Starting a journal to track my progress.

I played a little bit last year, up to 15k mostly playing against the computer, then I stopped for a few months. Started playing again in March (at 13k), this time playing against humans. Now, I have accounts on IGS, Tygem, KGS, and DGS.

I deal with playing anxiety online, but it's not related to Go so much as social anxiety issues. Its nerve-racking my first game, but I'm good once I start a game and start playing, even if I lose 2 or 3 games in a row.

I enjoy playing on KGS, but Tygem is teaching me all kinds of fighting. I'm still 18k on Tygem (started at 18k, cause I didn't know where to start), but close to 17k. And learned not to resign there, even if it looks like I've lost all my territory, due to the life and death issues my opponents face if they don't secure their groups.

I'm currently 10 kyu, but very close to breaking 9 kyu on KGS. I hit a little bit of a snag the past 2 months, which I attribute to not doing enough L&D problems or playing enough games. I think I'm almost through that wall.

My Goal? Sky's the limit, but at least 3 dan. I figure it'll take at least 2-3 years to get there.

The Plan
8 good games a week.
Lots of problems
Internet Go School lectures, occasionally
Review professional games as time permits

Progress
13k - 3/5/15
12k - 3/6/15
11k - 3/18/15
10k - 3/30/15
9k - 6/14/15
8k - 7/28/15
7k - 8/29/15
6k - 11/3/15
5k - 3/7/16
4k - 4/26/16


Reading Progress
[*] for theory books
There are a couple of books that I've glanced at, but these include start-to-finish books.

7 kyu
In the Beginning * : Reread 1
1001 Life and Death
Get Strong at Tesuji
Graded Go Problems for Beginners v2 : Reread 2
Elementary: Life and Death

6 kyu
Opening Theory Made Easy *
Graded Go Problems for Beginners v2 : Reread 3
Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go *
Graded Go Problems for Beginners v3 : Reread 1
This is Haengma

5 kyu
1001 Life and Death Problems : Reread 1

4 kyu
Get Strong at Tesuji : Reread 1 (In Progress)
Reducing Territorial Frameworks * (In Progress)

_________________
Go Books

I clicked on this thinking it would be about the cartoon series.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

Ha! Didn't even know there was one. Looks like I'll be reading it shortly.

_________________
Go Books

Just hit SDK on KGS!

_________________
Go Books

How did he take it?

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

He took it well. It was a 8k who tried playing a weird opening that was very oriented towards influence. I played solidly, took the corners where possible, and tried to remove his influence when the opportunity was available.

Also, I read through the Empty Triangle last night. Thanks for letting me know about it! Too bad its not ongoing. I did play a couple of empty triangles, but I think they were the right moves during the game.

_________________
Go Books

Hi, just a few comments from a fellow kyu player.

black 10: the bottom right corner is bigger. Also, perhaps extending from the black group top right.

black 28: with hindsight do you think it would have been better to play a 2 space extension?

black 44: maybe just play N3 straight away.

as for empty triangles,

black 86: S8 instead. Even if white then cuts at S9, black S10 captures so no problem I think.
black 128 black doesn't need it to live so it's not very important. I think I'm right in saying White didn't need to answer that (though they did) - and even if black could cut there both white groups are alive so no problem for white.

As for black 130, maybe better to have played M2, which would have also avoided the need for you to make an empty triangle with black 142 - White made a mistake not playing the monkey jump at 141.

_________________
I am John. John-I-Am.

Thanks for the comments.

Black 10: I agree its bigger, but at the time, I was worried about the wall and then an extension play and a lot of influence in the center. I wasn't worried about him taking a corner, if he chose, as that'd keep him divided. If I took the corner, I'd imagine a followup from white in J/H 16. I think I could ignore, and play at K4 or D10, which he'd need to invade.

Black 28: Yeah, definitely. Thought I was strong enough, or that he'd play elsewhere first, but that group was surrounded on all sides.

Black 44 at N3: Huh, didn't think of that. Thought of the P3, but wasn't a fan of my move either, too passive.

Re: empty triangles. Okay, so I need to find better alternatives all the time.
Black 128 was a wasted move, not sure why he replied there. (There's a few going back over the game)

Black 130 was attempting to create aji and live in that area. I'm not very good at that, and didn't think I could, but I figured he would have to respond, so it wasn't a large loss. I also need to get better at counting, because I thought we were close to even most of the game.

_________________
Go Books

I've been working through L&D 1001, up to problem 250. Killing groups are a lot easier than making them live. Also started reading Get Strong at Tesuji, which I'm getting most of the problems wrong. Right ideas, but not always correct placement of stones. I need to spend more time reading out variations.

Won my first game on KGS as a 9k, but lost this one against a 6k. I also played a few games on IGS and Tygem, usually when I'm not as focused on the games. I view KGS as more of a test against my

I lost by 1/2 a point in this game (KGS), and I could have made up for it had I saved a stone later in the game.

I made another empty triangle on move 46. Not sure what a better alternative is? Not get into that situation in the first place? There were a couple of other empty triangles that were also mistakes.

_________________
Go Books

how about E2? White's group on the outside looks pretty good to attack (peep G5 etc) so separating the invading 3-3 stone might be better.

I wouldn't get too hung up on empty triangles though, also there's an interesting page on SL http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoodEmptyTriangle

_________________
I am John. John-I-Am.

Let's look at the joseki in the upper left.

Standard joseki (White gets sente):


In the game (Black gets sente):


At the end of the standard joseki, White often immediately plays L17 or exchanges E13–C13, or if the pincer stone is farther away, plays F16 or D14–C13–D13. In the game, it is as if White played both F16 and D14—either one of which would be slow and overconcentrated given the closeness of —but White played both! (F18 can be considered roughly equivalent to E17.) By the way, should've been hane. In fact, should've been hane:


You could also at D18, but you'd better have the fighting spirit to cut if counter-hanes at C15!

Some more comments:

Thanks for the comments! I like the 2nd variation (hane with 8), as it develops the side. I'll remember that in future games. And I'll work on aggression and knowing when to hane. I have noticed I tend to build walls too often, which I know are slow.

_________________
Go Books

You should fight the ko at 161

Thanks quantumf, didn't realize that until you pointed it out. That would have been pretty big, and it looked like I could have won the fight.

I'm on problem 475 in 1001 L&D problems. Before continuing with Get Strong at Tesuji (GSAT), I'm going to work through Elementary Go: Tesuji again. I don't think I'm strong enough yet for the problems in GSAT.

Lost this game by 1.5 pts against an 8 kyu.

I know I played the bottom left corner horribly, and had a lot to come back from after that exchange. I shouldn't have descended at b17. B149 should have been at G13, as it would have given me good follow up moves in the center.

My stones were overly concentrated throughout the game.

Mid-game, I could have attacked the upper left. Wouldn't have killed it, but could have taken a couple of extra points there in sente.

_________________
Go Books

Regarding Get Strong at Tesuji: I was pretty clueless the first time I solved this book, even though I went through Tesuji by Davies beforehand. The thing is, Tesuji has its focus on capturing and connecting Tesujis. Get Strong at Tesuji is a bit broader then that. You have also shape problems, problems to get Sente, even a few endgame problems. So, I'd recommend giving Get Strong at Tesuji a go, especially if you just solved Tesuji by Davies.

Getting problems wrong is good, you can question your own move and your thoughts, which let you believe this was the correct one and so on.

Some quick ideas about your game:

Tenuki is good but I would play a two-space-pincer here (high or low). I feel the left side is more important than the top. This is overly defensive, I think.

With C12 in place, it's now not so easy to get good, solid shape on the left. An idea would be to hold back with a C6-approach and if White takes the corner you extend (check) towards White's stones at the top. This seems a bit more active. But White could also pincer this far approach and things could get dicey : D

I feel like this is the wrong direction with White already having a presence at the bottom.

D6 is the shape move, if I'm not mistaken. White has a good game after the cut.

I think the cut is not important, you can just sacrifice the next stone and get a strong shape in the center. I would play M3 to maybe activate the Aji of Black's bottom stones.

Aji-Keshi?

After playing and this a pretty inconsitent because it harms those stones. Maybe still M3?

I'm torn here. I really like to play this at O16. Then on the other hand, I really like to play first in the top left corner, because there White is not so strong and this could give your C8-move more meaning.

Wrong direction. Attaching at O16 makes the right side bigger and swallows the White stone on a large scale. Another possibility (probably better giving the situation) is to play P17 and go for an attack on both stones.

P12 seems to be the only move.

P14 is the right way to capture because it takes away a liberty.

Wrong direction, the corner is bigger.

Still the corner.

Jumping to L16 is the common shape here. Your sequence weakens your top left corner.

Again wrong direction, nothing is attacking this group. But you should attack White's right side stones via O9, also mapping out your right side.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Thanks for the review! I'm going to spend some time reviewing through these later this weekend.

_________________
Go Books

I've still been working through 1001 L&D and Get Strong at Tesuji. I'm finding the GSAT book easier as I go through it, though I'm only on problem 175. 1001 L&D I'm on problem 560.

Here's a recent game. I prefer territory, but the past couple of opponents have been invading, so I try to take influence instead, and end up losing instead.

_________________
Go Books

Another loss last night, by only 1/2 a point. I realize with the past couple of games, I'm facing a couple of problems:

* Not paying attention to whole board position (looking for big or urgent moves)
* Worrying more about my stones instead of attacking weak groups (especially when there are multiple weak groups on the board, see game in post above)
* Hopeful play - I need to read better, and look for multiple counter moves by my opponent instead of reading just what I want my opponent to do

Posted the game on gokibitz, but will also include it here.
https://gokibitz.com/kifu/419WBr_u

_________________
Go Books

A few comments.



Main focus: Think about development.

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.