As it was Friday yesterday, and I am no longer on vacation, I played another game on KGS. This time, against KGS 1k.
To summarize the game, I missed a basic sequence in the opening, and was destroyed in the opening. It was a game I could have resigned from. I tried reducing, and it got closer. Then, he let me kill him for almost free - twice (though, I think I could have killed the top left in a better way).
Anyway, I won, but I can't say this is a game in which I played well. The opening, especially, was very careless.
Here's my review.
Kirby's Study Journal
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Kirby
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Review Highlights
Position 1 After approaching once in the bottom right, I took the last corner with the marked white move. I think it's viable to approach the bottom right immediately, but I don't think it was good to tenuki after the marked black move.
It's one thing to be "Kirby the Destroyer", as Uberdude says, but I should also try to be "Kirby the Creator", and create a formation.
Old habits are hard to break.
Anyway, perhaps I can play here: Position 2 I approached here, because I thought I'd be cramped in this variation: However, the marked black move is high! So I don't think it's that big of a deal, and I like it better than in the game.
So in conclusion, I prefer this: Position 3 I'm already in a bad position, above, because I missed reading the simple variation that followed in the game after I cut at 'a'.
I should probably cut my losses and play at 'b'.
Or perhaps I can play at 'c' to try to reduce his potential, and just give up on my three stones for now.
Anyway, it was a bad situation.
I think I should have split the right side, instead of approaching.
Position 4 The marked move, above, is certainly big.
But perhaps, given his influence, I should play here: I can't read a way for black to kill white in the top right. Maybe I'm missing a variation, but if black cannot kill white, then the left side seems appealing.
Position 5 Things got sticky after black split my marked move, above.
I think it gives more pressure, and is perhaps just better, to give shoulder hit, like this: I think it's a good way to reduce.
Position 6 As shown in the variations, I think I can still kill black if I simply block here: Assuming this is true, then I think it's much better than in the game.
I was under time pressure, but I still think this is a better way that I should "default" to if I am short on time.
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Learning Points
1. In the opening, try to set up a formation - don't just tenuki everything to screw black. Try to create something for myself.
2. Remember basic shapes. I think the "2-2-2" shape I discussed in the variations is a basic one, and I think I shouldn't have been surprised in the opening when black descended and got a great result. I should know basic shapes better.
These are the main things I want to remember from this game.
Position 1 After approaching once in the bottom right, I took the last corner with the marked white move. I think it's viable to approach the bottom right immediately, but I don't think it was good to tenuki after the marked black move.
It's one thing to be "Kirby the Destroyer", as Uberdude says, but I should also try to be "Kirby the Creator", and create a formation.
Old habits are hard to break.
Anyway, perhaps I can play here: Position 2 I approached here, because I thought I'd be cramped in this variation: However, the marked black move is high! So I don't think it's that big of a deal, and I like it better than in the game.
So in conclusion, I prefer this: Position 3 I'm already in a bad position, above, because I missed reading the simple variation that followed in the game after I cut at 'a'.
I should probably cut my losses and play at 'b'.
Or perhaps I can play at 'c' to try to reduce his potential, and just give up on my three stones for now.
Anyway, it was a bad situation.
I think I should have split the right side, instead of approaching.
Position 4 The marked move, above, is certainly big.
But perhaps, given his influence, I should play here: I can't read a way for black to kill white in the top right. Maybe I'm missing a variation, but if black cannot kill white, then the left side seems appealing.
Position 5 Things got sticky after black split my marked move, above.
I think it gives more pressure, and is perhaps just better, to give shoulder hit, like this: I think it's a good way to reduce.
Position 6 As shown in the variations, I think I can still kill black if I simply block here: Assuming this is true, then I think it's much better than in the game.
I was under time pressure, but I still think this is a better way that I should "default" to if I am short on time.
----
Learning Points
1. In the opening, try to set up a formation - don't just tenuki everything to screw black. Try to create something for myself.
2. Remember basic shapes. I think the "2-2-2" shape I discussed in the variations is a basic one, and I think I shouldn't have been surprised in the opening when black descended and got a great result. I should know basic shapes better.
These are the main things I want to remember from this game.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Here's another pro game where I selected 5 alternatives for each move.
This exercise is very tiring for me. I find myself reverting to common sets of moves. For example, if I were to play 'A', 'B', and 'C' in my game, and the pro didn't play it, for the next 10 moves, I'll try 'D', 'E', and then 'A', 'B', and 'C', because I think they are big.
Anyway, I haven't drawn many inferences from these games yet, but at least it's interesting to force myself to consider alternative moves at each point in the game.
When I do this for over 200 moves, that's a lot of moves to consider (though there is overlap - I repeat "A", "B", and "C", as described above).
<removed>
This exercise is very tiring for me. I find myself reverting to common sets of moves. For example, if I were to play 'A', 'B', and 'C' in my game, and the pro didn't play it, for the next 10 moves, I'll try 'D', 'E', and then 'A', 'B', and 'C', because I think they are big.
Anyway, I haven't drawn many inferences from these games yet, but at least it's interesting to force myself to consider alternative moves at each point in the game.
When I do this for over 200 moves, that's a lot of moves to consider (though there is overlap - I repeat "A", "B", and "C", as described above).
<removed>
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
I've been in study mode for the last couple of days, but my study has been more go problem type study than pro games.
So today, I decided to just memorize part of a pro game.
Here it is:
I didn't get the breadth of exploration in guessing moves this time - I just memorized moves until I decided to stop.
I guess it's good to mix things up once in awhile.
By the way, the game didn't end there. Black ended up winning.
Oh, and N9 was kind of interesting to me.
So today, I decided to just memorize part of a pro game.
Here it is:
I didn't get the breadth of exploration in guessing moves this time - I just memorized moves until I decided to stop.
I guess it's good to mix things up once in awhile.
By the way, the game didn't end there. Black ended up winning.
Oh, and N9 was kind of interesting to me.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
I have two games to present since last Friday. One I played then, and another I played today. Both were against KGS 1k, and I lost both of them. I am still working on my reviews of the games, so I don't have them to present, yet.
The reason I am preemptively posting is because there is an attitude I want to take note of, while it is still in my mind.
After playing this last game, I realized that I have a tendancy: I often rely on intuition regarding the status of my own groups, and if there seems to be aji, I assume my opponent cannot kill me.
As a result, I find two categories of thinking:
* I spend a good amount of time reading out variations to try to think of ways, for example, to kill my opponent.
* I spend little to no time reading out if my opponent can kill me. When it gets to a situation where life/death is inevitable, it's sometimes too late. Other times, I have enough aji to live.
---
I personally feel that this might be related to Uberdude's observation from awhile back: I try to play as "Kirby the destroyer", and not as "Kirby the creator".
---
In short, I feel my mindset in go is about destruction and killing rather than creating and living.
Just an observation for now. I will post reviews in a little while.
The reason I am preemptively posting is because there is an attitude I want to take note of, while it is still in my mind.
After playing this last game, I realized that I have a tendancy: I often rely on intuition regarding the status of my own groups, and if there seems to be aji, I assume my opponent cannot kill me.
As a result, I find two categories of thinking:
* I spend a good amount of time reading out variations to try to think of ways, for example, to kill my opponent.
* I spend little to no time reading out if my opponent can kill me. When it gets to a situation where life/death is inevitable, it's sometimes too late. Other times, I have enough aji to live.
---
I personally feel that this might be related to Uberdude's observation from awhile back: I try to play as "Kirby the destroyer", and not as "Kirby the creator".
---
In short, I feel my mindset in go is about destruction and killing rather than creating and living.
Just an observation for now. I will post reviews in a little while.
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Bill Spight
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
BTW, when I try to view a page with an SGF file containing a lot of labels, the eidogo script hangs my browser. 
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins
Visualize whirled peas.
Everything with love. Stay safe.
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins
Visualize whirled peas.
Everything with love. Stay safe.
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ez4u
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
I have this problem too on 'files' where the text is pasted between 'go' tags. Those are almost exclusively Kirby's because he writes such in-depth analysis/adds so many tags. Smaller files handle normally. I get the following message in firefox.Bill Spight wrote:BTW, when I try to view a page with an SGF file containing a lot of labels, the eidogo script hangs my browser.
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Thank you for the feedback.
At least for the labeled pro exercise I did, I'll remove them from this last page.
The exercise has already been completed, so it should be ok to remove.
At least for the labeled pro exercise I did, I'll remove them from this last page.
The exercise has already been completed, so it should be ok to remove.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
As promised, here is a review of the game I played last Friday (and lost).
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Overall, I think I am too careless. Also, I seem to think I am invincible, especially if I play against a lower rank. I never consider that they might be able to kill me.
If I keep up the attitude, I'll be moving down a rank shortly
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Overall, I think I am too careless. Also, I seem to think I am invincible, especially if I play against a lower rank. I never consider that they might be able to kill me.
If I keep up the attitude, I'll be moving down a rank shortly
be immersed
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Some key points
Position 1 I played the marked stone to reduce black's territory. This is wrong for at least two reasons:
1. It is not that big to reduce black's territory, because black cannot expect many more points in the area anyway - it's ALREADY been reduced.
2. I think it'd be better to keep my groups connected and stay safe: I suppose he could still attack it: But as the marked black stones have bad shape, I doubt he can produce a strong attack.
Position 2 I played the marked move in the game. It's not that big. I really must be first to play on the lower side, and put pressure on his group: I think I could have done this much earlier in the game, too. Why did I leave a weak group?
Position 3 I think the marked move is wrong, because I can't expect that much territory on the left anyway with the aji around 'a'.
So I should probably play somewhere else. The question is where. What comes to mind is to try attacking his group on top, thereby strengthening my own group:
I'm not exactly sure about the best attack, but if I can strengthen my group while weakening his, it'll be better.
Position 4 After black's marked move, of course I shouldn't die
I gave a few options in the SGF of ways I think I could have strengthened my group better.
---
So from this game I can try to learn:
1.) Don't be so arrogant. I seem to think I'm invincible sometimes. I have to remember, board position is board position. If my opponent is 9d or 30k, a weak group is still a weak group. A group that can be killed - well, it can be killed. It seems obvious to say this, but sometimes I really don't seem to believe it.
2.) Urgent areas are more important than big points (eg. my weak groups in this game).
3.) Reducing already reduced territory is not worth much. Increasing reducible territory is also not worth much.
---
Out of these, I think #1 is the biggest problem.
Position 1 I played the marked stone to reduce black's territory. This is wrong for at least two reasons:
1. It is not that big to reduce black's territory, because black cannot expect many more points in the area anyway - it's ALREADY been reduced.
2. I think it'd be better to keep my groups connected and stay safe: I suppose he could still attack it: But as the marked black stones have bad shape, I doubt he can produce a strong attack.
Position 2 I played the marked move in the game. It's not that big. I really must be first to play on the lower side, and put pressure on his group: I think I could have done this much earlier in the game, too. Why did I leave a weak group?
Position 3 I think the marked move is wrong, because I can't expect that much territory on the left anyway with the aji around 'a'.
So I should probably play somewhere else. The question is where. What comes to mind is to try attacking his group on top, thereby strengthening my own group:
I'm not exactly sure about the best attack, but if I can strengthen my group while weakening his, it'll be better.
Position 4 After black's marked move, of course I shouldn't die
I gave a few options in the SGF of ways I think I could have strengthened my group better.
---
So from this game I can try to learn:
1.) Don't be so arrogant. I seem to think I'm invincible sometimes. I have to remember, board position is board position. If my opponent is 9d or 30k, a weak group is still a weak group. A group that can be killed - well, it can be killed. It seems obvious to say this, but sometimes I really don't seem to believe it.
2.) Urgent areas are more important than big points (eg. my weak groups in this game).
3.) Reducing already reduced territory is not worth much. Increasing reducible territory is also not worth much.
---
Out of these, I think #1 is the biggest problem.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Here's the game I played on Tuesday:
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Basically, again, I was a bit arrogant. I assumed he couldn't kill me, and he killed a large group early in the opening. That was the main problem in this game, I think.
It makes for an easy review, but also a low-quality review. And also a low quality game.
Why am I arrogant? Should someone stuck at the same level for a couple of years be arrogant?
---
Basically, again, I was a bit arrogant. I assumed he couldn't kill me, and he killed a large group early in the opening. That was the main problem in this game, I think.
It makes for an easy review, but also a low-quality review. And also a low quality game.
Why am I arrogant? Should someone stuck at the same level for a couple of years be arrogant?
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Some positions
Position 1 I should answer his threat toward the corner.
Or at least I should try to read if his threat is actually a threat. Somehow I seem to think I'm immune to dying.
Position 2 This move is really naive. I imagined this: But can I expect my opponent to play that way?
Anyway, he didn't, and I think I lost a chance. I should have at least tried this: I try to make use of the influence I get later in the game, but even that has too many defects. I think just these two positions are enough to remember from this game.
---
So again, I'm faced with a lesson I should learn:
1.) Don't be arrogant. My opponent can read, too. He's not stupid. As shown here, he is capable of killing you, Kirby.
Position 1 I should answer his threat toward the corner.
Or at least I should try to read if his threat is actually a threat. Somehow I seem to think I'm immune to dying.
Position 2 This move is really naive. I imagined this: But can I expect my opponent to play that way?
Anyway, he didn't, and I think I lost a chance. I should have at least tried this: I try to make use of the influence I get later in the game, but even that has too many defects. I think just these two positions are enough to remember from this game.
---
So again, I'm faced with a lesson I should learn:
1.) Don't be arrogant. My opponent can read, too. He's not stupid. As shown here, he is capable of killing you, Kirby.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Reflection
I left a post after the Tuesday game, with a similar thought that I feel now after reviewing the recent games I've played:
So what is the solution?
...
I don't know what the solution is. Off of the top of my head, here are a few thoughts:
1.) Consciously try to respect my opponent. Acknowledge that he may be capable of reading anything that I can read. Just as I like to try to kill groups, he might be able to kill mine, too.
2.) Try to play the best way, whether or not my opponent plays the best way.
3.) Maybe I am too focused on winning, and not focused enough on playing well.
---
...
I left a post after the Tuesday game, with a similar thought that I feel now after reviewing the recent games I've played:
Added to this, the feeling I strongly have now after looking at these games a couple of days later is that I seem to be arrogant in my play. I assume my opponent can't kill, so I don't bother to read out ways of living. As a result, I am "Kirby the destroyer", which leads to problems when my opponents are also destroyers.I feel my mindset in go is about destruction and killing rather than creating and living.
So what is the solution?
...
I don't know what the solution is. Off of the top of my head, here are a few thoughts:
1.) Consciously try to respect my opponent. Acknowledge that he may be capable of reading anything that I can read. Just as I like to try to kill groups, he might be able to kill mine, too.
2.) Try to play the best way, whether or not my opponent plays the best way.
3.) Maybe I am too focused on winning, and not focused enough on playing well.
---
...
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Bill Spight
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Au contraire.Kirby wrote:Review Highlights
Position 1 After approaching once in the bottom right, I took the last corner with the marked white move. I think it's viable to approach the bottom right immediately, but I don't think it was good to tenuki after the marked black move.
One of the first ideas in the development of the modern fuseki -- by modern I mean in the past 400 years -- was to prevent a shimari with sente and then tenuki and play in an open corner. This diagram is good for White. The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins
Visualize whirled peas.
Everything with love. Stay safe.
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins
Visualize whirled peas.
Everything with love. Stay safe.