21st Century Dictionary of Basic Joseki, Vol. 1
by Takao Shinji
Every go player will find this brilliant and well-organized survey of all the important joseki patterns in contemporary go an indispensable study tool and reference work. It is a thorough updating and complete rewriting of the Yoshio Ishida Dictionary of Basic Joseki published in the mid-70s. It covers not only the long-established josekis familiar to players of all levels but also the many new variations of old josekis, such as the Magic Sword and the Large Avalanche, that have been developed in recent decades, including the first decade of the 21st century.
This, the first of two volumes, covers all the 3-4 point josekis, including long sections on the avalanche joseki and the Magic Sword. Like the Ishida work, it thoroughly analyses the various components of josekis, such as tesujis and good style and good shape, and focusses in depth on such themes as securing momentum and building influence. Each joseki listed is backed up by numerous diagrams exploring alternative moves and mistakes, to ensure that the reader understands the joseki fully. Consequently, this work is unrivalled as a lucid and comprehensive primer in joseki theory.
The author, Shinji Takao, is a top Japanese professional who has held both the Honinbo and Meijin titles. His book retains the variations from its predecessor that are relevant to contemporary play but also gives countless new variations, reflecting the widespread innovations generated by professional go in the Far East in the last three decades. A number of mistakes that were in the original Japanese version have been corrected in consultation with the writer.
To order this book, go to
http://www.kiseido.com/go-books.htm#k41
