Stuck at 11k KGS

[gogameguru]

From when I was about 16 kyu, I read books, enjoyed them and they helped me improve. There are lots of ways to improve at Go and different people have different dominant ways of learning.

A good book is like a solid brick of knowledge. It may require several readings to take things in. A video is more immediately digestible, but that doesn't make it better.

For me, books are a more efficient use of time, but for other people they may not be. It's no problem as long as we don't try to force our view on everyone else.

[Ellyster]

Hi Kansai-ben,

I used to live in Osaka as well (sadly it was during my big Go strike... I was too bussy with other things to play in japanese clubs and get stronger, which I will allways regret). But I go back regurarly, so I will try now that I'm free from my studies (and now speak enough japanese to not feel ashamed).

Any way, I used to live just side a chep small Go & Shogi salon (it was between 400-600 yens all day if I remenmber correctly), it was on Tsurumibashi 2-chome shotengai (Nishinari-ku) and I know that there were quite a few medium-big more near there also. I hope this helps you.

[chessweiqi]

hi all,

since march 2011 I`ve studied the kiseido`s opening, L&D and the tesuji book.
right now I study kiseido`s attack n defense.

but since 2 months (since I began to study the L&D book) I`m stuck at 11k KGS and don`t get any stronger. tesuji helped me to get stronger, the L&D book didn`t. of course my groups now rarely die but strangely this fact didn`t really improved my rank. at least my rank doens`t decrease either (I play around 8 rated games per week). which means, I am really stuck here.

I am trying to get the best out of the defense n attack book (just started to study it) but I`m not sure if it really will help me to get stronger.

are there any book recommendations for my level and reading background?
Well first you need to know yourself, like your strengths and weaknesses. I found that it helped me know I would just attack at the wrong moment and even though I should have lost I didn't because they were weak enough I could give 9 handis and win by about 48.5 as white. I also found whenever I see a cut I would take it and so I was only a 20k I then tried to concentrate and read so that I wouldn't make stupid mistakes. If you want some books, I would recommend problems around your level so I guess 1000 weiqi life and death problems might work but I found that So you want to play Go? by Jonathan Hop is good. Based on your level you should probably go with the 3rd or 4th level and possibly 2nd because they talk about common mistakes people make, joseki and the 2nd level is between 19k to 10k.
thank you