B R M P: T P S S T P: OOK Eview Aster LAY HE Laying Tyles of Even OP ROS

B OOK R EVIEW
M ASTER P LAY: T HE P LAYING S TYLES OF

S EVEN T OP P ROS
Martha McGill [email protected]
series; however, you are undoubtedly

getting more for your money.
The seven top pros included in
the book are Sakata Eio, Takagawa
Kaku, Fujisawa Shuko, Rin Kaiho,
Nie Weiping, Ma Xiaochun, and
Cho Hunhyun. Zhou provides brief
biographical information for each in
turn, along with a pair of particularly
representative games.
His book illustrates how very personal
Go is, and how widely professional
Author: Yuan Zhou styles can range. We discover,
Publisher: Slate and Shell1 for example, the ‘honte’ style of
ISBN: 1-932001-50-6 Takagawa, which led Hashimoto
Utaro to declare that playing him
‘The Playing Styles of Seven Top was “like drinking warm water”.
Pros’ is the latest addition to Yuan Ma Xiaochun’s psychological Go is
Zhou’s Master Play series, which now tailored to each opponent; a move
numbers six books (all of commented which is good against Nie Weiping
professional games). I’ve enjoyed the “naturally” would not be played
other books in the series, but they all “against a player like Kato Masao”.
struck me as being somewhat on the Deserving of a special mention is the
short side; I was excited to see that ‘double-waisted’ Go of Rin Kaiho
this latest book is more than twice (this is a term borrowed from sumo,
as long as any of the others, with its meaning ‘very hard to defeat’); 3-
fourteen games spanning 269 pages. 0 behind in a best-of-7 Meijin title
The commentary is lighter than in the match against Ishida Yoshio, he
other Master Play books — I think the manages to eke out a half-point win
games took me an average of about in a dramatic game (Ishida was just
an hour to play through. Nonetheless, one ko threat short), before going on
there’s plenty in here, and the length to win the title. As might be expected,
feels about right — the book is the games abound with impressive
satisfying without being exhausting. tesujis, ingenious plans, and examples
Slate and Shell are selling it for $24, of terrifyingly deep reading.
which makes it significantly more Something that I’ve always liked
expensive than the other works in the about the Master Play books is that
1 www.slateandshell.com/
1
they favour simplicity. The moves of 10k-1k. I imagine that the clear,
are explained according to basic, straightforward approach will appeal
straightforward principles, with little particularly to weaker players who
focus on the most mind-numbingly have little experience of pro games:
complex sequences. I’m usually this book is a gentle introduction!
happy to be tricked into believing Of course, stronger players will
that top-level Go isn’t utterly beyond also benefit from studying the
my understanding. However, over games. However, I suspect that
the course of these fourteen games, dan players will not learn a huge
I actually began to grow slightly amount from Zhou’s commentary.
frustrated by Zhou’s approach. In He does an excellent job of making
general, he focuses on one particular the games accessible to Single-Digit
stylistic aspect for each professional Kyus (SDKs), but this inevitably
(whole-board thinking, honte moves, entails leaving out some higher-level
keeping the opponent uncomfortable, nuances.
flexibility. . . ). Finally, although in general the book
Of course, there are advantages to is reasonably well-presented, it could
this method. The comments are clear have benefited from more thorough
and easy to follow, and I did close proof-reading. There are multiple
the book with a sense that several typing errors — I spent longer than
basic principles had been even more I’d care to admit trying to find the
deeply drummed into me. However, definition of ‘athesente’! Moreover,
the commentary occasionally feels being a pedant, I get a little annoyed
somewhat forced. Many questions are about careless inconsistencies such
left unanswered, and at times it seems as the (clearly unintentional) use of
like this is simply because they do not varying fonts in the contents page.
pertain to Zhou’s overall message for However, the diagrams themselves
the game. Moreover, few variations are accurate — I didn’t come across
are provided for complex sequences. any mistakes that make Zhou’s points
Zhou is not aiming to help the reader unclear. Furthermore, there’s a certain
to understand all of the ins and outs warmth and enthusiasm in Zhou’s
of a game, but rather to use certain tone that shines through despite the
features to make a broader point. occasional errors: he succeeds in
As in earlier books, Zhou has recreating much of the drama and
reviewed these games in conversation excitement of the games.
with a 4k (Bill Cobb). Occasionally Overall, I’ve enjoyed this book a lot,
his questions, along with Cobb’s and have certainly learned from it.
answers, are included (they mark For players outside the SDK range,
useful moments for the reader to there may be more useful ways to
pause and consider the game). I get
spend $24. However, this is one of
the impression that Zhou pitches
those books that reminds you of how
his commentary very effectively to
exquisite Go can be; there’s a lot to be
his audience, and I would definitely
said for that.
recommend this book for players
around Cobb’s strength — and, The Review copy was kindly provided
indeed, for any player in the region by Slate and Shell.

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B OOK R EVIEW

M ASTER P LAY: T HE P LAYING S TYLES OF

series; however, you are undoubtedly

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