Product Description

Go, the classic strategy game from Japan, is one of the most challenging "easy" games in the world. The rules are simple; beginners can learn the whole game in minutes and then spend the rest of their lives trying to master it! This pack includes a full introduction to basic play along with expert tips and tricks and easy-to-follow diagrams. The Game of Go Pack will help turn the raw beginner into a Go player to be feared.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1397111 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Matthew Macfadyen, one of the highest rated Go players in Europe (6th Dan), learned to play the game when he was 12. He has been British Go champion on more than 12 occasions since 1978 and European Champion four times.

Customer Reviews

complete starter kit
The box came with a nice portable board that folds in half, and has a smaller board on its flipside. The pieces are decent for the price tag. More importantly though, it also comes with an excellent pocket-sized book that teaches you all the rules you need to know, and enough tactics and strategy to get you started. Its explanations are clear and it has helpful exercises and accompanying solutions which clarify the rules. The only pet peeve I have is with the twelve challenge problems at the end of the book. The author provides hints, but intentionally omits the solutions. He gives a URL for his homepage, where he claims he has the solutions to the challenge problems, but that link is broken. If anyone finds the new address, please email it to me (or just email me the answers).

A great package for beginners
This comes with a nice (albeit rather small) set with a board and plastic pieces. The accompanying book is a nice introduction for absolute beginners. It is also a well made book, sewn in signatures so it won't fall apart. You'd be hard pressed to find a book and a set at this price. The book covers the rules and some basic tactics and then has one game examined to show some strategy. A great way to start out and see if you like the game.

The next step would be to get Iwamoto's excellent "Go For Beginners" (rather meatier than the book here, and a superb book) or the series of books by Janice Kim. Then Ishi Press has a series of books, mostly by James Davies. If you do want to get more serious about the game you will certainly want to get a bigger and better set. For that check out Yutopian.

Incidentally you can play Pente aka Go-moku aka 5-in-a-row on this set as well.