Method of Teaching: principles,
structure, examples
Read when EGF: 20k - 5k
Subjective Rank Improvement: +
Subjective Topic Coverage: o
Subjective Aims' Achievement: ++
Introduction
Life and Death Problems 1 has been written with especially these
two aims:
To
fill a gap in the literature. Previously, it was
difficult to
recommend an English book specialising in life and death for a
broad beginners' range. Not everybody wants to start with Asian books.
To
offer a systematic overview on all important basic techniques of life
and death. Beginners do not wish to study many problems books to
reinvent the wheel, but they simply want to know: what are the basics?
The book concentrates on its problems and answers, but it also teaches
the necessary techniques and principles.
Problems
The
book contains 171 problems and their answers. Most of the problems are
newly invented. There are about three problems per finer technique.
Since every major technique has three finer kinds, the altogether nine
problems
per major technique allow the reader to become familiar with it. The
final problem chapter has ten mixed problems.
The easy
techniques have the simplest problems, whose solution relies
on
the reading of just one short sequence and denotes the 20 kyu end of
the recommended range. Other techniques have problems of various
degrees of difficulty up to about 5 kyu level. Typically, the
most
difficult problems can have about ten variations, of which a small
number have a dozen moves per sequence. Most problems, however, lie in
between: their solution consists of a few variations, of which each has
a few
moves.
A double digit kyu will find the most difficult problems
too difficult; the idea is to motivate him to overcome his current
level and learn solving more than the easiest problems. A single digit
kyu can solve the simplest problems at a glance; one must, however, not
dismiss their techniques, because each kind of move can be
relevant in life and death situations.
How often have we thought
that a problem book did not show every interesting variation? This book
is different: every important variation is shown and explained.
Thereby, the reader can verify the correctness or incorrectness of his
reading. He learns not to overlook any relevant variation, but he is
encouraged to develop a reasonably complete reading of move sequences.
Theory
Every
chapter introduces its technique with definition, short description,
and one or a few
examples. This prepares for the problems and their answers. An extra
theory
chapter introduces basic terms, such as 'eye', 'lake'
(potential eye) and 'nakade'.
Techniques
are studied on two levels. A problem can be solved on
the level
of the fundamental techniques, such as 'threatening
to cut' or 'preventing an atari'. When this is insufficient, the
following techniques of the 'second level' are an
alternative set of tools.
There are techniques related to
the
positional environment, when running or connecting to another group,
an almost constant eyespace, when fighting about a lake,
nakade or partition of the eyespace,
an eyespace of changing size, when using
an 'expansion',
'reduction', 'big reduction' or 'throw-in',
liberty shortage, when using a 'snapback', 'one-' or
'two-sided
approach block', 'external' or 'internal liberty shortage'.
Most
of these major techniques have 'creating',
'threatening' and 'preventing' as their finer kinds. For example, one
can 'create', 'threaten to create' or 'prevent' an external liberty
shortage. In a life and death situation,
threats are said to be as important as a move's direct meanings.
Double
and multiple purposes or threats, basic reading principles, a short
epilogue and a detailed index conclude the book. The principles can
help to simplify reading, by disregarding inferior and emphasising
interesting moves.
Conclusion
Life
and Death Problems 1 can be a beginner's first or second problem book
on life and death. For the intermediate player, it is a systematic
reference to the basic techniques and reading principles.
* = These are the endconsumer prices in EUR according to UStG
§19 (small business exempted from VAT).
