© 2013 Board N’Stones

Black to Play!

Train the Basics of Go
20 KYU – 15 KYU

Gunnar Dickfeld

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Copyright Page

Black to Play!
Train the Basics of Go
20 KYU – 15 KYU

Gunnar Dickfeld

© 2013 Board N’Stones
Board N’Stones is a trademark of Brett und Stein Verlag, Gunnar Dickfeld, Frankfurt a.M.
All rights reserved.

Cover Design: HAMMERGEIGEROT

ISBN of the printed book: 978–3–940563–74–3

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Preface

For more than four thousand years people have been fascinated by the Asian strategic board game Go. It has always been regarded as a beneficial way to foster creative thinking.

This workbook is dedicated to players who have taken the first hurdles and now want to step into the game seriously. The exercises cover almost all important topics: starting with capturing stones and semeai, via tesuji, life and death, and finally the endgame. This book provides you with exercises to train your focus on local positions and to improve your strength.

The degree of difficulty of the exercises within each chapter varies from easy to challenging. If you cannot find a solution to one or the other exercise don’t give up hope. This is intended as the same problem may be child’s play to one reader and pretty tough for the other. Every go player develops himself and his skills differently. If you really can’t solve a problem, take my advice and drop it for the time being. The problem will “ripe” in the back of your mind. Grant yourself a second round for repetition and consolidation of the exercises solved at the first go and a second try on the ones not yet solved.

You will enjoy seeing your understanding of the game improve, and learn to surprise your friends and playing partners with deft moves.

Gunnar Dickfeld

Contents

Black to Play!
Train the Basics of Go

Copyright Page

Preface

Capturing Stones

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

Connecting and Separating

Opening

Defending your Position

Semeai

Tesuji

Life

Death

Ko

Endgame

Glossary

More Books at Board N’Stones (in German)

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About SmartGo Books

Capturing Stones

Every now and then dangerous fights arise. Make use of known techniques to capture stones.

Problem 1

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play: How do you capture the white cutting stone?

Answer 1

Correct

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 and 3 are the right combination to capture the white cutting stone.

Problem 2

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play and capture four white stones!

Answer 2

Correct

＞＜ ▶︎

The attachment at 1 captures four white stones. White cannot escape.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is crude. White escapes easily and cannot be captured. The black corner is dead now.

Problem 13

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

How do you capture five white stones?

Answer 13

Correct

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 and 3 set up a snapback.

Problem 71

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

How should you respond to White 1?

Answer 71

Correct

＞＜ ▶︎

The extension to 1 is a big move. It secures not only points but also threatens to take White’s base.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black plays elsewhere White can jump into the corner and Black has to withdraw. White is safe now and Black has lost many points.

Problem 137

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

White plays here from the outside. Here as well Black can save his three stones!

Answer 137

Correct

＞＜ ▶︎

Black cuts first at 1 and threatens with 3 to capture two groups: Either at A or B. White cannot save both of them.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

The atari at 1 and the attempt to capture the stones in the corner fail as White has more liberties.

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© 2014 Board N’Stones

This edition includes the English, German, Spanish, and French text.