Deciphering Lasker?

[i3ullseye]

Ok, this is kind of a litmus post if you will. I have an idea, but I am not sure how much it might we worth pursuing, so I figured I would see what people here might think. My first book on Go was "Go and Go Moku" by Edward Lasker.

http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoAndGoMoku

Now, this book has (rightly) been considered obsolete for many years. However, many many people have learned the game in English likely using it as their primary reference, up until a few years (decades?) ago. Now that we have so much more written material available to us, not to mention computer applications and SGF files, it is indeed a very dated and hard to read book. But this doesn't mean there is nothing of value in it, far from it.

This book, for those who haven't seen it, is called 'dense' by many, and that is putting it lightly. It was clearly written by a world renown chess master, for other chess masters, to expose them to the beauty and complexity of Go, and thus maybe convert them. It is not written to be friendly to the layman. It also goes from zero to sixty in no time, assuming you can follow along with a alphanumeric grid system, and keep the moves sorted in your head while reading it. Not something most beginners are likely to be comfortable with.

So whats the point of all this?

Seeing as how the book is almost pushed into the novelty bin of Go books, i kinda want to revisit it. Using modern software, SGF files, etc.... I think I want to go back over it, and put each chart and example into SGF files to get my head around what is really in this book.

Add to this, I am horrible at go. I don't really like the term beginner for that, since I have read quite a bit, and play ore and more, so I am not new to the game. But I can admit I still suck. When a move is explained for it's strength, I can easily follow along, I know the strategy, the tactics... I have heard all the proverbs and such (not all but...). I 'get it'. However, when I am playing, that strongest move does not jump to my mind as I see the board. Not yet. So I don't think i am a beginner per se, but definitely not at all good hehe. And I don't think i am alone in this.

One of the bigger concerns with learning is finding material from/by other people at your level, which may illustrate some ways you can also learn. Sure, everyone would love to have a teacher for learning games and such, but that's not available to many (most?) of us. And watching lectures and such, often we may or may not realize if we are truly getting much out of them, because they aren't necessarily framed for people of our experience/ability.

Anyway........

My question is this. I am considering going over the Lasker book, and making the SGF files. First, do most people think there is value in this? If so, how much?

Next, I am considering doing videos as I do this, showing how I approach it and my thoughts and observations. This way other 'newbs' can see a newb approaching these topics the way they might. Mostly it would be to better myself, but making videos might also help others... and might keep me committed to doing it since I will have a posting schedule I will be trying to keep.

So overall. Decent idea? Maybe a waste of time? Opinions?

[DrStraw]

Two points:

If you gain something from it then it is worth it, even if you don't share.

If you do share are you sure you are okay with copyright?

[Bonobo]

[..]

If you do share are you sure you are okay with copyright?

Copyright of the 2nd edition is from 1960, so it should still be under copyright.

[Bill Spight]

My question is this. I am considering going over the Lasker book, and making the SGF files. First, do most people think there is value in this? If so, how much?

Yes, there is value in doing this. How much? Only you can tell.

Next, I am considering doing videos as I do this, showing how I approach it and my thoughts and observations. This way other 'newbs' can see a newb approaching these topics the way they might. Mostly it would be to better myself, but making videos might also help others... and might keep me committed to doing it since I will have a posting schedule I will be trying to keep.

I think that videos talking about what you are learning about go would be good for you and probably of value to other DDKs. Videos about the Lasker book might be considered derivative works, I don't know. But a kind of video journal of your own thoughts and progress in go sounds like what you have in mind.

[CnP]

Of course you should do what you enjoy but like other posts I think it's more a personal motivation thing. Is the purpose to improve at Go? It's not the most efficient way. If you want to do it for fun, why not? Given that there are plenty of very good introductory books on Go is your premise that in "Go and Go-moku" there is content superior to other Go books, or that it's content appeals to Chess players better? Not sure I'm convinced.

p.s. you do know it's written by Edward Lasker not Emanuel Lasker, right? Both Chess players but a bit of a difference. It made a difference to me realising it wasn't written by a world chess champion.

p.p.s. embrace being a 'beginner'! I would say I am one no shame in it

[i3ullseye]

Yeah.... Edward.... but he was ranked among the highest on the planet for about a decade. Clearly grandmaster strength, he just had to always contend with a few people a bit better I think.

As for do I think this book offers something better or different? I honestly don't know because I haven't really tore it apart to see. that's the other goal of this exercise I think, to find out just that.