"This is Go the Natural Way!" are the watchwords that the author takes as his philosophy of play in this unique volume, but the book could also be viewed as The Best Games of Takemiya Masaki. When he published the material that has been translated here, Takemiya wasHoninbo and at the top of his form. Few professional go players were serious rivals for him. And the ones who were are today considered as great players in the same way as he is, such as Cho Chikun, Kato Masao or Sakata Eio. All of these players and many more make appearances in this volume.

But this is not merely a collection of brilliant games. Far from it. In fact, several of the games analyzed in this book ended in losses for the author. But that is not the key factor that Takemiya takes pains to explain. The laws were not in his strategy, but in the execution, and at critical points more experienced players edged him out for wins. Such as when Ishida Yoshio defeated Takemiya (4-3) in the 1974 Honinbo Title Match. One of Takemiya's greatest games appeared in that match, but he ended up losing it and the match. He won the title two years later, but he would rather dwell on that earlier loss than recount the triumph that followed. The reader should examine that game published here.

This is Go the Natural Way! is a full-length portrait of a great player from any number of angles. It shows how a young go professional challenges the system and advances to the rank of 9 dan at the age of 26 after just 13 years of play, a record never equaled before or since. A professional go writer in Japan offers his own thoughts and one of Takemiya's closest rivals, Ishida Yoshio, shows how Takemiya's strength is grounded in a profound understanding of thickness and how to use it. Those two essays alone deserve close study. But in addition, a whole panoply of top level go match play is illustrated, including one of Takemiya's first successes on the tournament scene, a success that was instrumental in having him dubbed very early in his career as the ''Pro Best Ten Boy.'' And that is only one highlight in a career packed with them, a full measure represented in this volume. In the end, it is innovative, exciting play that meets the test of time. This is Go the Natural Way! was originally published more than 25 years ago, yet it is still as fresh and relevant today as it was then. Contemporary go focuses on the whole board rather than intricate subtleties in the corners and Takemiya was the first player to really concentrate on that aspect of the game. For anyone who wants to see how this important aspect of go theory evolved, a serious look at Takemiya's go is called for. This work is a seminal contribution to that effort.

In the end it is innovative, exciting play that meets the test of time. This is Go the Natural Way! was originally published more than 25 years ago, yet it is still as fresh and relevent today as it was then. Contemporary go focuses on the whole board rather than intricate subtleties in the corners and Takemiya was the first player to see how this important aspect of go theory evolved, a serious look at Takemiya's go is called for. This work is a seminal contribution to that effort