Go books in general suffer from two flaws: they are narrow in scope (many times by necessity), and they are written in a flat style, often by someone other than the purported author. The Breakthrough to Shodan has neither of these flaws. Because it was taken from a set of lectures transcribed into magazine articles, it rings with the author's voice in a lively prose. In addition, the book's scope is broad enough to appeal to any kyu level player.

"Breakthrough" is divided into sections that deal with low handicap games. Within these sections, Miyamoto describes "Strides," or principles, by which black can rid him or herself from negative attitudes. By taking the reader through five-, four-, and three-stone games, Miyamoto deals with negative attitudes and complex joseki.Miyamoto shows how dan-level players often hoodwink weaker players, even those who are strong fighters. His treatment of the Taisha Joseki exemplifies this: the Third Stride in Chapter 7 is "Know the Taisha, but don't play it." After reviewing several complex variations, demonstrating the pitfalls, he shows the reader a simple variation that stresses thickness. It is an easy variation to remember, but what makes it so important is that it works with the power of the starpoint stones.

Miyamoto does this with many popular joseki: shows how black tends to get into trouble with complications, squandering the influence of the starpoints, rather than playing perfectly serviceable joseki that compliment influence. Starpoints are about influence, and influence favors fighting. But without sensing the direction a wall made from handicap stones exerts power, fighting can degenerate into who is the best reader. (Hint: against a dan, it's rarely the kyu.) Therefore, fighting should take place, but in an arena where black has the advantage. The Breakthrough to Shodan shows the reader how to create this arena, how to see through white's false threats, and to trust the power of influence to create territory naturally, through a positive approach.Each chapter ends with two whole-board problems that test the reader's positional judgment.

The end of the book is a set of problems derived from the large-knight's extension from a starpoint, and here Miyamoto shows the techniques white has used over the years to terrify and bamboozle kyu-level players, and the correct refutations.Since the book never really moves past handicap go, it should perhaps be called The Breakthrough to One Kyu. But this is quibbling. Miyamoto's philosophy of "You don't need to be fancy to win at handicap go," shows again and again how to find attacking moves that work with thickness and take territory. This book was worth four stones to my go strength, and any kyu-level player can gain from its expansive approach and clear thought.

This book is designed for people who are in the strong kyus, helping them reach shodan. Most of the book is presented in the framework of looking at three- or four-stone handicap games, and showing how black can win by avoiding complications and playing thick moves. There are problems at the end of each chapter, plus two chapters at the end on life and death and tesuji. I thought that it did a good job of presenting moves that I could easily have made and showing why they were wrong; I'm not the only person who likes this book.