Strategy is a natural phenomenon. When people compete, make big decisions, or decide to quit something, a little strategy can make the difference between a good choice and a bad choice.

In Go, you learn very early that knowing some rules of thumb can really help your game. Not surprisingly, these same rules of thumb, at an abstract level, also apply in business, politics, sports, martial arts, cooking, war and dating, to mention a few.

The Way of Go provides an organization of these rules so that you can get a complete picture of what's going on strategically. Much of the book is quick to point out that looking at only one side of the proverbial two-sided strategic coin is dangerous business. They are summarized in the acronym: GO'S RULES

G - Global Local
O - Owe Save
S - Slack Taut
R - Reverse Forward
U - Us Them
L - Lead Follow
E - Expand Focus
S - Sorry, there are no rules

Take two common rules: "stay away from strength" and "press the competitor's strength before attacking." Both are valid rules in certain situations, but both are dangerously wrong in others. What the Way of Go suggests you do is look at both sides and then, with your experience, make an educated choice of how best to proceed.