Go and Go-Moku: The Oriental Board Games [Paperback]

Edward Lasker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 24, 2011

Best introduction in English to a great Japanese game. Detailed instructions provide valuable information on basic patterns, strategy, tactics, and analyzed games. Used as text by generations of Americans and Japanese as well. 72 diagrams. "...clearly written diagrammed primer..." — New Yorker.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 2d rev. ed. edition (November 24, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486206130
• ISBN-13: 978-0486206134
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,746,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No longer a good book, July 27, 2002

By 

David Huebel (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Go and Go-Moku: The Oriental Board Games (Paperback)

This pioneering book was written when go was less well-known in the west, and Lasker's access to strong players and to the centuries-old tradition of go teaching was limited. Because present-day authors do not suffer from these disadvantages, recent English-language books tend to be clearer and better organized for beginners. _Go and Go Moku_ also betrays its age by its occasionally nonstandard terminology, which alone is sufficient reason for beginners to avoid this book.

Of the many excellent English-language introductions to go, my favorite is Kaoru Iwamoto's _Go For Beginners_.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Examples difficult to follow, dry reading, December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Go and Go-Moku: The Oriental Board Games (Paperback)

As a beginner just learning the game, this is not the way to go (sorry). Lasker was world chess champion for 27 years, losing it in 1921. This book is written from that rarified perspective.He will jump into a complex series of moves for a couple of pages, totally losing the reader on the logic and reasons for the progression, and then after another page say the explanation is probably not appropriate for beginners and/or there are many exceptions to what he just wrote. The diagrams are generally hard to follow, and aren't particularly clarified by the accompanying text. There is one complete game recorded move by move between masters Karigane and Honinbo played in 1926 which is instructive. But if this is the first book on go one is exposed to, it might do more to discourage than to help one experience the enjoyment the game can provide.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Challenging but rewarding, November 23, 2006

By 

T. Dillon "go enthusiast" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Go and Go-Moku: The Oriental Board Games (Paperback)

I agree with the others that this book is not for the beginner, but I have found it quite helpful, as every move shown has a purpose, and you have to work a bit to figure it out. If you enjoy figuring things out for yourself, and are willing to do some work, this is the Go book for you.