From: Ricardo Massamitsu Nonomura AOL COM BR> Date: 10 jan 1999 Subject: Re: Shogi Openings... In a message dated 12/6/98 21:48:11 PM Central Standard Time, Tony writes: > And as far as Japanese shogi players here, they seem to be >eager for a challenging game, and are willing to help explain just how they >beat you and what mistakes you made, to help you learn, to become a stronger >opponent. Well I may say that players from other countries, cultures will also teach you about how to play better, the difference is in the way they will do it. The Japanese player have an understanding of the game, but they do not have the habit of generalization, they know by heart that in situations like this is better do that and in situations like that is better do this... westerners are a little more pragmatic than Japanese, it`s easier to read a chess book (written by a Westerner) than a shogi book (written by a Japanese)... but in some Go books that I read they say that what I`m complainning is pertinent to the older generations, the new generation of Go players (and I assume that the also for the shogi players) is getting more westernized in the way they explain their ideas... and in fact I found some Go books that are very readable. >If the .BR extension means you're in the UK, I'd try and get in touch with >Tony Hoskings directly concerning getting a copy of his book if I were you. >That would undoubtedly be the easiest. No, the BR extension means that I`m im Brazil. And here where I live, Curitiba, we have amateur players of 5th dan, but unfortunately I don`t have time to go there... they really welcome young people in there... And talking about differences between East and West, I taught shogi to a friend of mine who is five times chess champion im my state, in less than 4 months he managed to become a 3rd dan amateur player, well, chess and shogi have their similarities... but I don`t know if a Japanese player of 3rd dan could reach ELO 1700 in 4 months... please, I`m not saying that a Japanese player cannot reach reach ELO 1700, just that it will be more dificult for than, cause the westerner have a better generalization capability than the Japanese one. Best Regards, Ricardo Massamitsu Nonomura nono aol com br massamitsu.nonomura globaltelecom com br "Nao julgo um homem pelo que penso dele, mas sim pelo que ele pensa de si proprio." Martin L. King