We're the end of december and although I will probably play a few more games, I want to recap on 2016.
Many study journals talk about what they want to do. Few record what they have actually done. This record may give an honest view on what can be achieved in a position like mine
1. Circumstances
- I am at the peak of my professional activity, having recently become the manager of a group of 40 people in a major company
- I spend quite some time with my family; a lot has happened since 2013: when you're past 40, it's not all laughs
- I have Go only as second pastime, the first being table tennis
After family, work, table tennis, larger family and friends, Go is probably only my fifth focus area.
2. Playing
I played 30 games on KGS this year and 35 on Tygem. That's slightly more than 1 per week, but in reality they come in chunks.
On KGS I became 1d and on Tygem 3d (but if I played more, I'd probably rank higher, my record being 32-4
3. Tsumego
I did about 300 Hitachi go probmems, the elementary ones. I plan to continue.
4. Pro games
I replayed games by Gu & Lee, and about 5 by Otake.
5. Reviewing games on L19
I spent a lot of time on L19 reviewing games by PlaySlow, Majordomo and others. I don't think it contributes a lot to my playing strength. I probably do it mostly out of a desire to communicate, to teach and to be of value to someone else. I like to see people improve. I like to see bad play be replaced by good play. I noticed this in table tennis as well: I probably like teaching more than playing but on the other hand I believe one needs to be a very good player before one is entitled to become a teacher.
Thanks to Bill, Mitsun, Uberdude, ez4u and others who have cared to review some of my games and study reports.
Happy studying in 2017!
Knotwilg's practice
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Knotwilg
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dfan
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
So that you know that reviews are not useful only to one person at a time, I should let you know that I enjoy reading your reviews of other players' games. You have a good way of pointing out the important issues and areas for improvement in a way that is not overwhelming. Thanks!
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
Halfway through the year, I must admit I haven't studied at all. I see two major reasons:
1. I made a conscious decision to concentrate on the things that are currently important to me and only one pastime fits in, being table tennis.
2. I seem to have been negatively affected by Alphago's successes. Rationally I'd have expected that the new fuseki opened up by Alphago would be more stimulating than anything but emotionally the defeat of humanity (if I can put it so dramatically) may have actually discouraged me.
I've played a few times for distraction, mostly on Tygem where I got to 4d and yesterday also on KGS where I had dropped to 2k?.
I don't plan to study in 2017. There is simply no time for that to be done well, so I rather wait until my retirement to pick up Go seriously again or my capricious nature may decide otherwise.
1. I made a conscious decision to concentrate on the things that are currently important to me and only one pastime fits in, being table tennis.
2. I seem to have been negatively affected by Alphago's successes. Rationally I'd have expected that the new fuseki opened up by Alphago would be more stimulating than anything but emotionally the defeat of humanity (if I can put it so dramatically) may have actually discouraged me.
I've played a few times for distraction, mostly on Tygem where I got to 4d and yesterday also on KGS where I had dropped to 2k?.
I don't plan to study in 2017. There is simply no time for that to be done well, so I rather wait until my retirement to pick up Go seriously again or my capricious nature may decide otherwise.
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Kirby
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
Knotwilg wrote: 2. I seem to have been negatively affected by Alphago's successes. Rationally I'd have expected that the new fuseki opened up by Alphago would be more stimulating than anything but emotionally the defeat of humanity (if I can put it so dramatically) may have actually discouraged me.
Good luck! I experienced a similar feeling, and haven't been studying at all, lately. In some ways, I miss go, and want to get back to it. I'm not quite there, yet, though. I've personally been spending a lot of time listening to motivational speakers. My favorite these days is Tim Ferriss.
Hasn't helped my go life at all, yet, but it's put some perspective on life.
be immersed
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
Can be fun but after a while I found motivational speeches to become too much of a substitute for actually doing something. Youtube is a vice!Kirby wrote: I've personally been spending a lot of time listening to motivational speakers. My favorite these days is Tim Ferriss.
The best thing about MS is indeed that they can give you a completely new perspective on life. The worst is that they all fall prey to selection bias and narrative. "I did this AND I became successful so IF you do this too THEN you will become successful". We know from set theory that this is wrong logic and likely even untrue.
My favorite book is Kahneman's "Thinking fast and slow". It's scientific AND it gave me a new perspective on life.
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Kirby
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
I agree on this point.Can be fun but after a while I found motivational speeches to become too much of a substitute for actually doing something.
For me, it's been more of a matter of feeding my mind positive information as opposed to the negative input I get from reading the news, etc.
Even if my actions aren't directly affected, the positive words just make me feel better.
be immersed
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
A decent game with a lot of focus on shape. Highlights at 139 and 158.
I tried to remember what I thought about at each move where I considered some alternatives.
It earned me a 3d rank but that's more due to the law of small numbers.
Any comment welcome, also if you are lower ranked than me.
I tried to remember what I thought about at each move where I considered some alternatives.
It earned me a 3d rank but that's more due to the law of small numbers.
Any comment welcome, also if you are lower ranked than me.
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Calvin Clark
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
Congrats!Knotwilg wrote:A decent game with a lot of focus on shape. Highlights at 139 and 158.
I tried to remember what I thought about at each move where I considered some alternatives.
It earned me a 3d rank but that's more due to the law of small numbers.
Your self-comments are pretty thorough. You are stronger than I am. I enjoy how you look for miai options.
It's kind of sad that this line went out of fashion, as
is such a cool tesuji here.It seems like C8 was a possible resource for black for much of the early middle game. Is there a reason you didn't take it? Maybe the a - b exchange loses a bit of territory for black?
At the end, I'd really, really want to play
instead of the game move at 'a'.-
Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
I vaguely remember. How does it continue? Like above? Or can Black play 3 at 4?Calvin Clark wrote: It's kind of sad that this line went out of fashion, as
The 1-2 exchange is really bad for Black's eye shape in the corner. Now the cut at "a" becomes much severer.It seems like C8 was a possible resource for black for much of the early middle game. Is there a reason you didn't take it? Maybe the a - b exchange loses a bit of territory for black?
Shape wise, I agree. I dismissed it because of the severity of the cut at 6. The stones at the bottom are to be sacrificed, by principle. I wanted to keep the sacrifice small.At the end, I'd really, really want to play
But looking at this position again, I'm not so sure anymore and you made a very good point.
Thanks a lot for your comments!
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
So it seems. But I don't know how to fix that.Gomoto wrote:(Just for your info: download the sgf of your latest game not working)
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Uberdude
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
It's because you embedded the sgf content directly (which is quite large with all your comments, ~10KB), and the eidogo download link tries to put all the sgf in a http GET url and exceeds server limits (often 8 KB). If you hosted the sgf elsewhere and linked the url, or uploaded it as a file to L19, then I expect the download would work.Knotwilg wrote:So it seems. But I don't know how to fix that.Gomoto wrote:(Just for your info: download the sgf of your latest game not working)
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
It's the end of the 2017-2018 table tennis season, which frees up at least my Wednesdays, which happens to be the club night organized by my new friend Ian Butler. His enthusiasm has been contageous so I thought I'd pick up the study rhythm again, for as long as it will last.
I'm following my own study program, which tells me to play 10 blitz games and not resign. Whatever happens, play it out till the end, aspiring to come back when behind and maintain the lead when ahead.
See https://senseis.xmp.net/?DieterVerhofst ... ingProgram
Given that such an attitude may not be welcomed by human players, I may play bots only. Here's game 1:
I'm following my own study program, which tells me to play 10 blitz games and not resign. Whatever happens, play it out till the end, aspiring to come back when behind and maintain the lead when ahead.
See https://senseis.xmp.net/?DieterVerhofst ... ingProgram
Given that such an attitude may not be welcomed by human players, I may play bots only. Here's game 1:
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Knotwilg
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
2nd blitz game of theme 1: develop fighting spirit by not resigning (at least not too soon)
Somehow I seem able to confirm a 3d rank on KGS, which I was never able to do before. So it must be an effect of the small sample of games I've played over the past months, or KGS has become a bit weaker. Chances that I have become stronger by mostly doing L19 reviews are slim.
There's a bit of blitzbluff to be enjoyed at the top, reviving a group in seki. Otherwise, fairly happy with the level here.
Somehow I seem able to confirm a 3d rank on KGS, which I was never able to do before. So it must be an effect of the small sample of games I've played over the past months, or KGS has become a bit weaker. Chances that I have become stronger by mostly doing L19 reviews are slim.
There's a bit of blitzbluff to be enjoyed at the top, reviving a group in seki. Otherwise, fairly happy with the level here.
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Bill Spight
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Re: Knotwilg's practice
Knotwilg wrote:Somehow I seem able to confirm a 3d rank on KGS, which I was never able to do before.
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.