Igo Chinro Hatsuyo-ron

Title: Igo Chinro Hatsuyo-ron
囲碁珍朧発陽論
This is the first published version of the Igo Hatsuyo-ron also known as the Ono Banzai-kan edition. It was edited and annotated by Honinbo Shusai and published in 1914.

Igo Hatsuyo-ron is famous for being the most difficult book of go problems ever constructed. It was written in 1713 by Inoue Dosetsu Inseki and used to train the Inoue go school’s best students. Once a secret text only known by a select few, it is now available to the public. But the problems are still probably too difficult for most amateurs.

For more background, check out the Sensei’s Library article on the Igo Hatsuyoron

The most recent version of this important book is probably the Chinese version Research on Weiqi Fa Yang Lun (Research on Igo Hatsuyoron).

There is also an English version of Igo Hatsuyo-ron published by Yutopian. Currently only Volume one of an originally planned three volume set has been published in English. This volume has 63 problems. Due to low sales volume of the first volume, the latter two volumes do not seem to be coming anytime soon if at all. This English translation is based on a 1986 Chinese version of Igo Hatsuyo-ron.