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This book is written for players who have acquired an understanding of the
rules of go and some of its most elementary tactics and strategies by having read
an introductory book and having played a few games. We have assumed that the
reader understands the terms 'sente' and 'gote', that he knows what a ko is, is
able to determine neutral points, and can count the score. Its aim is to give the
novice an introduction to each phase of the game and to dispel a number of strategic
and tactical misconceptions that often plague beginners and inhibit their
progress.
Beginners usually overemphasize defense, not realizing that the best way to
defend is to attack. By attacking your opponent's stones, you can often defend
your weak positions in the process. Understanding this concept from the very beginning
of one's go career will clear the way for quick progress up through the
kyu ranks. In this context, Chapters Two and Four are the most important and
should be of value, especially to players who have been struggling for years to
reach expert or dan level.
About the author
Richard Bozulich was born in Los Angeles in 1936. From the age of four until 17 he studied to become a concert pianist. He then studied Mathematical Logic at UCLA from 1953 to 1956 under Richard Montague. He transferred to UC Berkeley and graduated in mathematics in 1966. In 1967 he went to Japan to study go. In 1968 he founded Ishi Press Inc. in Japan and published more than 45 books on go. In 1982 he founded Kiseido Publishing Company and has published more than 60 books on go with that company. Along with John Power, he started publishing the go magazine, Go World, in 1977. 129 issues were published until he stopped publishing it in 2013. He is said to be the most prolific writer of English-language go books, having written or translated almost 50 books on the game. He lives in Chigasaki, Japan and is the president of Kiseido Publishing Company.
