Commented Games by Lee Sedol: Volume 1

Book Description:

My ultimate goal is to be the best player in the world. Winning my first international title was a big step towards reaching this objective. I remember how fervently my father taught me, and how he dreamed of watching me grow to be the world's best. I feel great happiness and pride to have achieved so much, moving ever closer to fulfilling his dream.

"This book is really interesting to read because it is written in such detail; you can really share the thoughts and experiences of one of the world's strongest players. For me it is very exciting to read the elaborate commentaries given by Lee Sedol himself."
— Yoon Youngsun 8p on the Korean edition of the book (German Go Magazine 2011, Edition 5)

Lee Sedol's Preface to the Book:

There were some tough periods during my recent six month leave of absence, but I did have the opportunity to try many new things in life. It also allowed me to reflect on my journey, and appreciate my surroundings with serenity.

At one point, when I did not plan to return to playing in tournaments, I remembered that I wanted to publish books containing my most significant games.

Baduk was always on my mind during my leave, even though I didn't play. Fortunately, preparing these books filled the void admirably.

Commented Games by Lee Sedol is a series of three books, each of which has three games. I chose these games from among the ones I played over the course of my career (since the year 2000) in terms of the importance of the tournament, meaningfulness to my career, and personal significance.

Unlike common game commentary books, where you find a dozen games with short explanations, this book was designed to provide more detailed explanations, as well as comments on my feelings and emotions during the actual game.

Please forgive me if the book has mistakes or imperfections. This is my first book, and I would like to use this experience to produce better work in the future.

I was fortunate enough to defeat Chang Hao 9p and win the BC Card Cup International Championship right after returning from my leave. I will take it as encouragement to keep working, and do my best to improve my skills and the reputation of Korean Baduk in the international arena.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to my family for assisting me in so many ways, Mr Hong Taesun for gladly donating a camcorder to record my comments, the Korean Baduk Association and Cyberoro for letting me use their photographs, and the students and staff at my academy for always rooting for me.

— May 2010, Lee Sedol