Dictionary of Basic Joseki, Vol. 1 (Intermediate to Advanced Go Books)

The Bones on Which the Game Is Built, May 19, 2002

This review is from: Dictionary of Basic Joseki, Vol. 1 (Intermediate to Advanced Go Books) (Mass Market Paperback)
Joseki are sequences of play, normally in the corners of the Go board, but sometimes on the sides. Basically, a joseki is intended to be of equal benefit to both players. Sometimes the players split the territory, sometimes one gets territory and one gets influence. They are not really 'fixed' patterns, although beginners are encouraged to memorize several. Instead, there are countless variations. The art of choosing which Joseki to play in what corner is a crucial part of the early stage of the game, with the fuseki or whole board opening giving way to the Joseki and finally to the tactical warfare of the middle and end games.

There are some 20,000 of these patterns that have identified and evaluated, although far fewer are in common usage. Still, the number one needs to be at least familiar with can seem daunting. Hence, the importance of something like the 'Dictionary of Basic Joseki.' Ishida Yoshio patiently works through some 209 joseki (80 in this first volume) in enough depth to give the reader some sense of confidence as he or she approaches them in a real game. Do not expect real deep dives however, simply enough information to make sensible choices and get a good game under way.

Yoshio Ishida focuses on popular joseki for the 3-4, 5-3, 5-4, 4-4 (star point), and 3-3 point. Volume one is all about the 3-4 point, which is a very good reason to make sure to track down the other two volumes. I'm a fan of star point openings in even games, and they are also vital in handicap games, so volume three is possibly more important than volume one. Other writers, such as Sakata Eio, have made studies of particular joseki, but nothing approaches the general coverage of this set in the English language.

I have to admit I have the least patience for learning joseki. I find the fuseki phase fascinating, but joseki study is frustrating because the stronger player will often deviate from the pattern to introduce some confusion. Thus, the key to study is not learning the pattern, but learning what to do when one's opponent does something he should not. This set of books manages to give me that information without trying my patience too greatly. They have been reprinted recently in 2001 and should still be readily available from the publisher (Kiseido) if Amazon cannot provide them.