Go Reviews

Sabaki, How to Manage Weak Stones
By Yi-Lun Yang, 7P
Lecture notes compiled and edited by John C. Stephenson
Published by Wings Across Calm Water Go Club
Reviewed by Kenneth Berg
July 28, 2003

A prolific teacher, author, and regular attendee of the US Go Congress, Mr. Yang is well known to the American go scene. “Sabaki” is based on lectures given by Mr. Yang during one of the annual 4-day intensive workshops held each June by the Wings Across Calm Water Go Club. For those familiar with Mr. Yang’s other excellent works (such as the Whole Board Thinking in Joseki series and his Ingenious Life and Death Puzzle series), this little tome will get right to the heart of the topic. In section 1, Mr. Yang begins by discussing the importance of managing weak stones. He presents the reader with a series of questions to help evaluate weak stones and decide which course of action is appropriate. The following 78 diagrams and explanations illustrate the principles of sabaki in real-game context, with examples of good, bad, and “insufficient” play to show when to run, live quickly, or sacrifice. The remainder of the book covers practice problems, beginning with six sabaki guidelines, followed by 12 “black to play” half-board problems. While sabaki is important to all levels, this material presented will be most accessible to mid-kyu through dan level players. Higher kyu players can benefit if they approach the book as a tool to help improve their overall judgment relative to handling of weak stones, rather than getting bogged down in some of the more intricate sequences. “Sabaki” is available as a limited numbered first printing for $12.75 per copy plus $2.25 per order. Orders can be placed online using PayPal / creditcard from the Wings Across Calm Water Go Club website at: http://www.wingsgoclub.org/ , by going to the section on books. Checks can also be sent directly to John C. Stephenson, 446 Lincoln Ave., Wyckoff, NJ, 07481.

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