Shape Up! Seong-June Kim Charles Matthews
Books
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Changelog Date Author Changes made 2015-01-22 Akita Noek Repackaged into one PDF, added table of contents, cover page, license and changelog page. 2019-12-11 Brian Dunn Improved grid lines, embedded fonts.
Introduction: The Scope of Shape What is shape? Strong go players have in their armoury many set patterns of play. While shape (Japanese katachi) could mean any pattern that regularly occurs on the go board, it is useful to restrict the idea somewhat. The most immediately valuable shape ideas are those revealing the position of vital points. A vital point is a key location. If you occupy it, that by itself will give you a good result, not by some magic, but because of the nature of the position....
An example treated joseki-style The rest of this Introduction works over a single opening pattern. This approach is typical of joseki books: you take a single corner opening and discuss a number of variations. You can read on to get a feel for the overall scope of shape ideas, and examples of some basic proverbs, in the context of decision-making. There’s therefore the disadvantage of no single conclusion or main point....
Part One. Principles of Development Chapter One Table Shapes 1.1 Three strong shapes This chapter introduces a number of strong shapes. Strong shape isn’t the only kind of good shape, but this is a place to start. {{Dia 20}} {{Dia 21}} {{Dia 22}} (Left) The basic table shape. (Centre) The double table, a perfect eye shape, and made up of two superposed table shapes, the second one marked. (Right) The bamboo joint, differing from the table shape only as marked....
Chapter Two. Shape Basics 2.1 Introduction: functions and comparisons Chapter 1 showed some strong and useful shapes, but you need principles as well. The first steps in understanding shape come not with looking at specific patterns, but with the idea that certain plays work well, where others disappoint. {{Dia 57}} {{Dia 58}} The one-point jump White 1 in the left-hand diagram doesn’t allow White to keep the two Black stones separate: after Black 6 Black will be able to play at A or B....
Chapter Three. Close Range Play 1 Imagine you move to a large city. To begin with, you go everywhere by car or on foot. After a while you discover how to use public transport, and your life becomes a little easier if less individualistic. It is part of the experience of coming to belong, in your urban environment. This chapter and the two that follow it are at the heart of our conception of shape....
Part Two. Principles of Engagement Chapter Four. Starting from Hane 4.1 Play hane at the head of two stones {{Dia 220}} {{Dia 221}} The Black stone marked with a triangle is an example of the hane (‘hahnay’) play, round the end of your opponent’s stones, leaving a cutting point. (Right) Black 1 is hane at the head of two White stones, and Black 3 is a second hane. When it works, this double hane is a powerful way to play....
Chapter Five. Close Range Play 2 5.1 Approach plays and gain lines Approach plays (kakari in Japanese) are the first elements learned in opening play. They can happen anywhere on the board. {{Dia 279}} {{Dia 280}} Where they do occur, there is a confrontation, across a gain line, marked in these diagrams. One way to get a local advantage is to push your opponent back, relative to these lines. {{Dia 281}} {{Dia 282}}...