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GO: A Complete Introduction to the Game
This book introduces the basic rules and concepts of go with four games played on 9x9 boards. Through these games the reader learns how territory is formed, how to determine the final score, how to capture stones, what are the conditions for a group to live and not be captured, and how to fight a ko. The remainder of the book covers the basic opening principles and tactics. Interspersed between chapters are short essays on the history of the game, professional tournaments in Japan, China, Korea, and the western world, go equipment, computer go, and other topics.
142 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 8, 2012
I've read quite a few introductory go books now, so I give this book 5 stars as the best one I have found so far for its stated purpose, which is to introduce the game to a complete beginner. Cho Chikun is one of the strongest go players in the world today. I've found that as in everything else, people who are really good at something are not necessarily the best teachers or writers on the subject, so I liked Cho's ability to talk to someone who is just picking up the stones for the first time and not intimidate them with his godlike go powers.
Cho really does cover all the basics, at an introductory level. He recommends starting off with a 9x9 board. Since I am no longer a rank beginner, everything he covered was already pretty basic for me - I didn't even have to think about the handful of problems he gave. I'm past the point where this book could teach me anything. But if I were to choose one single book to give a beginning player, right now it would be this one. Go for Beginners by Kaoru Iwamoto is good too, but I think he packs a little too much into a book the same size as Cho's book, and some of the final chapters may stump a beginning player. The Learn to Play Go series by Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-Hyun is more complete, but that's more of a beginner's course, and a new player might not want to take on several volumes to start with.
So, this one gets my highest recommendation for beginning go players. It's short but complete, and between chapters on basic go strategy and tactics, Cho talks about the history of go and go today, including professional go associations, how much money go professionals actually make, the handicap system, and computer go. Since this book was written in 1997, the sections on tournament prizes and computer go are now a bit out of date, but most of what Cho says about computer go is still true - there is still no go equivalent to Deep Blue that can beat an expert human player.
Cho really does cover all the basics, at an introductory level. He recommends starting off with a 9x9 board. Since I am no longer a rank beginner, everything he covered was already pretty basic for me - I didn't even have to think about the handful of problems he gave. I'm past the point where this book could teach me anything. But if I were to choose one single book to give a beginning player, right now it would be this one. Go for Beginners by Kaoru Iwamoto is good too, but I think he packs a little too much into a book the same size as Cho's book, and some of the final chapters may stump a beginning player. The Learn to Play Go series by Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-Hyun is more complete, but that's more of a beginner's course, and a new player might not want to take on several volumes to start with.
So, this one gets my highest recommendation for beginning go players. It's short but complete, and between chapters on basic go strategy and tactics, Cho talks about the history of go and go today, including professional go associations, how much money go professionals actually make, the handicap system, and computer go. Since this book was written in 1997, the sections on tournament prizes and computer go are now a bit out of date, but most of what Cho says about computer go is still true - there is still no go equivalent to Deep Blue that can beat an expert human player.
August 31, 2021
This does exactly what the title says. It is a very good introduction to the game of Go. If you are looking for a book to help start studying Go this is the book. Offers a few interesting asides about the history and culture of Go. Thoroughly reccomended for beginners to lay the foundation of understanding this complex and abstract game. This is a book I will be returning to often.
Chapter 11 Figure 3 is missing two moves but you can see them in the next figure. There may also be quite a bit of marketing in the closing remarks of the book but I suppose it worked... I ordered more!
Chapter 11 Figure 3 is missing two moves but you can see them in the next figure. There may also be quite a bit of marketing in the closing remarks of the book but I suppose it worked... I ordered more!
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January 16, 2020Regrettably I don’t have anyone to play with, and couldn’t convince anyone, so I did not finish this book. Maybe someday in the future I’ll have more success.
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April 12, 2025If you are not naturally good at the game and want to quickly alleviate yourself from the pre-25kyu trenches on OGS read this
February 6, 2023
Cuốn sách phù hợp với người bắt đầu cờ vây
November 23, 2014
As a Go-newbie I wanted a good introduction to the game. I had read several introductions (Wikipedia, British, French & Amercian Go Associations, and also GoGameGuru's basic lessons...) but I still couldn't really grasp some concepts. The first thing I noticed was the small size and thickness of this book. However the book really does cover nearly all aspects of the game. The author has a very clear way of explaining everything and all my questions sort of dissolved. Every chapter has some nice examples of why and how some things work and others don't.The last theoretical chapters are abiut handicap Go and an example game of the author which are understandable for my high kyu level but must be re-read when I'll be better. A plus of this book is that between every theoretical chapter there is a more "cultural" chapter which gives some nice-to-knows about Go (e.g. History, Equipment, Intellegince and Go, Computers and Go, Go in the far east and the rest of the World, Go competions). The middle and end game as well as scoring are explained within other chapters. They could maybe have had a separate chapter each to be detailed a little more, but it worked fine this way also. All in all this book is a very good introduction. I will not put it in my bookshelf and never touch it again. It is very re-readable (not only the explained example game) and I'll use it as a reference.
January 9, 2017
An introduction to the introduction of the game. This short 150 page book is what leads you to a 4 volume "beginner" books. The long tail of Go is long. Lots of examples interspersed with history. However the book doesnt just introduce you to the goals and rules, but rather leads you to infer them. This may not be great for some people.
There were quite a few errors in my edition - stones referred to as the wrong number, or the wrong color. This made the book much harder to read than it should.
There were quite a few errors in my edition - stones referred to as the wrong number, or the wrong color. This made the book much harder to read than it should.
May 2, 2025
I read Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game by Cho Chikun first and then someone loaned me Janice Kim’s 5 book set. I went ahead and read the first volume of Kim even though it was probably going to have the same info. For the most part it does, but I like the first volume of Kim’s 5 volume set— Learn to Play Go: A Master’s Guide To the Ultimate Game by Janice Kim better.
Cho’s book was published in 1997. Kim’s book was also initially published in 1997 but has had new editions. The edition I read is from 2010. Both editions say computers haven’t beat humans in go. That’s out of date as of 2016.
The information is essentially the same, but I find Kim’s book more readable. The diagrams are directly adjacent to the explanation with margins that make for easy readability. Cho’s book is long paragraphs with clusters of figures and diagrams that you have to go up and down from the reading to the diagram and back, sometimes even flipping pages back and forth. It can be harder to follow. There are also a few errors, stating “black” when it means “white”. These are obvious.
Each book has sections talking about players, or names of Go or Go in different countries, but Kim’s felt more up-to-date. I also liked the inclusion of the Korean terms in Kim’s book (though I wish the Hanguel was also written and not just romanized words). I also appreciated the reasons behind the etiquette in Kim’s book.
There is nothing wrong per se with the Cho book. It is a good book for an introduction, but if a new player asks me what to read, I’m going to tell them Kim’s Learn to Play Go: A Master’s Guide to the Ultimate Game.
Cross-review posted under Kim’s book.
Cho’s book was published in 1997. Kim’s book was also initially published in 1997 but has had new editions. The edition I read is from 2010. Both editions say computers haven’t beat humans in go. That’s out of date as of 2016.
The information is essentially the same, but I find Kim’s book more readable. The diagrams are directly adjacent to the explanation with margins that make for easy readability. Cho’s book is long paragraphs with clusters of figures and diagrams that you have to go up and down from the reading to the diagram and back, sometimes even flipping pages back and forth. It can be harder to follow. There are also a few errors, stating “black” when it means “white”. These are obvious.
Each book has sections talking about players, or names of Go or Go in different countries, but Kim’s felt more up-to-date. I also liked the inclusion of the Korean terms in Kim’s book (though I wish the Hanguel was also written and not just romanized words). I also appreciated the reasons behind the etiquette in Kim’s book.
There is nothing wrong per se with the Cho book. It is a good book for an introduction, but if a new player asks me what to read, I’m going to tell them Kim’s Learn to Play Go: A Master’s Guide to the Ultimate Game.
Cross-review posted under Kim’s book.
August 16, 2024
Great introduction, with the caveat that some insights might be too abstruse for pure beginners. It is written by one of the great masters after all, and that often leads to deepities like "don't analyze, go with the flow". On the other hand, not being written by an "ordinary" teacher, the book presents unique style and perspective, backed by real skill.
One also has to keep in mind that it was written around 1997, and the speculative parts about psychology/education didn't age well; likewise for AI analysis and predictions. But that, of course, is not why we read this book. It's only bout 150 pages (or less if you skip the outdated stuff), so if you're just starting to learn go, definitely give it a read!
One also has to keep in mind that it was written around 1997, and the speculative parts about psychology/education didn't age well; likewise for AI analysis and predictions. But that, of course, is not why we read this book. It's only bout 150 pages (or less if you skip the outdated stuff), so if you're just starting to learn go, definitely give it a read!
August 11, 2023
As someone who has played a lot of go, I still learned some stuff from this book. I really appreciated that every other chapter or so was on a topic not immediately related to getting better at the game (which is not so much my concern). In fact, if I had one criticism of the book, it’s that the author assumes you would definitely want to be a professional Go player if only you could get good enough. (I find this is true of a lot of Go books… and players.)
Anyway, I can’t really speak to how well it would work to learn to play from this book, but it’s a very nice and quite readable introduction to a lot of topics related to go, and I would recommend it highly if that interests you.
Anyway, I can’t really speak to how well it would work to learn to play from this book, but it’s a very nice and quite readable introduction to a lot of topics related to go, and I would recommend it highly if that interests you.
October 26, 2018
An absolutely amazing introduction to the game of go. Extremely concise and clear, but, at the same time, also comprehensive: covering some strategy in addition to all the basic tactics. Examples of problems and even entire games are described in detail and followed through a longer sequence of moves. This is one of the books I see myself going back to a lot.
March 8, 2021
This book was my first one I opened when learning Go. To be fair, I did use another book at the same time. I finished this book second. It's helpful and thorough, with numerous resources, but the pictures are small. That is the only thing that bothered me. Nonetheless, thank you!!
January 31, 2025
It is what its title says. 120 easy pages, for the true beginner. I read this while occasionally playing actual games on my phone (BadukPop is the app), and found it to be enough to get a feel for it.
January 2, 2018
Enjoyed this intro book to Go. The book has a good mix of game rules/strategies and it's history. If you want to learn the game, this is a highly recommended read.
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February 25, 2021Good pace for an introductory book
November 11, 2021
This book is an informative complement to other intro books. It covers historical background and modern adoption of Go, in addition to Go rules, tactics and strategies. It may not be the best for a complete beginner but definitely it is fun and inspiring for a double-digit kyu player like me. What I liked most was the analysis of two games, one 9 x 9 game and the other 19 x 19. A lot of thoughts must have been put into choosing these two games, because they illustrated not only the rules but also the strategies and tactics of the Go game.
January 17, 2022
Comprehensive, easy to follow. I preferred another introductory book that taught through doing instead of just reading.
July 3, 2023
Very helpful, I also enjoyed the sections outlining the brief history and current state of the game.
September 21, 2013
Better than other beginner books I have read.
I have tried several beginner books, some better than others, and some really good, however, this book by Cho Chikun trumps them all. The reason is that it has real clear explanation of the concepts needed to play the game while at the same time giving you enough complexity to challenge you to take that next step towards improving.
The author teaches the basics of the game using a real game example. This can be challenging, since I have seen cases when it gets a little too complicated and the beginner may feel overwhelmed. This is the main flaw I have seen in the beginner book Go for Beginners by Iwamoto. The reason why it works better in Chikun's case is that he starts nice and slow with a 9x9 game that has very little action, so he can focus first on explaining territory without the complexities on fighting, and then little by little he adds the other elements.
He blends well the game examples with explanations on capturing, ko, etc. My favorite beginner book before I read this one was Learn to Play Go: A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game (Volume I) (Learn to Play Go Series), and the reason why the Chikun's book is better is that even though both have very clear explanations for the beginner, Chikun goes a little farther. He gives us the simple concept and then little by little introduces more complex ones. Always making sure not to go over the top like Iwamoto does.
In between chapters dealing with aspects of the game, the author spends some time to talk about the origins of Go, the status of the game in different countries and continents and other interesting tidbits. These are truly great, even though the parts that have to do with specific professional players are outdated since the book was published in 1997.
I really think that this is the best option for beginners out there and that it gives the readers the best bang for the buck. If you are interested in learning to play this wonderful game you can't go wrong with this book.
I have tried several beginner books, some better than others, and some really good, however, this book by Cho Chikun trumps them all. The reason is that it has real clear explanation of the concepts needed to play the game while at the same time giving you enough complexity to challenge you to take that next step towards improving.
The author teaches the basics of the game using a real game example. This can be challenging, since I have seen cases when it gets a little too complicated and the beginner may feel overwhelmed. This is the main flaw I have seen in the beginner book Go for Beginners by Iwamoto. The reason why it works better in Chikun's case is that he starts nice and slow with a 9x9 game that has very little action, so he can focus first on explaining territory without the complexities on fighting, and then little by little he adds the other elements.
He blends well the game examples with explanations on capturing, ko, etc. My favorite beginner book before I read this one was Learn to Play Go: A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game (Volume I) (Learn to Play Go Series), and the reason why the Chikun's book is better is that even though both have very clear explanations for the beginner, Chikun goes a little farther. He gives us the simple concept and then little by little introduces more complex ones. Always making sure not to go over the top like Iwamoto does.
In between chapters dealing with aspects of the game, the author spends some time to talk about the origins of Go, the status of the game in different countries and continents and other interesting tidbits. These are truly great, even though the parts that have to do with specific professional players are outdated since the book was published in 1997.
I really think that this is the best option for beginners out there and that it gives the readers the best bang for the buck. If you are interested in learning to play this wonderful game you can't go wrong with this book.
May 7, 2021
Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game helped me understand the basic logistics of Go back when I first picked the game up. Cho Chikun 9p explains Go concepts in simple, easy-to-understand, explanations. Furthermore, Chikun 9p also provides some historical and physiological context on the game. In conclusion, Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game encouraged me to learn and most importantly, love the game.
Other great resources for Go beginners: Baduk Pop (app), Michael Redmond's Go TV (youtube), Graded Go Problems for Beginners by Kano Yoshinori (book), An Encyclopedia of Go Terms by Richard Bozulich(book), and the 2014 Ten-Game Match between Lee Sedol and Gu Li by Rob Van Zeijst (book),
Other great resources for Go beginners: Baduk Pop (app), Michael Redmond's Go TV (youtube), Graded Go Problems for Beginners by Kano Yoshinori (book), An Encyclopedia of Go Terms by Richard Bozulich(book), and the 2014 Ten-Game Match between Lee Sedol and Gu Li by Rob Van Zeijst (book),
August 21, 2015
This is a very nice, and very readable introduction to the Go. Even if you know basic rules, the author gives you nice explanations and glimpses into intermediate games.
Granted, you'll still be a beginner, but foundations you'll get are well worth the read. Moreover this will allow you to have a solid standing point, and to progress towards stronger plays in double digit kyu ranks.
You'll miss out if you just consider this as yet another beginner book...
Granted, you'll still be a beginner, but foundations you'll get are well worth the read. Moreover this will allow you to have a solid standing point, and to progress towards stronger plays in double digit kyu ranks.
You'll miss out if you just consider this as yet another beginner book...
April 25, 2023
cool book, cho chikun is very friendly. listed a bunch of book recommendations on Go. he also believes AI(computer) will never be able to beat a human player at Go. oh boy was he wrong lmao
enjoyable book that explains the rules of the game, small glimpse in the history and information on Go, and an analysis of one of his games :)
enjoyable book that explains the rules of the game, small glimpse in the history and information on Go, and an analysis of one of his games :)
November 12, 2011
A pretty well-rounded introduction to the game. However for beginners wishing to learn the game, I usually recommend 'Learn To Play Go' volume 1 by Janice Kim & Jeong Soo-hyun. Kim's enthusiasm is infectious and the book is fun to read, well structured and full of good illustrations.
January 9, 2013
Great introduction. I just started learning this game and this book gave me a lot of useful information. The digital version i read (from the ios-app "go books") has a nice interface that lets you see the moves being made, like a video.
August 11, 2014
Very instructive book for someone trying to learn the game from scratch. Without a doubt a very clear introduction to the game, easy to follow, although the sequences of plays in the latter chapters being a bit long, it reads very easily. Highly recommended.
March 28, 2016
an overview and explanation of basic go concepts and strategy, along with short essays about go history and culture and recommendations for further learning. definitely the book I would recommend for someone interested in the game
August 23, 2011
This is a very good introductory book on the game of Go. If you get the "Go Books" version (iPhone app) you can play through moves on the page as you read it. Very cool!
September 19, 2011
Great introduction to the most fascinating game in the world
March 29, 2015
I don't think it was a bad book, but for someone new to the game, it was too detailed give me a cohesive understanding of the game.
January 27, 2016
Here are my thoughts on this book.
https://browngostone.wordpress.com/20...
Summary: This is the best go book for absolute beginners.
https://browngostone.wordpress.com/20...
Summary: This is the best go book for absolute beginners.
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