The mistakes I make
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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
Actually looking over that start again, after the opening I did have some great central influence, but hardly any territory at all. Perhaps it wasn't as good an opening as I thought.
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Bill Spight
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Re: The mistakes I make
mongus wrote:I tell myself not to make the same mistake again, but then my opponent does something unexpected and I fall into the same bad habits again.
Learning how to deal with unexpected plays is important. It is an important skill, but not a technical one. I have suggested taking time to regroup psychologically, and applying ACH. Analyze the situation, Count, and ask How do I accomplish my goals, based upon analysis and counting?
As for developing bad habits, are your opponents strong enough to minimize picking up bad habits from them?
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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Bill Spight
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Re: The mistakes I make
Some comments on the opening. 
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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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
Many thanks for your feedback. Insightful as ever. It seems I have a lot to learn about using walls effectively.
One point I need to learn is about making my walls solid.
Here, you recommend playing at the marked point to create a more solid wall, which I could then use to attack my opponents weakness behind it. I was more keen on pushing up from behind - another weakness of mine. Point taken.
There was another thread on here recently about a very similar shape. It takes a few attempts before I can recall these things properly.
One point I need to learn is about making my walls solid.
Here, you recommend playing at the marked point to create a more solid wall, which I could then use to attack my opponents weakness behind it. I was more keen on pushing up from behind - another weakness of mine. Point taken.
There was another thread on here recently about a very similar shape. It takes a few attempts before I can recall these things properly.
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Bill Spight
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Re: The mistakes I make
mongus wrote:Many thanks for your feedback. Insightful as ever. It seems I have a lot to learn about using walls effectively.
One point I need to learn is about making my walls solid.
Here, you recommend playing at the marked point to create a more solid wall, which I could then use to attack my opponents weakness behind it. I was more keen on pushing up from behind - another weakness of mine. Point taken.
There was another thread on here recently about a very similar shape. It takes a few attempts before I can recall these things properly.
Really, the thing is to play the solid connection,
below, while it threatens to cut White in two. 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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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
Ah yes, true. That would have been better. It's just the aforementioned advice was more pertinent, as I had that position twice in the game. I actually thought I was being clever, thinking if my opponent did take the stone it was ok because I could just cover it easily.
So, no point wasting a move on it.
Reflecting on this, I can see that this sort of mindset actually gets me into trouble an awful lot. It this game it actually did. My opponent was able to use the weakness I had left in the bottom right to ensure his fragile central group was safe. Had I not left that weakness I would have been in a much stronger position.
It is very hard to know the difference between a strong move and a slow move. Perhaps it is one of those eternal Go dilemmas.
So, no point wasting a move on it.
Reflecting on this, I can see that this sort of mindset actually gets me into trouble an awful lot. It this game it actually did. My opponent was able to use the weakness I had left in the bottom right to ensure his fragile central group was safe. Had I not left that weakness I would have been in a much stronger position.
It is very hard to know the difference between a strong move and a slow move. Perhaps it is one of those eternal Go dilemmas.
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Bill Spight
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Re: The mistakes I make
mongus wrote:I actually thought I was being clever, thinking if my opponent did take the stone it was ok because I could just cover it easily.
So, no point wasting a move on it.
Reflecting on this, I can see that this sort of mindset actually gets me into trouble an awful lot.
Actually, your basic argument is sound. The trouble is, you did not consider the effect of local weaknesses, indicated at "a" and "b".
In this case, without those weaknesses, it makes much more sense for Black not to connect at 1.
But even in this situation, the culprit is the hanging connection at "a". The solid connection,
, threatens "b" but leaves no weakness behind if White answers with 
.It this game it actually did. My opponent was able to use the weakness I had left in the bottom right to ensure his fragile central group was safe. Had I not left that weakness I would have been in a much stronger position.
In that case, too, it is a problem of your own making.
threatens to cut the White in two, but it is an overplay. 
puts the question, do you save or 
?It is very hard to know the difference between a strong move and a slow move. Perhaps it is one of those eternal Go dilemmas.
As you get stronger your judgement about that, and many other things, will improve.
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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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
Here's a mistake I'm surprised I haven't encountered before. Then I made it twice in last nights game.
I'm White. In the end game I want to eke out every last point so I decide to play at a :
Of course this does not go well at all :
Ug. It's a good reminder to always be on the look out for weaknesses before moving.
I'm White. In the end game I want to eke out every last point so I decide to play at a :
Of course this does not go well at all :
Ug. It's a good reminder to always be on the look out for weaknesses before moving.
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Uberdude
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Re: The mistakes I make
mongus, you are right you should check for weaknesses before moving; can you find what Black can do in the first diagram if it's his move?
Edit: don't scroll down if you don't want to see the answer.
Edit: don't scroll down if you don't want to see the answer.
Last edited by Uberdude on Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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dfan
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Re: The mistakes I make
Ah yes, the "second-line chomp." This will not be the last time you encounter it It's often more valuable than it seems to have three stones on the second line rather than two for this reason; you have time to capture the cutting stone when Black makes that cut. You will also often see first-line throw-ins to set this up.
[Edited to remove the answer to Uberdude's Socratic question, which I accidentally wrote before he asked it.]
It's often more valuable than it seems to have three stones on the second line rather than two for this reason; you have time to capture the cutting stone when Black makes that cut. You will also often see first-line throw-ins to set this up.[Edited to remove the answer to Uberdude's Socratic question, which I accidentally wrote before he asked it.]
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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
dfan wrote:Ah yes, the "second-line chomp."
So it has a name. That's interesting, so the thing to look out for is having two stones along the second line?
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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
I think this is another option for black. Is this what you mean by the throw in?
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dfan
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Re: The mistakes I make
mongus wrote:dfan wrote:Ah yes, the "second-line chomp."
So it has a name.
Oh, it's just the name I give it. I don't think it has a real name.
That's interesting, so the thing to look out for is having two stones along the second line?
When Black cuts, his stone will have two liberties, and White will go first. So the thing to look for is for the White stones being cut to have only one liberty (after being cut). All of these three moves result in a successful capture:
What I meant about throw-ins is that this doesn't work:
but this does:
Obviously White would not actually play
at in a real game!By the way, you should still try to answer Uberdude's question. (I had accidentally told you the answer in a comment I made at the same time as his question, but I have deleted my spoiler.)
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mongus
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Re: The mistakes I make
Thanks, that throw in is pretty devastating!
It's a good name
I came up with a couple of possibilities above. Are there other options?
dfan wrote:Oh, it's just the name I give it. I don't think it has a real name.
It's a good name
dfan wrote:By the way, you should still try to answer Uberdude's question. (I had accidentally told you the answer in a comment I made at the same time as his question, but I have deleted my spoiler.)
I came up with a couple of possibilities above. Are there other options?