The One-Eyed Fool Review SeriesI've now played 10 games within just over 10 days. Time for the final verdict.
The 10 gamesGame #1: W vs 13 kyu. Result: B+Resign
Game #2: B vs 11 kyu. Result: B+Resign
Game #3: W vs 15 kyu. Result: B+0.5
Game #4: B vs 13 kyu. Result: W+12.5
Game #5: W vs 17 kyu. Result: W+62.5
Game #6: W vs 15 kyu. Result: W+13.5
Game #7: B vs 14 kyu. Result: B+Resign
Game #8: W vs 15 kyu. Result: W+Resign
Game #9: B vs 10 kyu. Result: B+3.5
Game #10: B vs 7 kyu. Result: W+6.5
Short story of the gameGame #1: Black successfully cut me and killed off one of my groups. In an attempt to get the advantage back, I created another weak group. Aftar it was squashed, I resigned.
Game #2: My opening was good. White launched an attack on one of my groups and succeeded. However, his surrounding stones got surrounded themselves and white resigned.
Game #3: I managed to build a large moro with white and get ahead in territory. The game then became about the middle, and how many points there were left for black. During the assault on the middle, I forget what it's about and waste a few moves attacking a single stone. Half point difference.
Game #4: I manage to create two weak white groups. But I only succeed in harassing them slightly and letting them connect too easily. After that, white takes the win with superior territory. I did not use my strength effectively.
Game #5: I was ahead fairly soon and kept my lead. I used my influence well and never gave my opponent a way back in the game.
Game #6: I made a L&D mistake and one of my groups died. Attempting to comeback, I managed to resurrect my group and get points in the middle. Without resurrecting that group, the result might've been very close.
Game #7: I played much more aggressive than usual and I killed white's corner rather quickly, reducing it to an L-group. Afterwards I made some questionable moves, but I made them work for me and split white in three, killing off another one of his groups.
Game #8: After losing a sizable bunch of stones, I redirected my game towards the middle. In a surprising comeback, I took an obvious lead. Black made some mad attempts to destroy my territory from the inside, but I calmly resisted.
Game #9: We both play a decent game. Starting the endgame we both focus too much on the middle and not on the sides. In the end, I lose concentration and am unable to read a 5+ move sequence. I instead sacrafice 3 stones to avoid further conflict and the end result shows that those stones were rather decisive.
Game #10: A hard fought game where I got ahead by cutting off one of white's groups and swallowing it. With a painful blunder, I lost a large group myself and the game got even again. I lost on komi.
These were my STRENGTHS during the 10 games.Resilience: I have developed a more stable emotional approach to Go. In tough situations, I always managed to pick myself up and sometimes even come back entirely from a "lost" position. Besides the first game, I never lost by resignation. More so, I was never slaughtered. Mostly the games were fairly even.
Determination: I used these 2 weeks off-work to study hard, play these games, review them. I feel I have improved a lot in a short time and it's mostly because I am highly motivated and self-disciplined.
Flexibility: Go is not about the stones. I have sacrificed groups/stones when it suited me. I didn't go into the middle game with a fixed mindset, but rather stayed flexible during the game, redirecting if necessary.
Courage: At least for me. By nature I am rather timid and have a wait-and-see attitude, I am more and more developing a fighting spirit on the Go board.
Focus: Even though I occasionally lost a game because my concentration failed me, I practically breathed Go for the past 2 weeks. I've spend +8 hours on Go almost every day. Some days I played for 3 hours straight, or studied for hours straight. My focus is there, and still improving.
An eye for shapes: I took some great shape points, which is always nice!
These were my WEAKNESSES during the 10 games.Counting: It's really getting ridiculous how bad I estimate the score. Even when I would win with +20 points, I have no idea of it during the game. I have to learn how to estimate the score and the board position at least a little bit.
Slow Play: Probably the biggest DDK sin. There has been progress during those 10 games, though.
Bad Moves: Some moves I need to unlearn. Descent to the 1st line too early, pushing into my opponent. Peeping unnecessarily. Wasted moves, basically.
Time Management: When I get 40 minutes and I lose a group because of a reading mistake blunder, yet I still have 21 minutes at the end of the game, I screwed up, no excuse. Some mistakes were made when I even realized the mistake seconds after I clicked. Meaning I played too quickly.
Niceness: In some cases, I was too nice. If my opponent has a weak group and I don't, I need to go after it relentlessly. I let my opponent off the hook too easily sometimes.
Endgame: Questionable endgame moves, giving up sente easily, small gote points...
Practical SolutionsCounting: Train, improve, get experience.
Slow Play: Look at the whole board EVERY SINGLE move. Think before you play.
Bad Moves: They're bound to happen again, just like the slow moves. But they can decrease by also thinking even more.
Time Management: I have two ideas, maybe they'll work, maybe they won't. But I can try. 1) When I know what to play, count to five slowly and then check if I still want to play it. 2) During my opponent's time, look at the whole board. During my time, look locally.
Niceness: Don't be too nice in a game.
Endgame: Study, practice.
Things to remember- Surround first, then play at the vital point.
- Attack your opponent if he's weak.
- Solid first, thin later.
- Always assume your opponent will react. Don't play a move because it'll work only if your opponent doesn't react. (no thank-you moves)
- Always look at the whole board.
- Always remember what the game is about.
- Get a lot better.
That is my final analysis of this 10 game series. I've had fun playing and reviewing these games. Obviously I'll continue to play and review my games, probably not move-by-move every time, though. I feel I have improved even during these 10 games. And there is much more that'll sink in later.
I want to thank everyone again that helped me point out plays during these games.
Now What?Now we try to get even stronger. Even though my holiday is almost over, I have the summer vacation to look forward to (one of the perks of being a teacher!), where I'll be able to focus on my Go heavily for 6 weeks! And between now and then, I hope to keep up my studies, albeit less intensely because of work.
This is what I have planned for the next few weeks:
Play Games - ReviewObviously keep doing this. Both live and on the internet.
TsumegoYes, I have to. I'll be finishing GGPB 2 for the 2nd time and then revisit it again, before going over GGPB 3 next.
I'll also go through the Level Up series, from number 5 to 10, to hammer down the fundamentals.
EndgameTo get better at endgame, I'll use the book 'The Endgame' from the Elementary Series, as well as Chapter Six of 'Basic Techniques of Go' by Haruyama 9-dan.
Other Books to StudyRe-read Lessons in Fundamentals
Re-read Opening Theory Made Easy
Re-read Attack & Defense
Read Basic Techniques of Go
Selectively read Kato's Attack and Kill
Slowly go through Davies' Life and Death
Non-Progress Go*Read A Journey in Search of the Origins of Go.
Replay (quickly) Pro-games.
Re-watch Hikaru No Go
Remember the wise words of someone here on the forum: "Don't even think about ranking unless you're playing at least a year". Remember the true goal to Go: learning about the game, learning about yourself, learning about life. Improving yourself.
This also means I won't put unnecessary pressure on myself. I'll improve on my own tempo as long as I stay motivated. I have to go with that flow and see where I end up and how fast. Never let ranking get to you. That's just like never letting material things start to own you. Don't put value on illusions, like money, fast cars and those other traditional examples. Ranking is just like that. Social status. Illusions.
Play Go for the right reasons.
* Things I like that are Go-related, but aren't very effective for improving (quickly)Let's get to work!