Hi everybody,

just two quick questions :

- if you have to choose Three books to have with you in a desert island, what is your choice ?

- And if you want give three books to "Friday" (the Robinson Crusoé friend), a newbie, what will be your choice ?

Thank you very much.

My pick: Get Strong at Tesuji (actually I would like to take the whole Dictionary of Basic Tesuji but it consists of four books : ( ), Dosaku - Complete Game Collection, Maeda's Life-and-Death: Intermediate Problems
For Friday: Opening Theory Made Easy, Shusaku's Complete Collection (Invincible Harcover), One Thousand and One Life-and-Death Problems (I'd prefer the Graded Go Problems For Beginners Series but they, too, consist of four books =( )

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

From the context I assume that you mean go books. (If not the choice would different. It would among other things include a survival guide.)

My choice for the island:
1. Invincible, by John Powers.
2. Dictionary of Basic Tesuji, by Fujisawa Shuko. (Slightly cheating since it is in 4 volumes.)
3. Any one of John Fairbairn's books about Go Seigen's games.

My choice for Friday:
1. Go for Beginners by Iwamoto Kaoru.
2. Graded Go Problems for Beginners, by Kano Yoshinori. (Slightly cheating since it is in 4 volumes.)
3. The Second Book of Go, by Richard Bozulich.

My 3:

The book on cutting-connecting tesuji we discussed in another thread (here)
I don't have Dosaku's game collection but... Would love to bring it (if I don't have it, Jowa's). It's in Japanese or Chinese, SoDesuNe?
Does Segoe's Tesuji Dictionary count as 1 book comprised of 3 volumes ?

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Geek of all trades, master of none: the motto for my blog mostlymaths.net

The subject implies being caught for months or years on a desert island (but let us assume that survival is not the problem). So the books must first of all offer essentially unlimited study scope. Therefore I'd recommend three game collections with as many games as possible. The sand of the beach or desert then allows you to replay and study the games:)

Robert, Segoe's Tesuji books I think can take anyone (non-pro) many, many years Or at least, can take a poor 6k like myself

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Geek of all trades, master of none: the motto for my blog mostlymaths.net

The version I know is in Chinese.

By the way, I'd like to change Maeda's book for Xuanxuan Qijing/Gengen Gokyo.

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Are they different from the "usual" two volume Japanese pro tesuji books of the second half of the last century? Otherwise they are interesting only up to about 3d.

Afaik, no. But for me "up to 3d" is long enough

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Geek of all trades, master of none: the motto for my blog mostlymaths.net

The Direction of Play is read quickly and teaches outdated thinking. So why recommend it? Reading it does not hurt but "one of the best three (beginner) books"? No!

No.

The earlier Segoe-/Seigen-editions had two volumes.
The later ones have three.

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The really most difficult Go problem ever: http://www.dgob.de/dgoz/trmdpe/index.htm
Igo Hatsuyoron #120 (still unresolved by professionals, maybe solved by three amateurs)

Kamakura
Final Summit
9 Dan Showdown

If I'm stuck on a desert island, I want fun books I can read over and over.

Robert completely scooped me.

But if I can be creative, I'll bring GoGoD and a laptop. We can stipulate that the laptop can only run GoGoD, but has a solar charger and is extremely durable.

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When you think your opponent has made a mistake, that's when you should be the most cautious.

3 Books of pro games for me, 3 books of very hard problems for my good friend Friday. When he gives up on them I can swap him a coconut for his three.

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I am John. John-I-Am.

Desert island: I probably wouldn't study but rather enjoy some Fairbairn or any other pro-commentary book.
As for Friday: 1001 life and death problems, Cho Chikun's complete intro to the game (i like it because it covers all aspects of the game, also history, pro scene, computer go...) and In the beginning, the opening of the game of go by Ikuro Ishigure.

hmm also, if Friday was a Newbie at the start those books for him/her? would last them about 2 months - or am I missing the point?

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I am John. John-I-Am.

Thank you very much for yours advices.

I see there isn't no books fundamentals for Robinson and Friday.

I search in reality 3 books to have absolutly for a beginner (12-25 kyu) and 3 books to have absolutly for a good player (better than 10 kyu).

Interesting question .

Assuming I have to grab three books from my bookshelf and run...

1. Invincible: The games of Shusaku
2. Igo Hatsuyoron
3. Weiqi Sihuo Daquan (Encyclopaedia of Life and Death)

Good life and death problems and game records could last years.

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David

Go Game Guru: Learn Go | How to Get Better at Go | Go Game Shop | Go Boards | Baduk TV

Thank you David. Just I think I must to buy a Chinese-French (or Chinese-english) dictionary with this books

Your website is very great.