Dontbtme's Blunders

Dontbtme · #1

Hi everyone.
I intended to start a thread about my games and the blunders I should try to avoid 'next time', but since I also wanted to write a journal anyway, I thought I might as well combine the two.

Once Upon a Time

Since I started playing Go again around 2014 October (?) I thought a lot about what might be my weak(est) points. Remembering that the type of players that troubled me the most were the aggressive ones who played overplays all over the place (or so it seemed to me) I started an account on Tygem which is famous for those bloodthirsty fighters (plus I was about 1 dan there which is good for the ego ;-)

)
Since I streamed my games and commented them at the same time in English to try to improve that as well, I thought it might take me some time to adjust.
But I quickly realized that I had a WAY bigger problem...

Dontbtme · #2

Weak Point #1

After playing twenty games or so and struggling to reach a fifty-fifty winning ratio, I had an odd feeling: something just didn't add up.
I then checked my stats and was astonished: I lost ALMOST all of my games as White!
I knew I was uncomfortable when my opponent had the first move because he could force an opening theme on me, and it always seemed like I was trying to make up for a bad start, but I thought it was a psychological problem, not a real thing!
Ugh, was I crushed!
At first. Because now I had a clear idea of what to improve! So I searched my book collection and found eventually something of use: A Dictionary of Modern Fuseki.
That was it! All I had to do was to study some White's openings and then I would become 2, 3, 6 stones stronger ;-)

in a matter of weeks! Yay!
That is, if my opponents were kind enough to follow those. Which made me ponder. What would be the best way to experiment those opening ideas? It seemed to me that just playing games online as usual wouldn't do, because I would have to wait the review to study the positions, how I should have responded and what not, and hope to remember all that... but since a certain exact type of opening just doesn't appear that often, I was pretty sure it would all disappear from my memory like dust in the wind...
And then I thought: Wouldn't it be great if I could somehow study the position DURING the game with my dictionary close by? That way an opening would have better chances to really sink in, and unexpected moves from my opponent would become like a problem to solve in the Get Strong at Go series.
But wait! Wasn't there already a Go server where I could play such games? Let's see...

Dontbtme · #3

OGS

And then, I remembered.
A long long time ago, I had created an account on a strange go server called OGS, where you had hours or days to play each move. Turn-based Go servers like this was apparently used by people without much free time to play in one sitting... but since I didn't have this kind of restriction, I quickly had lost interest and stopped playing there after a few games.
Now, though, in January 2015, I realized what a great study tool this kind of server could be, and so I was determined to give it a second try. The first thing I found out was that my login and password were still recorded. The second thing was that OGS had completely changed. And I mean COMPLETELY. You could still play very slow games over days, of course, but also normal and blitz games. The website layout was really neat, and you could play alternate sequences, comment the games, mark the stones and write/draw directly on the board. You had problem collections, a forum, a chat, study groups... all that directly through your web browser. :shock:

What really got me, though, was the ladders. The idea of working your way up to 'king of the hill' by defying weaker players on even grounds while stronger players did the same to you (in order to advance more efficiently on the ladder) had the benefit to give relaxing 'teaching' games on the one hand and tense 'learning' games on the other... Plus, if I got bored with mismatched games, I could still play on one of the title tournaments where I would be grouped with people of my own strength...
Anyway, once my initial feeling of wonder faded a little, I remembered I got there in the first place because of my 'Sucking at Playing White' problem. It was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work...

Dontbtme · #4

Five Common Opening Patterns

After a few games focusing on improving my opening as White, I realized that I had to limit somehow the number of Black's possible openings, if I was to keep my study manageable.
As a result, I decided :
_ To induce a parallel fuseki by playing in the corner diagonally opposite to Black's first move.
_ To play two Star Points to limit even more the possible configurations, on account of symmetry.

With that in mind, I played many correspondence games on OGS, using all the data I could find in my books and on the internet to help me figure out how to reach a game position in which I wouldn't mind taking White...
That's when I discovered five very common openings I had trouble with as White:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Two Star Points Moyo Opening $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . 7 . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . 3 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Three Star Points Opening $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 5 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . 3 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Chinese Opening $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 5 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Kobayashi Opening $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . a 7 . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Mini Chinese $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . , 3 . . | $$ | . . . . . 5 . . . . 7 a . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]

I think my problem with these opening patterns was the fact that Black was inviting me to invade his position in order to attack me and make points in the process :-?

. But if I chickened out and minded my own business, chances were that he would build a huge definite territory :shock:

. In short, we can say that playing against big frameworks was my Weak Point #2.
Anyway, when a bunch of opponents decided around the same time to force on me the Chinese Opening, I had enough :mad:

! Fed up, I went to my Go library and bought Kato Masao's book on the subject, read it as quickly as I could and then tried a few variations in the games going on. Can't say I became an expert overnight, but at least I had some ideas afterwards to deal with it :-|

. In short, this experience convinced me that I had to seriously study all five of my most feared patterns, experimenting on them again and again until I would feel comfortable playing against them.
This was my plan anyway, but it's still a work in progress, a very slow one, because it was all based on a single premise: me using only Star Points.
'So what?' could you ask. Well, truth be told: up to that point, I had never really trusted those so-called "Star points"... Never :grumpy:

.
And that was a problem.

Dontbtme · #5

Understanding the Star Point

As I was implying last time, using Star Points wasn't exactly my strong suit. I mean, what's the point of a corner stone that needs TWO MORE MOVES to prevent an invasion??? :shock:

Yeah, I know, I know: "Star Points are flexible, they develop quickly and emphasizes influence over direct territory"... :roll:

Bla bla bla, whatever! :grumpy:

...
Anyway, using the Star Point was my Weak Point #3.

Somehow, to play White successfully, I had to tame this particular corner stone and its many offspring named 'joseki'. The task at hand looking huge already, I decided that tactical stuff (like what to do when my opponent didn't follow the correct sequence) would have to wait until it actually happened in my games. Nonetheless, it wasn't the first time I tried to get a hold of joseki and such, and usually I ended up forgetting it all after a month or so because very few of them actually happened during my games. So I had to change something in the way I studied this subject: just reading a dictionary and trying applying it randomly afterwards wasn't any good. If I could classify them somehow... If I could 'translate' the general intention of each branching move, then maybe it'll be easier to have a grasp of each sequence.
As the weeks passed I came up with a rough classification, but since all this happened many months ago, I'll show you my up-to-date conclusions.

First of all, if White wanted to develop the top side, then approaching farther away around 'a' instead of 1 would avoid a possible pincer at b. The approach's aim (I think) is mainly to settle quickly around Black's corner before his development on the sides gets out of hand.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W White will settle quickly in this area $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . 1 . b b a . $$ | . . . X . . . b b , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Secondly, if there is a very big or urgent move to play somewhere else, Black can tenuki with no problem, because the high position of the Star Point makes it quite difficult to attack...
If White plays a low second approach, for example, Black can either strengthen himself by leaning at a, or diagonal at b to either tenuki a second time or try building influence next.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Black can handle the situation $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . a . . . , . $$ | . . . . b . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 a . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Even if the second approach is high, Black can still lean at 'a' and be safe. In conclusion, although White will profit locally, if Black's compensation somewhere else is good enough, he shouldn't hesitate to tenuki after his Star Point is being approached.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Black is still fine $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . a . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . 1 a . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

But locally, Black will have to decide which area is the more important. If he wanted to take the corner, he should have played at 1 before White (although a ko within would still be possible), or played another corner stone to begin with. Anyway, once White approached, Black will either prioritize the back side (here, at the left) by extending at 'a' or the front one (here, at the top) by pincering at 'b'. While other moves are playable as well, I chose those four alone in order to decrease the burden of my study, since they are common and practical.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W A choice between the front and the back $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . 1 . b . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . b , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . a a . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Black plays at 1 to prevent a double approach while trying to take sente. Then, it's White's turn to decide what's bigger: the corner or the front side? If it's the corner and she doesn't mind Black building a wall facing the side, then she'll invade at 'a'. If she wants to develop or neutralize the front side, then she'll extend around 'b'. If both are about as valuable, then she'll settle in between by sliding at 'c'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ The corner, the side, or...? $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . c . . . . . . . $$ | . . a . . O . . b b . $$ | . . . X . . . . b b . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

When White slides at 1, she's giving back to Black the choice between keeping a piece of the corner at 'a' and going for the side at 'b'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Again: the corner or the side? $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . $$ | . . a . . O b b . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Black jumps at 1 when he wants to develop the back side and doesn't mind ending in gote.
Like before, White will choose between taking the corner at 'a', developing her own side at 'b', or settle in between at 'c'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Developing in gote $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . c . . . . . . . $$ | . . a . . O . . b b . $$ | . . . X . . . . b b . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

When Black pincers tightly at 1, he usually wants to spoil the front side in sente (though he has to be careful of a possible counter-pincer if White is strong in the opposite corner). Next, if the center is particularly valuable, White will jump at 'a'. If the corner is bigger, which is usually the case, she'll either take it directly at 'b' and bear with Black building a wall facing the front with no problem, or change sides first at 'c' to complicate things a bit, or 'd' to better develop the back side.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Spoiling the front side in sente $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . b . . O . 1 . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . a . . . . . $$ | . . c d . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

After White's jump, if the back side is the more important one, Black will defend at 'a' and sacrifice his pincer in sente. If it's the front side, he will settle his pincer there after keeping pressure on White with 'b'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W White seeks control of the center $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . O . X . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . $$ | . . a b . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

If White invades the corner after changing sides with a low second approach at 1, Black can still build a wall facing the front side with the descent at a, or turn it the other way with b instead.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Towards which side building a wall? $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 3 a . O . X . . . $$ | . . b X . 2 . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

If Black decides to follow through his original plan, the difference with White invading the corner without changing sides first is that:
_ if she connects at 'a', a later Black's approach from the back side won't be so painful anymore
_ if she descends at 'b', either Black's group will be undermined or he'll lose sente to repair his shape

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Not the same $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . b . . . . . . . . $$ | . . O 1 . O . X . . . $$ | . . 2 X . X . . . , . $$ | . . a 3 . . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

When Black pincers loosely at 1, he either wants to develop the front side or to prevent White from doing so. Next, White can jump at 'a' if the front is too valuable to give up. If the corner is bigger, which is usually the case, she'll either take it directly at 'b' and bear with Black building a wall facing the front with no problem, or change sides first at 'c' or 'd' to complicate things a bit.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ The front side is the focus of attention $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . b . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . 1 , . $$ | . . . . . a . . . . . $$ | . . c d . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

After changing sides with a low second approach at 1, White can start a fight with a hane at 'a' or mess with Black by taking the corner at 'b'

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Complications $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . b . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . 2 a . X , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

If White invades the corner at 1, locally, Black would have a better shape by building a wall facing the back side with the descent at 'a'. But if he still regards the front side as the desirable one, he might indulge White and block at b instead.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Messing with Black $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 . b O b . . . . $$ | . . a X . X . . X , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

After changing sides with a high second approach at 1, White can peacefully develop the back side by playing the hane at 'a' before taking the corner at 'b', or mess with Black by invading directly at 'b'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Two very different ways $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . b . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . 2 a . X , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

If White invades the corner at 1, locally, Black would have a better shape by building a wall facing the back side with the descent at 'a'. But if he still regards the front side as the desirable one, he might indulge White and block at b instead.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Local vs. global $$ ----------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 . b O . . . . . $$ | . . a X . X . . X , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Those are my conclusions as of today. I believe I've come a long way since the beginning of 2015, even though I'm aware some of the reasons I came up with for the branching moves might not be accurate and will probably change in the future as my understanding of the Star Point deepen... That and there are a lot of options for both sides I didn't even try to study for lack of time. But even so, we can say I have now a general idea as to how to use the Star Point, right?

...

... Right? :-?

...I mean, come on! :sad:

...
(To be continued)

Dontbtme's Blunders

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