The mistakes I make

jeromie · **#81**

Ed's totally right that our understanding grows and our instinct changes. I recently went through a group of tesuji problems that emphasized when using an atari as a forcing move in order to develop a position with more influence. I found that I had a surprising blind spot for those problems because my instinct was NOT to atari a stone I can't capture unless it leads to immediate tactical gain. As always, I find that I need to continue to develop my fundamentals!

emeraldemon · **#82**

Your journal is fun to read, thanks for posting

To add to your positions to study, you slipped up towards the very end of the last game, and it's a position worth spending time on, because you will probably see it again. Also it relates to a mistake you mentioned on page 1 of this journal!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O X . . . . . . . X X X . . . . | $$ | . . O X . X . . . X X . X O O X X X . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . X O O . O . 4 3 | $$ | . . O X . . . X X . X O O O O . O . 5 | $$ | . . O X X X X O O X X X O X . . . 2 1 | $$ | . O X X O O X O . X . X O X . O . . 6 | $$ | . . O X X . X O X X X O . O . . . . . | $$ | . O O O X . O X X O X O . . . , . . . | $$ | O O X O O O . O O O X . . O . . O . . | $$ | X X X X O O O . . X . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X . X X X O X X X O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X . . X X X O X O . . . O O . O . | $$ | . . O X X O X . O . . . . O X X O . O | $$ | . O . O O O O . . O O O O O O X O O X | $$ | . . . . . O . O . X X X X O X X X X X | $$ | . . . . . . . . O O X . X X . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After you played :w6:

black played elsewhere, but that was a mistake from black. Where should black play?

Extra credit: so :w6:

was a mistake, but white's problems started earlier. What about :w4:

?

EdLee · **#83**

jeromie wrote:

I found that I had a surprising blind spot for those problems because my instinct was NOT to atari a stone I can't capture unless it leads to immediate tactical gain. As always, I find that I need to continue to develop my fundamentals!

Hi Jeromie, very good. ( Highlight added. )
The Eureka! moment when you discover a blind spot is priceless.

mongus · **#84**

emeraldemon wrote:

Your journal is fun to read, thanks for posting

To add to your positions to study, you slipped up towards the very end of the last game, and it's a position worth spending time on, because you will probably see it again. Also it relates to a mistake you mentioned on page 1 of this journal!

Crikey I can't believe I missed that! Thanks. Well worth knowing how to handle that.

mongus · **#85**

It's been a while since I posted a game. I don't normally get to play many live game due to time constraints but I had some spare time this evening so managed a game on KGS. My game is a lot worse when I play live as I tend to panic and miss obvious moves.

I actually managed to win this game, but I did make some terrible mistakes. Especially in the corners. My main failings were around Move 17 and Move 147.

EdLee · **#86**

Hi Mongus,

Congrats on the win.

If B plays perfectly, W has no chance.
Except for obvious bad moves, like A1, it's OK.

:b8:

Good.

You were scared. No reason to be; it is White who is under pressure here to live.
Look for the a severe plan to pressure W.
Example: B R18 hane, W S18 block; B R16 atari, W S17 connects; B Q18 connects --
W is not alive.

:b16:

Bad habit. o16 fix your shape directly.
Don't Help W make good shape and live 100% !

( :b16:

,

,

) Study this sequence:

The - exchange fixes ALL of W's weakness here;
W makes good shape with ;
W is 100% alive with ;
After , there's still a cut P17 in B's shape ;
After , there's STILL a cut P17 !

That's why :b16:

is not good; instead, fix your weakness directly at o16.

:b22:

You already spent THREE moves here ( :b16:

,

,

),
and you still haven't fixed your cuts !
Again: :b16:

at o16 directly !

:b24:

This makes little sense: you force W to capture More of your stones.
Atari P16 instead -- limit your loss.

:b30:

Gote.

W should tenuki.

:b32:

Too small, too slow. Completely missing the big picture,
completely not looking at the whole board, global situation --
both Black and White.

:w33:

Finally, a little tenuki.

:b34:

Too small, too slow. Why reply to :w33:

? The board is still very open !

Bill calls this Follow-itis --
you're blindly followng White ( he does the same, sometimes ).

Look at the whole board: play what you think is the biggest move.

Study :b32:

,

again: would you still play them now ?

:b46:

Slow. Follow-itis. Locally, J12 is faster.

:b48:

Soft. Example: B kicks E17, W extends F16, B jumps D14 --
first make W heavy, then attack it.

:b56:

Again, you were scared. W jumped into your moyo,
into your area of strength -- it is White who should be under pressure,
under attack !
Study and compare the :b48:

variation above with the current game result.

:b60:

Slow. Follow-itis. Missing the whole board.

:b62:

Slow. Follow-itis. Missing the whole board.

:b64:

Slow. Follow-itis. Missing the whole board.

:w65:

Someone finally wakes up.

:b70:

You tell us why this is not good.
:w69:

is not a good move; you're happy to reply (e.g. D6 ).

:b72:

Follow-itis. Compare D11 with D6 -- which is bigger ?

:b74:

Follow-itis.

We see many of the same recurring problems from previous games,
and up to here.

mongus · **#87**

Many thanks for your feedback. The main take away is I need to learn to sit back a little and take in the whole board. I tend to panic too much, especially when playing live games which distorts my vision.

Bill Spight · **#88**

Congratulations on your win.

A review.

Main focus: Learn the net.

Edit: Revised variation at move 166. Added variation at move 171. Silly me!

mongus · **#89**

Bill Spight wrote:

Main focus: Learn the net.

Many thanks for your very thorough review. I have coincidentally just started reading the section in Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go regarding nets. I also need to stop playing along the bottom row so much.

mongus · **#90**

Managed to get another game in tonight. My focus was to stop every move and ask myself what the biggest move was and not just blindly chasing my opponent. I think I failed at the second move. But apart from that I think having that focus really helped. I looked out for nets, but couldn't really see any opportunities. I think I need to do a lot more study on them before they become clear.

It was quite a short game, my opponent resigned after move 126.

aiichigo · **#91**

Move 4: Playing this move invites white to play K17 or J16, neither of which are great for black, the play at J17 is a little close to white and gives white a chance to get stronger.

This kind of loose pincer by white usually has two responses to think about, either black jumps into the corner, for a standard corner joseki, or does a double approach joseki, because black has handicap stones the result of either is fine really. Though the double approach gives black sente.

Move 16: Nice move, 10 /10

Move 20: Playing low here is not great because it doesn't work well with the other two stones on the fourth line, it would be more normal for this stone to be on the fourth line as well.

Move 22: This attach is a little too much for black, R 5 helps protect the corner, but this attach invites moves like Q7, helping white move out into the board, or a hane at Q or S6.

Move 23: White's move 23 is meaningless, Black's corner is fine, this doesn't attack the corner, or make any territory, it can be ignored and black can play a bigger place.

Move 24: when white doesn't respond to your attach here, black should take advantage and play Q7, this is really bad for white. Playing at O13 is poor, Black's corner is already alive, this doesn't really attack white's two groups which are both alive, and it doesn't gain anything for Black, this is where black should be playing a big move, maybe an approach on the top left?

Move 28: Jumping out to the middle like this isn't great, black can still try and move towards white's corner, perhaps with an attach at D17, if the group is unable to make life on the edge then it can run to the centre. This move doesn't attack anything or make any territory for black and it isn't saving Black's group here, so it isn't very efficient play.

Move 66: A good move, white's shape is bad and is being denied eyes at the edge by this move.

Move 68: Trying to deny the eye

just pushing at F2 is fine. It won't be easy for white to make a second eye here anyway, so one eye (in gote) is fine to give white.

mongus · **#92**

Have been looking into nets a lot lately. Becoming familiar with them has really helped my game play a lot. Figured it would be worth quickly jotting down my initial notes on them. I'm sure there are still a lot of subtleties I am missing still.

This is a net :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ +----------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . , . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . . . . , . . .[/go]

An easy kill.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ +----------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 3 4 . , . $$ | . X 1 X . . . . $$ | . . 2 . , . . .[/go]

You can trap two stones in a net.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ +----------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . , . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X X X , . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . 2 . . . . . $$ | . X 1 X . . . . $$ | . X O 3 4 . . . $$ | . X O 5 6 . . . $$ | . X X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

You cannot trap 3 stones in a net - if your opponent plays it right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

White can play the following to escape :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . 1 . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 . . . . $$ | . X O 2 O . . . $$ | . X O 3 5 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

White has escaped.

Of course if your opponent plays it wrong, he can be killed. The escape move wasn't intuitive for me.

Here's an example from a game where the net worked for me, but should not have done. I was White :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ . . . . . . . . . $$ . Q . . . O . . . $$ . . X X . X O . . $$ . O O X X X O . . $$ . O X X X X O . . $$ . O X X O O O . . $$ . O O O O . , . . $$ . . . . . . . . . $$ . . . . . . . . .[/go]

How it played out :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ . . . . . . . . . $$ . . 2 . . . . . . $$ 7 O 1 4 . O . . . $$ 6 5 X X 8 X O . . $$ . O O X X X O . . $$ . O X X X X O . . $$ . O X X O O O . . $$ . O O O O . , . . $$ . . . . . . . . . $$ . . . . . . . . .[/go]

What Black should have done, of course :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ . . . 1 . . . . . $$ . O . . . O . . . $$ . . X X . X O . . $$ . O O X X X O . . $$ . O X X X X O . . $$ . O X X O O O . . $$ . O O O O . , . . $$ . . . . . . . . . $$ . . . . . . . . .[/go]

I would have been powerless to trap him.

Bill Spight · **#93**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

What about this shape?

mongus · **#94**

Interesting.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

As far as I can see, that throw in at :b1:

is essential to prevent White playing there.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O a O b . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Now White cannot play a because Black can just play b to kill the whole group.

Having that one extra liberty makes a big difference :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$X $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O 1 O 6 . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

White is safe..

Bill Spight · **#95**

Congratulations! :clap:

mongus wrote:

Interesting.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

As far as I can see, that throw in at :b1:

is essential to prevent White playing there.

Small point. A bamboo connection is generally better than 1. E. g.,

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 1 . . . . $$ | . X O . O . . . $$ | . X O . 2 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Quote:

Having that one extra liberty makes a big difference :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$X $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . X . X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O 1 O 6 . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

White is safe..

Good! You are exploring go on your own. Keep it up. :salute:

mongus · **#96**

Thanks.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here :

Bill Spight wrote:

Small point. A bamboo connection is generally better than 1. E. g.,

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 1 . . . . $$ | . X O . O . . . $$ | . X O . 2 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

This seems much better for White. Why would black play :b1:

?

EdLee · **#97**

Hi mongus,

mongus wrote:

Why would black play :b1:

?

( This is my guess to the flow of the discussion. )

mongus wrote:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O 4 5 . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . . . $$ | . X O 2 3 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

As far as I can see, that throw in at :b1:

is essential to prevent White playing there.

( my emphasis )

"W playing there" results in this shape (double empty triangle):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Bill is saying, for this shape, usually the bamboo is better:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . O . . . $$ | . X O . 1 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

The focus is not on B's peep, but on how W makes good shape.

Uberdude · **#98**

To see why the bamboo is more efficient, consider the follow next moves for white. How connected are they?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . 3 . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

vs

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . O . 3 . $$ | . X O . 1 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

And

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O 1 O . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . 3 . .[/go]

versus

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ | . . . . . . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . $$ | . X O . O . . . $$ | . X O . 1 . . . $$ | . . X X . . . . $$ | . . . . . 3 . .[/go]

mongus · **#99**

Ah yes, thanks. That makes a lot of sense.

mongus · **#100**

Had an interesting game. I think I was doing Ok until I got stuck in a Ko fight I didn't need to fight. I got distracted by trying to make the game interesting rather than focusing on what I needed to do to keep my positions strong. I lost the Ko fight and then everything crumbled.

The fight starts around Move 123.

Lesson learned - always look out for weak groups.

The mistakes I make

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