Customer Reviews

The Game of Go: The National Game of Japan

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Compared to the introductory books on Go written by professional players such as Janice Kim, Kaoru Iwamoto and Cho Chikun (and my apologies to anyone I left out), this book falls short in every important way. Somewhere inside it is everything a first book on Go should have, but the presentation is tedious and windy.

A century ago, this book and those like it were the only resources available to Westerners learning Go. Today, there are far better books on the market. Buy some of them.

There are some very good insightful books about Go. This is not one of them. It was written in a time when there were really no good Western Go players. This book muddles the game and loses sight of the key elements. Look for other, better books on the subject.

I enjoyed this book for the historical trivia it contains as well as the authentic Japanese terms. However, as a pratical tool for Go Beginners, most Westerners will have trouble with this one. If you are familiar with Go, and of Dan level you will most likely enjoy the later problems (which are very complex).
In all fairness, I think some reviewers have judged this book too harshly. Taking into account the time the book was first published and the lack of go material available then, this book does an adequate job in what it sets out to do: inform Westerners about Go. It is a pity that it is written more like a college essay than a book, and never really expresses the passion that Go players feel for this game.

The Game of Go by Arthur Smith is not a good choice for getting someone started in the game. The examples are of poor quality and confusing. Like the book by Lasker this is primarily of historic interest - it was written many years ago before good introductory books were available. Better to start with Go for Beginners by Iwamoto or the introductory series by Janice Kim. Also the beginning book by Cho Chikun. For teaching young children look at Milton Bradley's book (the go player, not the game company).

This book contains a good history of the game and is, in fact, historical as the first English book on Go. Although aimed at beginners this book misses its mark. The first few sections of the book describing the rules of the game are accurate enough, but the descriptions of "Joseki" and other elements are definitely not beginner oriented.

Perhaps the worst part for beginners, and the best for Single digit kyu and dan level amateurs (intermediate to strong players) are the problems, which are said to have been taken from classical Japanese work. These cannot possibly be thought of as beginner problem and will likely challange most. Some variations in the answers show 10+ moves.

The most interesting part of this book is its historical value. First printed in 1908, this book is no longer under copyright.

First published in 1908, Arthur Smith's classic text on the game of Go has recently been republished. This book is essential reading for any serious Go player, as well as for the interested newbie. Although some of the comments made by the author have dated since it's original publication the game itself is essentially unchanged. Consequently it remains an unsurpassed and comprehensive introduction and provides a detailed analysis of all aspects of Go, including numerous diagrams, sample games, problems and even a history of Japans national game. There are a great number of books on this subject around, and some people may find the text a little dry or terse, but nothing provides such a strong all-round no-nonsense explanation of this game. If you only buy one Go book, I recommend that you make it this one.