# Go Books — Books to learn the game of Go

> Digital interactive books for learning and improving at the game of Go. (iPhone/iPad app by Smart Go, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/go-books/id428149193 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Smart Go, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/290948289)
- Category: Books, Games, Board, Strategy
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 35 App Store ratings · 112 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 19 MB
- Languages: American English, European Spanish, German (Germany), French (France), Japanese
- Released: 2011-04-11
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/go-books/id428149193/reviews.md

## What is Go Books?

Enjoy high-quality books about the game of Go on your iPad and iPhone. Replay moves and solve problems directly within diagrams. A better experience than printed books, at half the price.

Features:
- Free chapter for each book.
- Play and replay moves in diagrams.
- Interactive problem diagrams.
- Text enhanced with inline diagrams.
- Links to pro games in SmartGo Kifu.
- Add your own notes anywhere in a book.
- Adjustable font and layout.
- Some multi-lingual books (Japanese, German, French & Spanish).
- Buy once, read on iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

SmartGo Books currently offers more than 130 Go books that you can buy using in-app purchase; more books are in the works. To help you choose, the free “Guide to Go Books” provides clues as to which books might be appropriate for your level.

Getting started:
- “Learn to Play Go” (vol. 1-5) by Janice Kim 3 dan & Jeong Soo-hyun 9 dan
- “Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game” by Cho Chikun 9 dan
- “So You Want to Play Go?” (levels 1-4) by Jonathan Hop

For more than 20 years, the Elementary Go Series books have been the standard texts for Go players who want to get a firm grasp of the fundamentals. Not only is the theory of Go explained clearly and simply, the reader is also given problems to show how these theoretical concepts are applied in actual games.
- “In the Beginning”
- “38 Basic Joseki”
- “Tesuji”
- “Life and Death”
- “Attack and Defense”
- “The Endgame”
- “Handicap Go”

Improving your technique:
- “How Not to Play Go” (Spanish & French & English)
- “Double Digit Kyu Games”
- “Single Digit Kyu Game Commentaries” (vol. 1 & 2)
- “More Go by example”
- “Basic Techniques of Go”
- “Fundamental Principles of Go”
- “The Workshop Lectures” (vol. 1-5)
- “Cho Hun-hyeon’s Lectures on Go Techniques” (vol. 1 & 2)
– “Counting Liberties and Winning Capturing Races”
- “Tesuji and Anti-Suji of Go” (out-of-print)
- “Making Good Shape”
- “All About Ko”
- “Key Concepts in Life and Death”
- “How to Destroy and Preserve” (out-of-print)
- “Sabaki – How to Manage Weak Stones” (out-of-print)
- “Punishing and Correcting Joseki Mistakes” (out-of-print)
- “Correct Joseki”
- “Vital Points and Skillful Finesse for Sabaki”

Problem books:
- “Black to Play! Train the Basics of Go” (German & French & Spanish & English)
- “Graded Go Problems for Beginners” (vol. 1-4)
- “501 Opening Problems” & “501 Tesuji Problems”
- “Rescue and Capture” & “Tricks in Joseki”
- “Get Strong at Life and Death” & “Get Strong at the Endgame”
- “Shuko: The Only Move” (vol. 1 & 2)
– “Gateway to All Marvels: The Xuanxuan Qijing of 1347”
- “The most difficult problem ever: Igo Hatsuyôron 120” (German & English)

“Invincible: The Games of Shusaku” by John Power has been widely acclaimed as a masterpiece on one of the greatest Go players who ever lived. Enhanced with in-diagram replay, inline diagrams, and links to referenced games, be prepared to experience this classic in a whole new way.

“The Life, Games and Commentaries of Honinbo Shuei” by John Fairbairn provides a full-length biography, detailed commentaries on 79 of Shuei's games tracing the development of Shuei's elusive style, and a collection of Shuei's commentaries. A must-read for every serious Go player and student of Go history.

Pro game analysis:
- “Master Play: The Style of Lee Changho / Go Seigen / Takemiya / Kitani Minoru & Cho Chikun”
- “The Games of Fujisawa Shuko”
- “Modern Master Games: The Dawn of Tournament Go”
- “The Go Consultants”
- “Patterns of the Sanrensei” (Japanese & English)
- “Understanding Pro Games” & “Deep Thought” (vol. 1 & 2)
- Books on games by O Rissei, Naoki Hane, Keigo Yamashita, Go Seigen, Takemiya Masaki, and Sakata

Go is a 4000-year-old board game that originated in China. The two players take turns placing stones in an effort to surround territory. The rules can be learned in minutes, yet the complexity of the game provides lifetime enjoyment. Also known as baduk, wéiqí, and igo, it is played by millions of people worldwide.

## Key features

- Interactive diagrams for move replay
- Solve problems within diagrams
- Inline diagrams in text
- Add personal notes
- Adjustable font and layout
- Free chapter for each book

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "Double Digit Kyu Games" by Neil Moffatt | $5.99 | one-time |
| "Go: A Complete Introduction to the Game" by Cho Chikun | $5.99 | one-time |
| "Basic Techniques of Go" by Haruyama & Nagahara | $9.99 | one-time |
| "How Not to Play Go" by Yuan Zhou | $5.99 | one-time |
| "Learn to Play Go: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Game" by Janice Kim | $7.99 | one-time |
| "Learn to Play Go II: The Way of the Moving Horse" by Janice Kim | $7.99 | one-time |
| "Learn to Play Go III: The Dragon Style" by Janice Kim | $7.99 | one-time |
| "Graded Go Problems for Beginners 1" by Kano Yoshinori | $9.99 | one-time |
| "Fundamental Principles of Go" by Yilun Yang 7 dan | $11.99 | one-time |
| "Graded Go Problems 2" by Kano Yoshinori | $9.99 | one-time |
| "So You Want to Play Go? - Level 1" by Jonathan Hop | $5.99 | one-time |
| "Tesuji" by James Davies | $11.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 112)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/go-books/id428149193/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Shady!

*2026-06-16*

Even looking at the previews os only possible with an internet connerion! It does not a contain a single full book & I did not find any prices anywhere. Super shady and not worth the time!

### 5/5 — Love this app.

*2025-03-30*

Go Books is a must-have for anyone studying Go. I love having interactive books—being able to tap through variations and problems right in the text is a huge advantage. While nothing beats using real stones and a board when working through problems, this app is the perfect companion when that’s not an option. Pros: • Interactive diagrams make studying smooth and engaging • Easy to carry an entire Go library anywhere • Ideal for quick sessions or deep dives alike Cons: • Only downside? If your device runs out of power.

Wishing there was a way to highlight text.

### 5/5 — Love this app.

*2025-03-23*

Go Books is a must-have for anyone studying Go. I love having interactive books—being able to tap through variations and problems right in the text is a huge advantage. While nothing beats using real stones and a board when working through problems, this app is the perfect companion when that’s not an option.

Pros:

• Interactive diagrams make studying smooth and engaging

• Easy to carry an entire Go library anywhere

• Ideal for quick sessions or deep dives alike

Cons:

• Only downside? If your device runs out of power.

### 5/5 — Replacing my books with this app

*2023-10-21*

I recently bought a book through Go Books, a book I already owned. I really just needed to finish some reading while traveling and didn’t have my copy with me. I found the format used in Go Books is very handy. Being able to play out the problems right there on the page is wonderful. The free chapters are great for getting a taste of the books. A lot of work has gone into this and I hope to see that continue.

### 5/5 — Super für Go–Spieler

*2023-08-25*

Es gibt nichts, was ich bemängeln könnte. Absoluter Traum für Go-Begeisterte!

### 5/5 — Essential resource!

*2022-07-07*

The serious Go player can hardly avoid the teachings available through this app if they expect to advance.  All the latest and greatest insights can be found here.  The ability to play through positions while reading about them is so important for full understanding.

### 3/5 — Go Books

*2022-02-03*

I find no way to find the price of a book, or even get the book up to even look into the free chapter.  PLEASE HELP ME, or I will have to give this app a worse rating.  It probably is a great app if I could find how to use it.

### 5/5 — A lot of thought went into it

*2021-12-07*

The app is impressively well designed. It has every feature I can want for reading Go books. I love the interactive Go diagrams and the selection is very good. I’m impressed they managed to get so many titles in. The prices for the books are reasonable too, for the great quality and amount of work they’ve put in. This is a dream app and is obviously made by a Go player.

### 5/5 — Strongly recommend.

*2021-10-30*

I’m currently a 5k and member of AYD. I’ve been playing for about 3.5 years. I have found this app invaluable in making Go book more accessible. Being able to play through the diagrams/examples is a very effective way to learn.

One suggest, I wish they would make the app compatible with the apple keyboards. Being able to click through the diagrams would be much better than touching the screen all the time or having to reposition the mouse. 

Thanks for a great app.

### 4/5 — great source for all things go

*2021-09-30*

a wonderfully extensive repository to find all the books you need in several languages. my only complaint is that the reader lacks a few tools (such as highlighting) that makes it less useful than it could be. but for the reduced price of the books available here, it’s a small enough quibble to make this a wholly worthwhile investment.

## Frequently asked questions about Go Books

### What is this app about?

This app provides a collection of high-quality digital books focused on the game of Go. It offers an enhanced reading experience with interactive features like replaying moves directly within diagrams and solving problems. The goal is to offer a better and more affordable alternative to traditional printed Go books.

### What are the key features of the app?

Key features include the ability to play and replay moves within diagrams, interactive problem diagrams, text enhanced with inline diagrams, and the option to add your own notes. Users can also adjust font and layout settings for a personalized experience. Each book offers a free chapter to preview.

### How much does the app cost?

The app itself is free to download and offers a free chapter for each book. The full books are available for purchase through in-app purchases. This allows users to buy only the content they are interested in.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The app is designed for use on Apple devices, specifically the iPad and iPhone. The description also mentions that purchased books can be read on a Mac, indicating cross-platform compatibility for purchased content.

### Who would benefit from using this app?

This app is ideal for anyone interested in learning or improving their skills in the game of Go. It caters to beginners looking for introductory material, as well as intermediate and advanced players seeking to refine their technique, study joseki, or analyze game situations.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.6.3 — 2020-05-01

• Improve visibility of some controls on dark backgrounds.
• Various bug fixes.

### 4.6.2 — 2018-11-17

Update to look better on newest devices.

### 4.6.1 — 2018-05-04

Remove third-party analytics (Fabric/Crashlytics).
Bug fixes.

### 4.6 — 2017-09-27

• Improved book list:
  - Sorting by publisher keeps books in a series together and in proper order.
  - Sorting by title ignores ‘The’ at start of title.
  - Your purchased books are marked with a small checkmark.
  - Pull down on book list to force a refresh from the server.
• Notes editing now respects dark mode.
• Update to iOS 11, and various bug fixes.

### 4.5 — 2017-02-24

Add game info button in replay bar, with direct link to game in SmartGo Kifu.
Fix bug with book list not always up-to-date.

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## More apps by Smart Go, Inc.

- [Smart Othello](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-othello/id1056367184)
- [SmartGo One](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartgo-one/id1465746992)

All apps by Smart Go, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/290948289

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*