I have $200 to spend on books, what should I get?

[hyperpape]

The OP said he wanted a go library. He did not say he wanted the optimal go library for improvement. I assume he does want to get better, but maybe he wants something fun as well.

[Joaz Banbeck]

...

Why do you hold Direction of Play in such high regard? ....

Because my stones told me that it was a great book.

[Horibe]

1. Attack and Defense ($18)
2. First Kyu ($13)
3. Fundamental Principles of Go ($25)
4. Golden Opportunities ($20)
5. Invincible - The Games of Shusaku ($50)
6. Lessons In The Fundamentals Of Go ($18)
7. Making Good Shape ($25)
8. Opening Theory Made Easy: Twenty Strategic Principles to Improve Your Opening Game ($18)

Total: $187 excluding s/h

This is a GREAT list. I 100% agree with 1,3,5-8.

First Kyu is a GREAT idea as well. It could easily cement your love of go (baduk) forever. If you are pretty well hooked already, I would substitue TESUJI from the Elementary series

Golden Opportunities I guess I have to take another look at, but I would substitue LIFE and DEATH from the Elementary series.

But these are quibbles - great list.

[cramnhoj]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Go World Archive.

[oren]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Go World Archive.

I would highly recommend the Kiseido Digital Bookshelf, but I still don't consider these books yet. If asked about e-books and books it would be different.

[Josh]

Thanks for all the advice! I have just acquired "Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go" and I am really enjoying it! Amazing book.

[daal]

Thanks for all the advice! I have just acquired "Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go" and I am really enjoying it! Amazing book.

For $200?

[Josh]

No, I got it for ~$20. I am going to buy the books over the course of a few weeks/months.

[ACGalaga]

Since I'm a beginner, this thread has also been really helpful to me as well. I'm about to send an order and I wanted to ask your opinion on which of the "Graded Go Problems for Beginners" books I should order first.

Everyone seems to recommend Vol. 3 in this thread. Also, I've been solving the problems on the SmartGo soft up to 20k and found some of them tricky but not too difficult overall. So, I thought that Vol. 1 might be too easy, but what about Vol.2? Reading reviews on Amazon, many people have said that "although simple, there is still much to learn from these problems."

Or should I just screw all that crap and buy Vol. 3 first?

Thanks!

[lovely]

Whatever you buy, books I think you simply must get at that level if you don't already own them are:
* Tesuji (Elementary Go Series)
* Attack and Defence (Elementary Go Series)
* Fundamental Principles of Go (Yang)
* Lessons in the fundamentals of Go (Kageyama)
* Opening Theory made easy (Hideo)
* Graded Go Problems III

This list is pretty much bang on what you need. I call Tesuji, Attack and Defense, and Fundamentals (Kageyama) the "Holy Trinity". They're all written in a very understandable way and all contain a compendium of knowledge.

Those three books alone should get you to around mid-SDK. Once you do reach around 5k, Direction of Play would be really useful, as will Reducing Territorial Frameworks by Fujisawa Shuko. I haven't really read many books, but the ones I've mentioned in this post are all fantastic.

[Mnemonic]

@ACGalaga
Volume 3 is very useful if you are trying to break sdk. If you are weaker than that I would recommend Volume 2. I think the reason why everyone likes Volume 3 is that the OP is around that level and that it is one of the few books that covers material in that strength range.

[ACGalaga]

Thanks for your help

[Koroviev]

I recommend volume 1 if you're a beginner, although most of the problems in the first half will be solveable for you, they are great for drilling you on recognising shapes, and also building some confidence for basic life and death.

[onou1]

For that amount of money you can get a nice balanced library.

Developing reading ability is probably the quickest way to improve, though a lot of people find it boring, so:

* Tesuji (Elementary Go Series)
* Life and Death (also EGS)

Those are classics. If you want more reading practice, I'd actually recommend getting a book on the endgame, though most people don't study that until much later. I don't recommend the EGS Endgame book, but Get Strong at the Endgame seems good.

The suggestions above were imho a little short on the opening. I made it to about 8k with absolutely abysmal reading ability; just knowing the basics of opening theory made up for it. So I'd recommend you get one on theory:

* In the Beginning (EGS - this is the one I read)
OR
* Opening Theory Made Easy (haven't read it but have heard it's very good)

and one of problems:

* Five Hundred and One Opening Problems (Mastering the Basics Series)

Those four will keep you busy for quite a while. When you want to expand your library a little more, you'll want to get some good books on midgame tactics/ strategy. My favourites there are:

* Making Good Shape (MBS)
* All About Ko (MBS)
* Get Strong at Invading
* Get Strong at Attacking

You could get those now, but be warned that they assume a fair amount of reading ability - don't be discouraged if you can't do the problems just yet.

That 8 or 9 books is probably about $200 if you count taxes and shipping.

Good luck!

[Bantari]

Flowers for your wife... girlfriend.. boyfriend.. whatever (I don't judge)
In the long run - this will profit you more than Go books, i guarantee!

If you really want to get Go books, though, the ones I recommend are:

Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go
Attack and Defense - EGS as well
Strategic Concepts of Go
Invincible
Ishida

I am not sure about the prices... and about what you need. But these are universal books which will serve you well through your Go-playing years, regardless of the level.
if you have more money? Try these:

Kato's attack and kill
The direction of play (kajiwara)
and so on...

I would say - go for the classics, the old(er) books... on average - they are better than the new(er) crop...
Just my opinion...

Of course - your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/whatever will not necessarily appreciate the expenditure, even if they agree to it.