Go book advice

[tolbiny]

Not about poker.....

I would like to learn the game Go, and not knowing anything i usually start with a book. Does any one have any suggestions as to what a good beginners book would be?

thanks

[Blarg]

No time anymore, so my Go books are in storage and would take forever to find. Good luck though. That's my favorite game in the world, and I couldn't possibly praise it enough. If I could play one game every day for the rest of my life, that one would easily come in first place. Probably ahead of lots of things besides games too. It's just a pure joy to play and think on that level.

There are so many hundreds of Go books out there it's incredible. Encyclopedias of moves, whatever you like. There are Go associations too. You might be surprised to find a Go league in your own city, with regular games and matches. A google search or even a phone book might turn up more than you think.

I wish you a ton of luck, and wish I had the time to pursue the game more myself. If I could divide my time between poker, martial arts, and Go, I would be the happiest man in the world. And poker would be the easiest of them to put aside.

[Rudbaeck]

Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go by Toshiro Kageyama.
Opening Theory Made Easy by Otake Hideo. (This books makes HEFAP look like a brief and easy introduction by comparison.)

The best resource I found is free though: Sensei's library (http://senseis.xmp.net/)

You also want to start playing ASAP. Look for a local club, and check out the plethora of free online game servers with ranking systems. I used to play on Kiseido before poker ate my game time allowance.

Every book you find with go problems should be bought. That's THE most important thing you can get out of a book. It's hand quizzes on stereoids.

But you got to realize that there is no "Winning Low Limit Hold'em" for go. It's at best "Small Stakes Hold'em", or on the far side of "Hold'em Poker For Advanced Players".

[Blarg]

Nice to see another Go fan.

I've always thought that if I had a kid, I would try as hard as I could to get him to like Go as young as possible. I think it would do extraordinary things for his developing mind and his future.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
But you got to realize that there is no "Winning Low Limit Hold'em" for go.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to work in a store that sold these books:

http://www.samarkand.net/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=book

The Learn to Play Go series looks about as close as you can get to a WLLHE for Go, but it's 5 volumes and counting.

I read the first few but never had time to get into the game.

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]
And poker would be the easiest of them to put aside

[/ QUOTE ]

If only there wasnt so much damn money to be won at poker /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Blarg]

Exactly. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Go is more like a life mission that could take up all your time, and maybe happily, but not kick out a penny for you in the process.