A beginner's journal of little interest

[Bill Spight]

Once more, dear friends.



Edit: Added a variation.

[Boidhre]

Thank you Bill, your ideas there are very interesting.

[Boidhre]

My opponent was also interested in getting some thoughts on this game. An example of me just not getting handicap.

Ran into time troubles at the end and made a rather large error which cost me the game I think as I just can't read fast enough right now, but then against a 4k I expect there to be endgame shenanigans! First game on Kaya, which seems to be a nice server.

[EdLee]

Nice that you're using Kaya.gs.

[topazg]

@ed: Nice review (as always, IMO), but isn't your var at 46 a bit of a Black blunder?

(O10 at N9 was my first thought, and it may well be fine, particularly as White would otherwise get N9 in sente, but the atari seems like a poor idea)

[xed_over]

Now I'm a 7k? This is getting silly,

you realize how server ratings work, don't you?

the question mark means its unsure of your rank (in relation to others), so you need at least 2 wins and 2 losses for the server to be able to place you within the range.

If I lose to a 2k, then I'm certainly no better than a 2k, but I might be a 2k... so I get a "2k?".
Then if I win against a 10k, I'm no worse than a 10k, but I might still be a 2k -- there is not yet enough data.

And with fast changing ranks, it'll be hard for the server to keep up and figure where you fit within the ranks. The server naturally has to assume one has a mostly stable rank (which may be a bad assumption) and can be placed with a couple of wins/losses, otherwise it just needs more data.

Don't worry about your server rank/rating. Its just a number. It doesn't define who you are anyway. You are changing and growing. Keep playing stronger players and keep growing.

[Boidhre]

Now I'm a 7k? This is getting silly,

you realize how server ratings work, don't you?

the question mark means its unsure of your rank (in relation to others), so you need at least 2 wins and 2 losses for the server to be able to place you within the range.

If I lose to a 2k, then I'm certainly no better than a 2k, but I might be a 2k... so I get a "2k?".
Then if I win against a 10k, I'm no worse than a 10k, but I might still be a 2k -- there is not yet enough data.

And with fast changing ranks, it'll be hard for the server to keep up and figure where you fit within the ranks. The server naturally has to assume one has a mostly stable rank (which may be a bad assumption) and can be placed with a couple of wins/losses, otherwise it just needs more data.

Don't worry about your server rank/rating. Its just a number. It doesn't define who you are anyway. You are changing and growing. Keep playing stronger players and keep growing.

I was unclear, it was 7k, not 7k?. That was what I was blustering about and you're right, I shouldn't care.

[Boidhre]

Well that was my first day back after several months playing a lot of real time go. I'm exhausted after it. Topagz gave me a fine schooling on 9 stones which I'm very thankful for. I'm liking Kaya, which is good I suppose.

[Boidhre]

My fighting (and lack of fighting spirit) is abysmal. This game highlights it very well:



Well, at least it reinforces what I need to work on most.

[EdLee]

[Boidhre]

Thank you Ed. You're right, I do that wedge far too often and it is bad as I've been seeing.

[topazg]

Some thoughts from me

[Boidhre]

Thank you Topazg.

I'm going to try to be much more aggressive in my next high handicap game and see how that goes for me.

[Boidhre]

I'm on a rather major losing streak on Kaya. Soon I'll be 11k on it.

Of course, playing dan players in rated 9 stone games might not be the brightest idea in the world, nor EdLee who tore me to shreds.

A loss from today where I just played really, really poorly and I missed a large tesuji. I also made a weak group heavy voluntarily which was remarkably dumb of me after reading it out, I was having a *moment*.



Added a variation that my opponent and I spotted after the game. My opponent is a local friend, so we were quite chatty.

[topazg]

Same advice as before I'm afraid, start harrassing those White groups