Promoting Go in the UK and beyond
Go Books and Sets
A vast number of Go books are available for study, with about 200 in English. In addition there is a wide variety in Go sets available. Many different books and sets can be purchased by members from the BGA Book Shop.
Books
There are about 200 Go books published in English. The BGA Book Shop sells most of those that are in print. The BGA price list gives an indication of the level a book is suitable - beginner, intermediate or advanced. There are books on many subjects from the opening, through tesuji and middle game, to the end game.
For complete beginners the most thorough book is "Teach Yourself Go" by Charles Matthews of Cambridge Go Club.
There have also been some novels about Go and the cartoon series Hikaru No Go, though this is not sold by the BGA.
There are various Go terms that have come into common use, mostly from Japanese, but these are usually defined in a book and should not scare the beginner from reading as the 25 or so commonest are soon learnt. In case there is no glossary, then our extensive list of Japanese Go Terminology definitions may be useful.
Sets
There are many Go sets available for purchase from the BGA Book Shop. They include mat and wooden boards of various sizes (9, 13 or 19 lines) and stones of plastic or glass. Some are magnetic for travel purposes.
It is best to start playing on smaller boards before moving up to the large 19x19 one. Recommended is the 1B set from Payday Games, that has a plywood 13x13 and 9x9 board in it, and the 9x9 magnetic FridgeGo set.
There is a page showing some of the Go sets that have been sold in the UK.
As an alternative to purchasing a set it is of course possible to make your own.
BGA Book Shop
The BGA Book Shop sells books and equipment by mail order to its members at very reasonable prices. These sales are also available at the same prices when the BGA Book Shop is at UK tournaments. It attends most of these; it cannot be visited elsewhere as we don't have premises. Having the BGA Book Shop at a tournament gives purchasers the chance to inspect the books before purchase to help select what is appropriate for them. In addition the Book Seller is willing to advise on purchases by telephone or email.
The BGA also sells back numbers of the BGJ and of the magazine Go World (and provides a subscription service to members).
Other Suppliers
If you are not a member, then there are a number of other suppliers of mail order books and equipment, in this country, Europe and America, that will make sales to the UK. For the UK we recommend Payday Games. Our list of suppliers includes publishers, shops and mail order companies. There are various good games shops around the country, that you can visit in person, that sell Go books and equipment. If there are any you know that are not listed then please tell us.
Book and Magazine Links
- BGA Books Price List
- Other Suppliers
- BGJ Backnumbers
- Go World Backnumbers
- About Hikaru No Go
- Make your own Go Set
- Some Go Sets that have been sold in the UK
- Job Descritpion of the Book Seller's Committee