Diabolical - Life and Death Training

BGJ 197 Autumn 2021
Reviewed by Francis Roads

Author: David Mitchell
ISBN: 9780645076509

Those who were around at the time of the first London Go Centre at Belsize Park (1974-78) will remember the Assistant Manager, David Mitchell, 4 dan. I am proud to say that I taught him Go when he was a pupil at my Comprehensive school. Following the closure of the centre he emigrated to Australia, where he now serves as President of the AGA.

If, like me, you enjoy sitting with a physical book rather than staring at a screen, and if you like to be challenged by Go problems which are truly diabolical, you’ll want this book. In the words of the author’s introduction: “This is a training tool to help improve reading skills. The problems are complex. While the problems have been broken into three categories, the majority are truly diabolical.”

The example at the end of this review shows, as an introduction, the only easy problem in the book. As you can see, there are four positions on one board, but only one is unsettled. So these are whole board problems, all with Black to play; there is only one move on the entire board that is correct. The solution to this problem is given, but you’ll have to buy the book to see it. And if you are expecting any more problems as simple as this one, forget it. I am still stuck on many of them. The more complex problems have been validated by a professional, so as the author says, “They are not impossible, they just seem that way.”

The book is available as print-to-order from booktopia.

Needless to say, there is an online version available through the Apple book store and other ebook resellers. The cost there is AU$8.99. There are no answers in the book, other than to the introductory problem. An answer book has been prepared, and to find that you need to go to the AGA website.

Cho Yeonwoo 2P has reviewed the book on YouTube or you can search for her channel “Go Pro Yeonwoo”.

But the printed book is a delight to hold and study, and I hope that any UK players who feel that their reading skills would bear improvement will want a copy of this innovative training tool.

Postscript

I have now received a copy of Diabolical; Answers and Analysis Edition. This gives solutions, with detailed analysis, to the first 50 problems in Diabolical, that is to say those in the Warm Up and Troublesome sections. The Diabolical ones are still to be covered.

David tells me that he has spent seven months on this book. The extent of his work may be seen in that fact that 269 pages are devoted to the discussion of problems which occupy just 50 pages in Diabolical. The author writes:

"This book is intended for kyu and lower dan levels who are seeking a new way to improve their skills. The books contain the problems as well as the answers and detailed analysis. Purists do not advise looking at answers because the person studying does not get the maximum benefit. I agree but some players may never solve some of these problems. But if they study and try to solve them before looking at the answer there will be a benefit. So enjoy the problems; try your very best to solve each one and only look at the answer as a very last resort. Solving a problem without looking at the answer must be your goal because when you can do that you are thinking like a dan player."

Well, good luck with these books if you are a kyu player. If you can solve many of these problems, you are indeed on the verge of danhood. And I think that higher dan levels will also find the book a challenge. The printed book can be found at Barnes & Noble and other suppliers through print-on-demand. The ebook is available through the Apple book store or booktopia.

The Goban on the cover belongs to Geoffrey Gray. Older British players will remember him on the London Go scene in the 60s and 70s. His 97th birthday is in November 2021. He is living with his family in Tuncurry, NSW, Australia.