This series of articles has its origins in research carried out for a book on ko fights, in collaboration with Kim Seong-june 6 dan. While it remains highly desirable that a dan-level book on ko should be written, it is currently hard to see how to get such a work published. Therefore I intend to create a series of web articles on a major theme to do with ko.

• Introduction
• Blocking with implied ko
• Bulge Kos
• Ponnuki Connections
• Apex Kos
• Introduction to Ko Accountancy
• Secret Weapons
• A Basic Ko Theory
• Climate Change and Alternate Ways
• Sente, Gote and Temperature

The preview of a book on shape written by Seong-June Kim and Charles Matthews. We present the Contents and a preview of some of the chapters.

This series of articles from the hand of Charles Matthews deals with exchanges in the game of Go from all kind of angles and perspectives. The articles first appeared in the American Go Journal in the period 2001-2002.

Recent developments in theory have changed the picture somewhat. While rigorous chess theory may still be confined to endgame study, there is an avenue in Go for some fundamental research. This area has been opened up by Professor Elwyn Berlekamp of Berkeley, after pioneering work of others. It is now beginning to provide novel insights.

Charles Matthews series of articles on the opening in Go explained by studying the positions on the side. It is quite uncommon to take one side as the explicit unit; usually people discuss full board openings, or the highly-developed theory of corner openings.

• Framework Foundations
• Approach on the Open Side
• Anti-Framework Measures
• The Yardstick and the Wedge
• The Modern Wedge
• Adding Asymmetry
• Shimamura's Formation
• 9 Dans at Play
• Introducing the Chinese Style
• Chinese: Open Side Approach
• Chinese: Lower Side Plays
• Chinese: Staying Light
• Chinese: Reduction Plays
• The Anti-Chinese Plan
• Anti-Chinese: One-Point High Pincer
• Ch'ung Am Research
• Boldly Enclosing
• Kobayashi's Formation
• Kobayashi: Distal Approach
• Takagi's Extension
• Anti-Kobayashi: Double Approach
• Anti-Kobayashi: Outside Contact
• Anti-Kobayashi: Extra Star
• Iwata's Formation
• Empty Corner and 5-3
• Empty Corner and 3-3

Charles Matthews provides real teaching in his virtual club. The teaching is split up in three categories: beginner, intermediate and advanced but the articles are interesting for all levels really.

Beginners

• So You Want to Learn Go?
• Territory, Safety, Eyes
• Scoring
• It's Mine! No, Mine!
• Cutting Remarks
• Handicaps and Grades
• Ladders and Nets
• The Knack of Attack
• Trespassers Will Be Persecuted
• Spot the Snapback

Intermediate

• First Things First?
• Doing the Crawl
• Action-Reaction
• Efficient Victory
• High Anxiety
• Keep Your Distance
• Eye Sore
• Frameworking
• Don'ts

Advanced

• What is hane?
• Hane Rules
• Double Hane
• Ignore at your Peril
• Kotov and Cut-Offs
• Under the Stones
• The Amazing Masaki-Man
• Mirror Go
• Fundamentals

All articles Copyright © Charles Matthews 2000

Teach Yourself Go, Charles Matthews, Hodder & Stoughton, UK (NTC in the USA). Available in good bookshops or by mail order from BGA Books, and from the major online bookstores.