Playing white with two stones handicap

[Amelia]

That's my second game on Kaya. I won't post the first, from which I resigned despite a huge lead after mistakenly deciding that my group was dead. Don't slack off on tsumegos.

It was a very interesting game because my opponent, despite being ranked as 18k, was in fact a 14k KGS. Try to give two stones handicap to someone who's stronger than you and guess the result! Yeah, I struggled and died.

In general I hate giving handicap because it forces me to play more agressively than I'd like. Please have a look, I'm especially concerned about the opening and early middle game (not that there was much of a late middle game).

[emeraldemon]

Hopefully some stronger players will come along, but I took a quick look:

[Twitchy Go]

That's my second game on Kaya. I won't post the first, from which I resigned despite a huge lead after mistakenly deciding that my group was dead. Don't slack off on tsumegos.

It was a very interesting game because my opponent, despite being ranked as 18k, was in fact a 14k KGS. Try to give two stones handicap to someone who's stronger than you and guess the result! Yeah, I struggled and died.

In general I hate giving handicap because it forces me to play more agressively than I'd like. Please have a look, I'm especially concerned about the opening and early middle game (not that there was much of a late middle game).

Kaya is like that
Yesterday I played a 1k at a 9stone handicap(my rating is 10k on kaya). After the game we found out the handicap was not to far off as she was a KGS 3d and I a KGS 5k.

[Amelia]

Thanks, emeraldemon. I considered both the atari at P4 and the one at J19 but I couldn't decide on the right timing for those moves. It's hard for me to decide which point is bigger when playing.

> You're not strong enough to kill a two-space jump.

Yeah, I know. But I thought he was an 18 kyu. I could reasonably hope for some kind of mistake. And it seemed easier to catch up with him by killing a group than by trying a painful reduction where black was already so thick. Too much much whishful thinking, I guess!

Kaya is like that

Yeah, it's surprising but fun. It went:
"Oh, I got rated 16k for losing my first game. Oh, well, guess I'll win the next one easily now."
"Oops"
"Hum..."
"WTF?!"
Resign

[emeraldemon]

Yeah, I know. But I thought he was an 18 kyu. I could reasonably hope for some kind of mistake. And it seemed easier to catch up with him by killing a group than by trying a painful reduction where black was already so thick. Too much much whishful thinking, I guess!

Look at some of the handicap malkovich games here on L19 to get an idea of how stronger players play handicap as white.

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewto ... =37&t=5190

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewto ... =37&t=7479

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewto ... =37&t=4036

I won't presume to say to much, but even in a handicap game you shouldn't hope for mistakes. I know advice like "play lightly" probably won't help you too much, but maybe seeing the attitude and moves in some of these games might help you. Anyway 2 stones isn't actually that much; I would play it as a normal game, and just see what happens.

[Amelia]

I won't presume to say to much, but even in a handicap game you shouldn't hope for mistakes. I know advice like "play lightly" probably won't help you too much, but maybe seeing the attitude and moves in some of these games might help you. Anyway 2 stones isn't actually that much; I would play it as a normal game, and just see what happens.

Thanks. I'm looking into the first game you linked right now. It's quite fascinating.

Light play is a mysterious notion to me, I know the concept, but as for playing it...
There is a thin line between light play and leaving poor, wretched weak groups all other the place. I do not know where that line is. But studying the games you linked gives a pretty good idea of how beautifully the result can work when you do it well. I think I want to try it more.

These Malkovich games are a brilliant idea. It's so interesting to read what the players think.

[Uberdude]

I won't presume to say to much, but even in a handicap game you shouldn't hope for mistakes.

Hoping for mistakes is ok, relying on them is the problem