Go Month-by-Month Series -- Go Middle Game Month-by-Month

Author: Qiu Baici
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: Middle-game battles occur in the later stages of the opening when isolated stones are created through penetration or mutual cutting, and both sides engage in offensive and defensive battles around these isolated stones. Due to the complexities, complexities of conflicts, and variable directions in the middle game, it is relatively difficult to learn and master. Naturally, middle-game instruction is challenging, especially when aiming to learn middle-game battles in just one month—it would be extremely difficult, almost impossible, even to achieve a basic understanding. This book, based on the author's 35 years of teaching experience, addresses several frequently occurring and important issues in complex middle-game battles: such as how to handle after cutting, knowledge of initiative, attacking and neutralizing isolated stones, etc., with focused discussions. It emphasizes that the core of battles is the struggle between strength and weakness, i.e., how to strengthen oneself while weakening the opponent, and how to gain advantages in battles where the stronger side faces the weaker side, thereby correcting the extreme notion that "battles are all about killing stones." Additionally, in the section on knowledge of initiative, it explains what the right of initiative is, how to uncover it, how to choose and utilize it, etc., to correct the common mistakes of useless initiative and initiative that benefits the opponent. It also resolves the issue of how exercises in (life and death), hand techniques, and battles relate to actual play (the more you practice, the more you can uncover and effectively utilize the right of initiative).