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© 2017 Board N’Stones

Black to Play!

Train the Basics of Go
15 KYU – 10 KYU

Gunnar Dickfeld

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

Copyright Page

Black to Play!
Train the Basics of Go
15 KYU – 10 KYU

Gunnar Dickfeld

© 2017 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: 978–3–940563–75–0

Converted for SmartGo Books by Anders Kierulf.

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 would like deepen their understanding of the game. The exercises are limited to the most important topic: opening, capturing races, life and death, tesuji, invasions and endgame. You will train your perception of local positions and improve your skills for actual games accordingly.

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 “ripen” 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

Opening

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

Semeai

Life and Death

Tesuji

Invasion and Attack

Endgame

Glossary

More Books at Board N’Stones (in German)

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About SmartGo Books

Opening

In the opening the choice of places to play is the widest. Find the best and most important move! Consider carefully!

Problem 1

Black to play

Black to play: Where do you play?

Answer 1

Correct

Black 1 is the best move. It prevents the perfect extension for White from the corner enclosure in the upper left. If Black plays either A or B, White will take the big point at C or 1.

Problem 2

Black to play

Black to play: Which point is bigger: A or B?

Answer 2

Correct

Black 1 is the biggest move. It has two meanings: extending from the upper black corner and preventing a good extension for White. The extension to B on the left side compared with 1 is rather small.

Problem 21

Black to play

Black to play: How far would you play your extension: A, B or C?

Answer 21

Correct

Considering the white strength on the left side Black should only extend to 1. If Black plays one point further to the left, White can immediatedly invade.

Problem 22

Black to play

Black to play: From which side would you approach the white stone at 1?

Answer 22

Correct

Black 1 is correct. The white extension may be considered appropriate, but considering the black wall there is not much to gain or expand.

Problem 54

Black to play

Black to play: Count the liberties! Can you win the semeai?

Answer 54

Correct

Black has three liberties and White as well. Black wins the semeai if he plays first.

Problem 77

Black to play

Black to play: How do you win the semeai?

Answer 77

Correct

Black 1 is a solid move. After 3 it is easy to count: Black has an eye and can count all liberties for himself: 4 + 1 = 5. White has no eye and counts only outside liberties, of which there are four.

Failure

Black cannot win by taking one liberty from White. White will throw in at 4. There will be a ko. Black could connect after 2 and 4 to reach a seki, but this does not capture White.

Problem 92

Black to play

Black to play: How can the marked stones in the corner live?

Answer 92

Correct
4: connects

The throw-in at 1 is the tesuji saving life. White captures, Black plays atari, White connects, Black plays another atari and finally makes life with 7.

Failure

Playing atari at 1 and 3 is wrong, because Black cannot make a living shape. After Black 5 White kills at 6.

Problem 146

Black to play

Black to play and connect his stones!

Answer 146

Correct

Black 1 is the tesuji that connects the four stones with the corner. After Black 3 White cannot block at A.

Failure

Black 1 is a poor attempt. White sacrifices three stones and captures the four black ones.

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© 2017 Board N’Stones

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