The "Baduktopia" Books
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 7:57 pm
This is a little premature for a review, but when I came to look up or ask a question about the "rank calibration" of these books, I was surprised to find not an entry about them, so I figured I should mention my experience of them briefly.
These ten books, Level Up 1-10, plus two review books, one for 1-5 the other for 6-10, are aimed at kids, and include a glossy manga style comic at the beginning of each book. I don't yet have volumes 1-5 but I'm getting them too because my wife actually expressed some interest in learning from them after checking out my Level Up 6!
These are a systematic approach to learning Baduk (Go), from beginner to 10 kyu. Yes, it's for kids, but I think it's quite a rigorous course nontheless. I think that "10 kyu" is more like a Korean 10 kyu, which is somewhere around 6 kyu-ish or better. I have done level 6 and 7, and am already starting to fill in some gaps in my knowledge. It also drills you in review on things to keep you fresh. It's a great system to work through, so far.
After the "Level Up" Series, there is the "Jump Level Up" series, meant to take intermediates up to dan level. Along with these books, Baduktopia is also releasing "Essential Life and Death" volumes 1-4 in English; these are calibrated at 15 kyu running up to 3 dan in volume 4, and the Joseki Jeungseuk Compass, which is pretty much like it sounds: a Joseki resource which I haven't yet had time to more than glance at.
The answer keys for the Level Up books are all available for download from baduktopia's site; the answer key for the "Jump" books seems harder to come by, but all the rest of the books are available from YMI; they were more widely available, hopefully they will be again. These seem excellent, so far.
Again, I just thought I should give these guys a quick and dirty plug, given that the US Go congress is going on and people might be looking to pick up some books direct from the Baduktopia dealers if the Baduktopia folks are in attendance. *sigh* Wish I were there.
These ten books, Level Up 1-10, plus two review books, one for 1-5 the other for 6-10, are aimed at kids, and include a glossy manga style comic at the beginning of each book. I don't yet have volumes 1-5 but I'm getting them too because my wife actually expressed some interest in learning from them after checking out my Level Up 6!
These are a systematic approach to learning Baduk (Go), from beginner to 10 kyu. Yes, it's for kids, but I think it's quite a rigorous course nontheless. I think that "10 kyu" is more like a Korean 10 kyu, which is somewhere around 6 kyu-ish or better. I have done level 6 and 7, and am already starting to fill in some gaps in my knowledge. It also drills you in review on things to keep you fresh. It's a great system to work through, so far.
After the "Level Up" Series, there is the "Jump Level Up" series, meant to take intermediates up to dan level. Along with these books, Baduktopia is also releasing "Essential Life and Death" volumes 1-4 in English; these are calibrated at 15 kyu running up to 3 dan in volume 4, and the Joseki Jeungseuk Compass, which is pretty much like it sounds: a Joseki resource which I haven't yet had time to more than glance at.
The answer keys for the Level Up books are all available for download from baduktopia's site; the answer key for the "Jump" books seems harder to come by, but all the rest of the books are available from YMI; they were more widely available, hopefully they will be again. These seem excellent, so far.
Again, I just thought I should give these guys a quick and dirty plug, given that the US Go congress is going on and people might be looking to pick up some books direct from the Baduktopia dealers if the Baduktopia folks are in attendance. *sigh* Wish I were there.
