This book consists mainly of whole-board positions that regularly arise in the opening and middle game. Some of the topics covered are fighting inside spheres of influence, neutralising thick positions, using thick poitions to attack and make territory, the direction in which to attack and the direction in which to build walls, invading thin positions, defending and attacking weak groups, and matching the joseki to the overall position. Numerous examples of some of the most important go proverbs are given such as 'play hane at the head of two stones,' when caught in a crosscut, extend,' and 'capture the cutting stone'. The initial problems in the book are in the 15- to 20-kyu range, but they gradually become harder in the latter part of the book reaching the level of 1-kyu by the end of the book.
