4.0 out of 5 based on 1 reviews. – Customer review on 21/12/2011

Overall Iwamoto's book is a great beginners book on Go, and it is clear why it has stood the test of time.

The first section introduces the new player to the rules via a 9x9 game review, and basic capturing techniques.
The second section covers elementary tactics and strategy, including; life and death, ladders and nets, throw ins, extensions, shimari, kakari, 3-3 invasions etc. Many sections feature example problems to solve to test your understanding. The book ends with a couple of reviews of the authors own games.

Of the beginners books I have seen Iwamoto's covers much more than the average. However it's all covered in 148 pages; which at times can make the text feel very dense. By this I mean that important concepts are covered in very few words, and it can feel as though you do not have enough time to absorb the concept before moving onto the next one. This can lead to the problems at the end of sections at times feeling quite overwhelming. Many sections, therefore, require very careful reading, or re-reading.

Another problem that arises is the issue of bad formatting; at times the text will refer to diagrams that require you to turn the page to look at. This is only a mild annoyance most of the time, but again detracts from the user-friendliness of the book.

Overall, with a little patience Iwamoto's book is still one of the best for beginners, and certainly offers a lot of bang for your buck.