wrong Answer
7: connects

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black tries to attack White’s stones with 1, White exchanges 2 for 3, then turns Black’s group into a shapeless clump of stones with the sequence to 8.

Problem 10

Problem 10 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

A black stone is in atari. Should Black think about saving this stone or sacrificing it?

Answer 10

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

The stone in atari is not important. Black should atari with 1 and continue to attack White’s group with 3.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black rescues his stone with 1, White plays either at 2 or at A. White’s stones have good shape so he can easily settle them.

Problem 11

Problem 11 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Seven black stones are about to be cut off. Save them by sacrificing a stone.

Answer 11

Correct Answer 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Black should cut at 1. If White answers with 2, Black 3 connects to the outside. White can’t cut off the seven black stones because he is short of liberties.

Correct Answer 2

＞＜ ▶︎

If White cuts from the outside with 2, Black plays 3, capturing three white stones.

Wrong Answer 1

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black simply connects at 1, White cuts with 2 and the black stones are cut off and will be captured.

Wrong Answer 2

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is futile. After White 2, it is clear that Black can’t win the capturing race.

Problem 12

Problem 12 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How can Black link up his stones on the right to the ones in the corner? Don’t let this position become a ko.

Answer 12

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 enables Black to link up without any problems.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black plays from the other side, White gets a ko by playing 2 and 4.

Problem 13

Problem 13 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black play in this position?

Answer 13

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Extending to 1 is correct. If White keeps pushing along the second line, it is to Black’s advantage to keep extending with 3 and 5, forcing White to crawl along the second line while building a thick position in the center.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Trying to confine White to the corner with 1 is unreasonable. White easily breaks out with 2 and 4. Note that now a move at A is not a threat.

Problem 14

Problem 14 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black play? Note the similarities and differences between this position and that of Problem 13.

Answer 14

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Blocking with Black 1 is correct. White must connect at 4. Finally, Black captures the stone at 2 in a ladder, confining White to the corner.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

In this position, extending with 1 and 3 is passive. Black has failed to take full advantage of the defect in White’s position.

Problem 15

Problem 15 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

How should Black attack? You must play a move that robs White of his base.

Answer 15

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Extending to 1 robs White of his base and increases Black’s territory at the same time.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

The sequence to 5 enables Black to capture a stones, but White 6 puts Black in a dilemma. He must either capture a stone at A and lose his advantage in the corner, or defend the corner and lose two of his own stones when White plays at A.

Problem 16

Problem 16 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Two white stones are short of liberties. Attack them by striking at the vital point.

Answer 16

Correct Answer 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is the vital point. Even though White can capture this stone, White is confined to the left side. Later Black can play at A or B in sente.

Correct Answer 2

＞＜ ▶︎

If White answers 1 with 2, Black plays 3, again confining White to the left. Later, Black can threaten the life of the white stones with A.

Problem 17

Problem 17 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Black’s three stones on the outside are weak. How can Black destroy White’s eye shape while eliminating the weakness of these three stones?

Answer 17

Correct Answer
4: connects

＞＜ ▶︎

The ataries of Black 1 and 3, followed by 5, kill the white stones. White 2 at 3 leads to an immediate capture when Black plays 3 at 2.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black plays 1, White lives after he captures with 2. If Black 1 at A, White B, and Black must go back to defend the stones on the outside, letting White easily get two eyes.

Problem 18

Problem 18 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

Save Black’s three endangered stones. Utilize the one black stone on the right.

Answer 18

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

The diagonal move of 1 enables Black to link up with his stone on the right. If White 2 at 3, Black plays 2 and links up to his stones on the left.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 enables White to capture four stones with 2 and 4. If Black plays 1 at A, White responds with B; the black stones can’t escape.

Problem 19

Problem 19 – Black to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

By using the “squeeze” tesuji, you can capture the three white stones at the top and rescue six of Black’s.

Answer 19

Correct Answer
6: connects

＞＜ ▶︎

Black squeezes White with 1, 3 and 5, then draws back with 7. The white stones have no way to escape.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black rescues one stone with the moves to 5, he loses the six on the right after White plays 6.

Problem 20

Problem 20 – White to play.

＞＜ ▶︎

White must save all of his stones on the right as well as capture the two black stones at the bottom.

Answer 20

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 is the move that saves all his stones. After 9, if Black connects at 5, he loses all his stones on the edge.

Wrong Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 captures two stones at the bottom, but he loses five of his stones above.