11 Recommended Go Tesuji Problem Books (Classics by Skill Level)

If you’re unsure which Go tesuji book to choose, the best first pick is Cho Chikun’s “Hitome no Tesuji.”

The fastest way to improve is to repeat a book that’s slightly easier than your current level until you can solve it at a glance.

In this article, focusing on 11 classic tesuji books, we’ll cover:

• 11 recommended tesuji books, grouped into beginner–elementary, intermediate–1 dan, and dictionary-style
• 4 points for choosing the one book that fits you
• How to use the book you bought to actually improve

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11 Recommended Go Tesuji Problem Books【Table】

The suggested levels are estimates based on publisher descriptions and the content of each book.

From here, we’ll introduce each book in detail by skill level.

【Beginner–Elementary】4 Recommended Go Tesuji Problem Books

For people who have just learned the rules through elementary players, the following four books—centered on easy problems—are a good fit.

All of them let you learn from basic tesuji such as “capturing stones” and “connecting.”

Note that the target levels here are only rough guidelines.

The World’s Easiest Tesuji & Tsumego: 318 Problems You Can Solve Smoothly (Mynavi Publishing)

If you’re a beginner who wants to start both tesuji and tsumego together in one book, this is perfect.

As the publisher’s blurb says, “Once you’ve learned the rules, this one book!”, it’s made for people who have just learned Go.

Tesuji are techniques for capturing stones; tsumego are problems about reading life and death.

The book explains these two areas—where beginners often stumble—from the ground up, by 4-dan Kana Mannami (at the time of publication).

Total problems: 318.

Because you can solve easy problems one after another, you can keep moving forward while building the satisfying feeling of “I got it.”

Recommended for - Beginners who have just learned the rules - People who want to start tesuji and tsumego together

See “The World’s Easiest Tesuji & Tsumego: 318 Problems You Can Solve Smoothly” ⇒

Go Tesuji: The Basics (Mynavi Publishing)

If you want to understand not just the right answer but “why that move,” this series is a great match.

This two-volume set helps you acquire tesuji thinking by comparing two-choice questions.

The authors are 6-dan Yukari Yoshihara and 5-dan Yui Nin Ou, both well known for strong results in teaching beginners.

Volume 1, “Correct Attacking and Defending,” focuses on close-quarters fighting where stones collide.

Across five themes—such as “which side to atari from” and “defend or cut”—every problem is presented as an A/B choice.

Because you compare two similar problems as a set, you start to see why the correct answer changes depending on the shape.

Volume 2, “How to Spot the Opponent’s Weaknesses,” trains you to punish weaknesses in late-game positions where liberties are tight.

After learning seven shapes that tend to become weaknesses in the opening chapter, you move on to the problems.

As for reading order, it’s best to start with “Correct Attacking and Defending,” which the publisher positions for elementary players, then move to “How to Spot the Opponent’s Weaknesses,” aimed at lower intermediate.

Recommended for - People who want to understand “why that move,” not just memorize answers - People who always get their stones captured in close fights

See “Go Tesuji: The Basics” ⇒

Easy Go Training (New Edition): Tesuji Basics (Ikeda Shoten)

A good choice if you want to learn tesuji step-by-step in one book, from beginner to 1 dan.

The publisher introduces it as “recommended for beginners through 1-dan players.”

Supervised by 9-dan Shinji Takao, who has also won major titles such as Meijin and Honinbo.

The book is divided into four parts—“Super Beginner,” “Basics,” “Step-Up,” and “Applications”—so you can progress in stages from easy problems to more advanced ones.

In the new edition, 48 problems were added compared to the previous edition, including practical topics such as “cutting,” “wrecking territory,” “connecting,” and “capturing races.”

Along with the problems, it also includes explanations of tesuji tips.

Because you can use it for a long time from beginner to 1 dan, it’s a good fit if you want to solidify your foundation with a single book.

Recommended for - People who want to progress step-by-step in one book from beginner level to 1 dan - People who want to grasp tesuji tips while reading explanations

See “Easy Go Training (New Edition): Tesuji Basics” ⇒

Hitome no Tesuji: Repetition Practice with Easy Problems (MYCOM Go Paperback)

A problem book from the hugely popular “Hitome” series.

Compared to the books above it’s a bit harder, but it’s packed with tesuji that help in real games—making it a volume you’ll want to solve repeatedly.

The author is Honorary Meijin Cho Chikun, who also holds the title of the 25th Honinbo.

This book is based on the author’s idea that “for kyu players, solving many easy problems is a faster path to improvement than spending a long time on difficult ones.”

It’s structured in four chapters, progressing from “easy, clear at-a-glance tesuji” to “slightly difficult at-a-glance tesuji,” and later includes tesuji for turning the game around.

Because it’s a pocket-sized paperback, it’s easy to open during commutes or breaks.

There’s also an ebook edition, so it’s good for people who want to solve on their phone.

Recommended for - People tackling a tesuji book for the first time - People who want to solve lots of problems at a good tempo rather than think about one problem for a long time

See “Hitome no Tesuji: Repetition Practice with Easy Problems” ⇒

【Intermediate–1 Dan】5 Recommended Go Tesuji Problem Books

For intermediate players who understand basic tesuji but can’t play them in real games, and for those aiming for 1 dan, the following five books are recommended.

They have more bite than beginner books, and many positions are closer to real-game shapes.

For how to study up to 1 dan including areas beyond tesuji, see: “How to Reach 1 Dan in Go: Timeframe, Study Methods, and Certification”.

Hitome no Tesuji: Level-Up Edition (Mynavi Publishing)

The most natural next book after finishing “Hitome no Tesuji”—a direct sequel.

The publisher describes it as a book containing 180 “simple yet challenging” problems.

According to the author, what separates beginners/intermediates from stronger players on the verge of 1 dan is whether they can (1) sacrifice stones and (2) play away from their own stones.

This book is filled with problems designed to build those higher-level tesuji.

Like the previous volume, it’s pocket-sized and also available as an ebook.

After you’ve gone through “Hitome no Tesuji” a few times and can solve most problems with little hesitation, it’s a good time to start this one.

Recommended for - People who finished “Hitome no Tesuji” and are looking for the next book - People who want to learn higher-level tesuji such as sacrifices

See “Hitome no Tesuji: Level-Up Edition” ⇒

Tesuji You Can Use Immediately in Real Games: Strategic Go Training 150 (Nihon Bungeisha)

A problem book for people who want to work through levels step-by-step in one volume, from easy to difficult.

Because the problem level rises little by little, it’s designed so you can easily feel your progress.

Supervised by 9-dan Keigo Yamashita.

The publisher says it provides a wide range of problems, from those just starting to learn tesuji seriously to advanced players.

Each problem also has a check box where you can record how long it took you to solve.

It’s easy to find the problems you hesitated on or got wrong, making it well suited to repeated practice.

Recommended for - People who want to solve progressively from easy to hard in one book - People who want to practice while also paying attention to speed

See “Tesuji You Can Use Immediately in Real Games: Strategic Go Training 150” ⇒

Definitive Edition! Tesuji Problem Collection to Aim for 1 Dan (Mynavi Publishing)

If 1 dan is your concrete goal, this is a problem book you’ll want to consider first.

It contains 200 tesuji patterns that appear often in real games.

The chapters are “Hop,” “Step,” and “Jump.”

The publisher suggests a study method where you quickly solve Chapters 1 and 2 to solidify the basics, and for Chapter 3 (a bit harder), it’s okay to look at the answer and memorize if you can’t solve it.

Recommended for - People who have a concrete goal of reaching 1 dan - People who want to complete tesuji from fundamentals to real-game level in one book

See “Definitive Edition! Tesuji Problem Collection to Aim for 1 Dan” ⇒

Reiwa Edition: 150 Tesuji Problems to Pass 1 Dan (Nihon Ki-in)

A fully renewed “Reiwa edition” of the long-loved Nihon Ki-in Go Paperback title “150 Tesuji Problems to Pass 1 Dan.”

It mainly includes easy problems covering the basic tesuji needed to aim for 1 dan.

The structure starts with “proper moves and vulgar moves,” then continues with “tesuji arising in the opening and middle game,” “capturing and capturing-race tesuji,” and “tesuji related to yose.”

You can learn tesuji along the flow of a game, from opening to endgame.

Because it’s a new book, it should also be easier to obtain at bookstores and online.

Recommended for - People aiming for 1 dan who want to choose a newly published book - People who want to organize tesuji by phase, from opening to yose

See “Reiwa Edition: 150 Tesuji Problems to Pass 1 Dan” ⇒

Cho Chikun’s Go Tesuji Handbook (Mynavi Publishing)

Recommended for people who want to sharpen practical tesuji that appear during or after joseki in real games.

This is the tesuji volume in the handbook series built around the concept “the next level after the Hitome series.”

The publisher’s page targets elementary to intermediate.

Problems with similar themes, or variations branching from the same joseki, appear consecutively, making them easier to learn in connected chunks.

It includes some higher-difficulty problems, but that’s part of the appeal: many situations are directly usable in real games.

Pocket-sized and easy to carry, it’s also good for practice in spare moments.

Recommended for - People who want to move on after the “Hitome no Tesuji” series - People who want to use post-joseki tesuji in real games

See “Cho Chikun’s Go Tesuji Handbook” ⇒

【Dictionary Style】2 Books to Look Up and Cover Tesuji Thoroughly

If you want to organize tesuji by pattern or look things up, the following two dictionary-style books are useful.

If you combine them with a problem book, your knowledge connects and tends to stick better.

Rather than reading a dictionary straight through from the beginning, it’s recommended to use it like a reference.

Try looking up patterns you missed in a problem book, or shapes that came up in your games.

Basic Tesuji Dictionary (New Edition) (Nihon Ki-in)

If you want a standard dictionary that organizes tesuji systematically by purpose, this is the classic choice.

A full-scale volume: 637 pages with 527 examples across 22 categories.

Nihon Ki-in’s “Basic Tesuji Dictionary” was fully revised in 2011 as a new edition by 9-dan Keigo Yamashita—the first complete overhaul in 33 years.

The book is split into two parts: “attacking tesuji” and “defensive tesuji.”

In each category it explains the most fundamental tesuji, and supplements applications and special cases with reference variations.

Although it’s long, it can also be used as a tesuji problem book.

Recommended for - People who want to organize tesuji systematically by purpose - People who want a book they can keep for a long time as a reference

See “Basic Tesuji Dictionary (New Edition)” ⇒

Great Dictionary of Go Tesuji (Mynavi Publishing)

If you want to cover the commonly appearing tesuji patterns in real games, this dictionary—and its problem-book version—are a good fit.

Because the two books overlap in content, choosing either one is enough.

This work was compiled by 9-dan Yoshio Ishida, who holds the qualification of Honorary Honinbo.

It organizes many tesuji by use, with a focus on being applicable in real games.

Based on the dictionary, “Problem Collection: Great Dictionary of Go Tesuji” selects 191 highly practical items and turns them into problems.

The problem book is divided into four chapters—“Corner,” “Side,” “Cutting Points,” and “Center / General”—and related problems are placed as consecutively as possible.

If you want to look up tesuji while organizing them, choose the dictionary; if you want to memorize by solving, choose the pocket-sized problem book.

Recommended for - People who want to cover the commonly appearing tesuji patterns in real games - People who want to learn the dictionary content while confirming it through problems (problem-book version)

See “Great Dictionary of Go Tesuji” ⇒

How to Choose a Go Tesuji Problem Book: 4 Points

To avoid mistakes, choose the one book that fits you using these four points:

• Book type (problem book / explanatory book / dictionary)
• Difficulty
• Number of problems and amount of explanation per problem
• Format (paperback, ebook, etc.)

Choose from the 3 types: problem book, explanatory book, dictionary

For your first book, it’s safest to choose a problem book or an explanatory book. Tesuji books broadly fall into three types, and each is good at different things.

Because dictionaries contain so much information, they shine as a “reference” you add from your second book onward.

Choose a difficulty slightly easier than your current level

As a guideline, pick a book where you can solve about 70–80% of the problems.

Tesuji only become usable in real games once they come to mind the instant you see the position.

To get there, you must repeatedly solve the same problems and memorize the shapes.

If a book is too hard, you’ll spend a long time thinking on each problem and get tired before you can repeat.

Book bands and publisher descriptions often state the target level (e.g., “elementary,” “elementary–intermediate”), so use that as a reference.

If you’re torn between two books, choosing the easier one is less likely to go wrong.

Choose by number of problems and explanation per problem

If you want repetition, choose a book with many problems; if you want to understand the thinking, choose a book with fuller explanations.

Books with many problems are good for solving at a steady tempo, while books with thicker explanations per problem are better for deepening understanding.

If the title includes the number of problems, it’s easy to gauge the volume.

One more thing to check is whether it includes explanations of “failure diagrams” (common mistakes).

If you understand why the wrong move you tend to choose is bad, you’ll be less likely to repeat the same mistake in real games.

Choose an easy-to-read format: paperback, ebook, etc.

If you want to solve in spare moments, a pocket-sized paperback is easier to stick with; if you want to solve on your phone, choose a book with an ebook edition.

Pocket-sized problem books are light and easy to open even during commutes.

Check for ebook availability on the store page before buying.

Some books, like the “Hitome no Tesuji” series, are available both in print and as ebooks.

For older books, some stores may not have paper stock.

In that case, you can look for the ebook edition, or borrow it from a library to check the contents before buying.

3 Effective Ways to Use a Tesuji Problem Book

To get the most out of a tesuji book, three things matter: how you repeat, how you keep going, and how you test it in real games.

Even with the same book, how you solve can greatly change how well it sticks.

For an overall approach to studying Go, also see: “A Thorough Guide to How to Improve at Go (with a level-by-level roadmap)”.

Repeat the same book until you can solve it at a glance

Rather than buying new books one after another, it’s more useful in real games to finish one book by solving it many times.

What you’re aiming for is a state where the answer pops into your head the moment you see the problem.

On your first pass, you don’t need to spend too long—just keep moving.

Mark problems you got wrong or hesitated on, and from the second pass onward, focus on those.

Once there are no marked problems left, try challenging a harder book.

If you don’t know, look at the answer—and keep it fun

If you still can’t solve a problem after thinking a bit, it’s fine to look at the answer, understand it, and move on.

If you spend tens of minutes on one problem, studying itself becomes painful.

The key to continuing is securing a short amount of time every day.

For example, rules like these can become a habit without strain:

• Solve only 10 problems a day
• Make the last 5 minutes before bed your tesuji time
• Do one chapter at a time on the train commute

To keep Go enjoyable for the long run, it’s recommended to work within a range that feels fun for you, without overdoing it.

Try the tesuji you learned in real games

Tesuji you learn from a book only become yours once you actually play them in games.

After each game, build the habit of reviewing whether there were moments where you could have played a tesuji.

To practice real games, be sure to try PlayGo.gg.

You can play AI games and online games for free in your browser or app.

Especially in AI games, you can try many different moves—and you can also go back and redo positions.

Learn from the book, try it in games, review, then return to the book.

By repeating this cycle, the tesuji you’ve learned will start to come out naturally in real games.

Frequently Asked Questions About Go Tesuji Books

Here are answers—starting with the conclusion—to common questions that come up when choosing a tesuji book.

What’s the difference between tesuji and tsumego? Which should I study first?

If anything, tesuji may be easier to approach casually and might let you feel the fun sooner.

That said, in general it’s recommended to study tesuji and tsumego in parallel rather than finishing one first.

Tesuji are the most effective moves in a position—capturing stones, connecting, cutting, winning capturing races, and so on.

A capturing race is a fight where two unsettled groups compete to see who can capture the other first.

Tsumego, on the other hand, are problems about reading life and death.

While tesuji are used across a wide range of situations from opening to endgame, tsumego specialize in reading whether stones live or die.

Which is better: books or apps/sites?

A combination that’s easy to keep up is: understand tesuji patterns with a book, then drill them with an app or site.

Rather than one being superior, books and apps/sites are tools that excel at different things.

Books have structured explanations, letting you learn tesuji thinking in a logical order.

They’re well suited when you want to understand carefully through diagrams and text.

Apps and sites are attractive because you can easily do lots of problems on your phone.

How many tesuji books do I need?

If you’re aiming up to 1 dan, about two problem books plus one dictionary should be enough.

More important than collecting many is thoroughly using one book.

First, choose one problem book that matches your level and repeat it until you can solve it at a glance.

When that book starts to feel too easy, add one problem book at the next difficulty level, and keep one dictionary for looking things up and full review.

Summary

The fastest way to improve with Go tesuji books is to choose one book that’s slightly easier than your current level and solve it repeatedly.

• For beginner–elementary: “Hitome no Tesuji,” which lets you solve many easy problems
• For intermediate–1 dan: “Definitive Edition! Tesuji Problem Collection to Aim for 1 Dan,” with 200 frequently appearing problems
• For reference and full review: “Basic Tesuji Dictionary,” organized by purpose

If you’re unsure, first pick one book and try going through it twice while marking the problems you miss.

And when you feel like trying what you learned in actual games, be sure to use PlayGo.gg.

After your games, check with the AI coach’s commentary whether there were moments where you could have used tesuji—then what you learned from books will turn into real playing strength.