Kirby's Study Journal
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Kirby
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
These days, I've been trying to wake up at 5am to run, study a bit, then play a game of go before work. Two weeks ago, I did a pretty good job, but last week, I only followed my schedule completely on Tuesday. I'm giving it another go this week. I'm a little tired, but feeling OK. Hopefully, I'll maintain the willpower to continue throughout the rest of the week.
Today, I played a KGS 1k. Since my rank was 3d? on KGS, I gave him 3 stones. Here is the game:
Around move 70 or so, things weren't looking great for me. I should have thought ahead more. I didn't see clearly a way to invade the corner well, but I did it anyway, and it would've been a great loss. However, things turned out great for me after this move by black: I was aiming for a ko, but even captured the stones: After that, I felt I had a chance. Which was amazing, because I cannot recall ever beating a 1k on KGS with 3-stones.
I don't have much time to review right now, because our game went a bit long, and it's time for work.
Today, I played a KGS 1k. Since my rank was 3d? on KGS, I gave him 3 stones. Here is the game:
Around move 70 or so, things weren't looking great for me. I should have thought ahead more. I didn't see clearly a way to invade the corner well, but I did it anyway, and it would've been a great loss. However, things turned out great for me after this move by black: I was aiming for a ko, but even captured the stones: After that, I felt I had a chance. Which was amazing, because I cannot recall ever beating a 1k on KGS with 3-stones.
I don't have much time to review right now, because our game went a bit long, and it's time for work.
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Kirby
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
So this morning, my schedule wasn't really as usual, so I didn't post at the regular time. Anyway, I still exercised and played a game.
I saw in the other thread that KGS ranks are screwed up, now. So I guess I shouldn't be so excited about beating a "1k" with 3 stones. Nonetheless, it's crazy:
I've never been 5d? on KGS, even if it's a fluke. But I guess given the weird KGS rank thing, it's kind of meaningless now. Nonetheless, I still tried to get a game through either automatch or by challenge. But I didn't get any takers, since my rank is so screwed up.
So I played a game on OGS. I don't feel great about it. It was pretty meaningless. Not because of my opponent or the moves that were played. Just because I didn't really think much throughout the game. So I didn't really play, I guess. Thinking is the essence of playing, and this game lacks much thought on my behalf. So in that sense, I failed.
I guess I'll rack it up as a "junk food" game.
I'll aim for something more wholesome tomorrow morning. Hopefully I can get a game on KGS, despite the weird rank.
I kind of want to get back to my Tygem account, too, but I've been using linux a lot lately, and it's kind of a hassle to start up tygem.
I saw in the other thread that KGS ranks are screwed up, now. So I guess I shouldn't be so excited about beating a "1k" with 3 stones. Nonetheless, it's crazy:
So I played a game on OGS. I don't feel great about it. It was pretty meaningless. Not because of my opponent or the moves that were played. Just because I didn't really think much throughout the game. So I didn't really play, I guess. Thinking is the essence of playing, and this game lacks much thought on my behalf. So in that sense, I failed.
I guess I'll rack it up as a "junk food" game.
I'll aim for something more wholesome tomorrow morning. Hopefully I can get a game on KGS, despite the weird rank.
I kind of want to get back to my Tygem account, too, but I've been using linux a lot lately, and it's kind of a hassle to start up tygem.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Today, I lost a game on KGS. It was still a fun game. I gave 2 stones to a "3-dan" - I don't even know what that means on KGS, anymore.
Anyway, here is the game:
I played really silly on the bottom and got a ko, then died. I think if I just live on the bottom and in the middle, I can win. I haven't read out all possibilities to see if this is definitely possible.
But if I live, it seems like I have more points.
Anyway, here is the game:
I played really silly on the bottom and got a ko, then died. I think if I just live on the bottom and in the middle, I can win. I haven't read out all possibilities to see if this is definitely possible.
But if I live, it seems like I have more points.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Starting with here, I started getting silly:
I think I can just live in a simple way there, and then as long as he doesn't kill the center group, I have more points, I think.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Here's another kind of silly move. I thought it was sente:
Probably I can just move my stones out. I was afraid he'd break into the side:
It's definitely a big loss on the right, but I think I still have a lot of points...
He has probably 50 or something, and I'd guess I have similiar.
He has probably 50 or something, and I'd guess I have similiar.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Thinking about it more, I think I should just keep it simple:
Seems fine to me. I don't have to worry much, and can focus on taking big points.
Left side is still big, but his center still has defects. I'm doing pretty well on points, too.
Left side is still big, but his center still has defects. I'm doing pretty well on points, too.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
In any case, this game was more fun than yesterday's, since I focused more.
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eksert
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Hello Kirby, such a dedication to wake up, run and play a game of go before work! I'll just ask a question, why do you play on KGS? There are many more players in Fox, Tygem, Wbaduk & even IGS?
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
I like Tygem, too - just haven't set it up on Ubuntu yet. I made some effort yesterday, but got stuck when wine32 failed to install with dependency issues.
Haven't looked much further than that.
Before, I played enough on tygem and KGS that I had a feeling for their ranks. With KGS as it is, I don't think I can say that anymore. So maybe some other options would be good to try too.
Haven't looked much further than that.
Before, I played enough on tygem and KGS that I had a feeling for their ranks. With KGS as it is, I don't think I can say that anymore. So maybe some other options would be good to try too.
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
It's Thursday, so after work, I ventured over to the Ann Arbor go club, again.
Don showed up, of course. It seems that about 5 stones seems good for us as a handicap: I played two games with Don giving him 5 stones, and in the first game, I won by 1.5, and in the second, I won by 2.5. Then a guy named Will showed up - I thought it was our first time meeting, but he said he was a regular at the club about 10 years ago when I was there. He also knew a lot of the same names from the club around that time. So maybe it wasn't our first time meeting. I'm not sure.
Will told me that he was just returning from a trip through Asia. I think he was in Nepal, Japan, and maybe Taiwan, if I remember correctly. Anyway, he told me that he was about 1d on KGS, before the ranks started going haywire.
So I figured we were pretty similar in rank. I called myself about 2d, so I played as white.
Here is the game:
Don showed up, of course. It seems that about 5 stones seems good for us as a handicap: I played two games with Don giving him 5 stones, and in the first game, I won by 1.5, and in the second, I won by 2.5. Then a guy named Will showed up - I thought it was our first time meeting, but he said he was a regular at the club about 10 years ago when I was there. He also knew a lot of the same names from the club around that time. So maybe it wasn't our first time meeting. I'm not sure.
Will told me that he was just returning from a trip through Asia. I think he was in Nepal, Japan, and maybe Taiwan, if I remember correctly. Anyway, he told me that he was about 1d on KGS, before the ranks started going haywire.
So I figured we were pretty similar in rank. I called myself about 2d, so I played as white.
Here is the game:
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
There are two major points that I want to focus on for this game. The first is a mistake that I think I made, which is this move:
I think it'd be much simpler to just play on the outside: I was naive, and I expected him to play like this: So I think just playing in a simple way is good. Which brings me to the next point...
I think it'd be much simpler to just play on the outside: I was naive, and I expected him to play like this: So I think just playing in a simple way is good. Which brings me to the next point...
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Kirby
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Here's the board position:
Simple, right? Black's plan seems clear to me. Black gets a response on the top, and then approaches the 3-4 point: Perfect for black, according to that direction of play stuff, I guess. So my instinct is to say, "NO! Black! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!"
So I want to play a pincer: Something like this.
Or maybe this: Or maybe this: But which is better?
Hmm. Not exactly sure.
Well, it must depend on how black answers, right?
So in each case, how does black answer?
Hmm.
Not sure about that, either.
A lot of uncertainty.
BUT AT LEAST I'M PREVENTING BLACK FROM GETTING THE OBVIOUS RESULT THAT HE WANTS, RIGHT??!!?11
But what is that result that he wants?
It's so easy.
It's so joseki-ish.
It's like textbook.
It's almost like what you'd see... Pros play?
And why would I want to play like a pro?
Hmm, my reasoning seems bad here.
---
So I guess what I'm saying in a roundabout way is that my instinct is to repel black's idea, even if it's a simple idea that ends in an even result. I want to dive into uncertainty, because at least I know that it's not clearly what black wants.
But the problem is...
It's not clearly what I want, either.
So my conclusion is:
When the result is obvious, simple, and even, especially in the beginning of the game... PLAY IT!
No need to go into the complicated weeds when I have a result that seems pretty even and pretty simple. Just be simple.
I can keep the complications for the middle of the game.
Seems to make so much sense now. Maybe I'll forget it tomorrow.
Simple, right? Black's plan seems clear to me. Black gets a response on the top, and then approaches the 3-4 point: Perfect for black, according to that direction of play stuff, I guess. So my instinct is to say, "NO! Black! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!"
So I want to play a pincer: Something like this.
Or maybe this: Or maybe this: But which is better?
Hmm. Not exactly sure.
Well, it must depend on how black answers, right?
So in each case, how does black answer?
Hmm.
Not sure about that, either.
A lot of uncertainty.
BUT AT LEAST I'M PREVENTING BLACK FROM GETTING THE OBVIOUS RESULT THAT HE WANTS, RIGHT??!!?11
But what is that result that he wants?
It's so easy.
It's so joseki-ish.
It's like textbook.
It's almost like what you'd see... Pros play?
And why would I want to play like a pro?
Hmm, my reasoning seems bad here.
---
So I guess what I'm saying in a roundabout way is that my instinct is to repel black's idea, even if it's a simple idea that ends in an even result. I want to dive into uncertainty, because at least I know that it's not clearly what black wants.
But the problem is...
It's not clearly what I want, either.
So my conclusion is:
When the result is obvious, simple, and even, especially in the beginning of the game... PLAY IT!
No need to go into the complicated weeds when I have a result that seems pretty even and pretty simple. Just be simple.
I can keep the complications for the middle of the game.
Seems to make so much sense now. Maybe I'll forget it tomorrow.
be immersed
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Bill Spight
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Re: Kirby's Study Journal
Err, no. A make-do, if it aims for this position.Kirby wrote:Here's the board position:
Simple, right? Black's plan seems clear to me. Black gets a response on the top, and then approaches the 3-4 point: Perfect for black, according to that direction of play stuff, I guess.
at "a" would be too low, so by getting White to reply at 
first, Black can play . It's an improvement, but all it does is avoid a bad position.This is a position Go Seigen studied. He kind of does not like the wedge at "b" next for White, but in his ten volume set on 21st century go, he shows this position twice. Once he likes "b", once he doesn't. But in general he downgrades the wedge as not dynamic.
The AlphaGo teaching tool also prefers "c" for White.
But it also does not like
. As Charles Matthews indicates, direction of play is a vector, and Black is a bit over-concentrated on the right side.It also likes the reply
. Psychologically sound, as long as you don't make a play you don't like.So my instinct is to say, "NO! Black! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!"
Well, as Takemiya says, play what you want to play.So I want to play a pincer: Something like this.
AlphaGo projects this sequence.
Black can play the approach to the bottom right, but you get a pincer cum extension against it. Then Black makes a second approach to the top right. With two extra stones there, White has the advantage in the fight on the right side.
That pincer may actually be a mistake. My guess is that AlphaGo would recommend Black "a" next.Or maybe this:
AlphaGo projects this sequence.Or maybe this:
With the high pincer in place apparently it does not like a double pincer on the right side.
But which is better?
Hmm. Not exactly sure.
Well, it must depend on how black answers, right?
— How Not to Play ChessZnosko-Borovsky wrote:Do not think too soon about what you opponent can do; first get clear what you want to do.
Kind of dithering, huh? Perhaps because you are too focused on what Black would do. OK, you are pretty sure what he has in mind, and so you want to pincer to thwart his plan. So far, so good. (Although AlphaGo says not to worry about his plan. It's not such a good plan.So in each case, how does black answer?
Hmm.
Not sure about that, either.
A lot of uncertainty.
BUT AT LEAST I'M PREVENTING BLACK FROM GETTING THE OBVIOUS RESULT THAT HE WANTS, RIGHT??!!?11
But what is that result that he wants?
It's so easy.
It's so joseki-ish.
It's like textbook.
It's almost like what you'd see... Pros play?
And why would I want to play like a pro?
Hmm, my reasoning seems bad here.
) But you have no clue how Black will reply to the pincer. The uncertainty gnaws at you. You are afraid that Black will have a refutation of your pincer. This attitude is problematic, logically and psychologically. The possibility of a refutation is not a refutation. In this case you went for the pro play, and AlphaGo agrees. But then your opponent went for the pro play (the 10-4 point), and AlphaGo does not agree. The pro play is not necessarily correct, either. Besides, you usually will not know what the pro play is. What it comes down to, IMO, is having faith in yourself, faith in your own judgement. Of course it is flawed. But in the end, it's what you've got. And if you do not follow it, how can you improve it?
KISS is not a bad guide.So I guess what I'm saying in a roundabout way is that my instinct is to repel black's idea, even if it's a simple idea that ends in an even result. I want to dive into uncertainty, because at least I know that it's not clearly what black wants.
But the problem is...
It's not clearly what I want, either.
So my conclusion is:
When the result is obvious, simple, and even, especially in the beginning of the game... PLAY IT!
No need to go into the complicated weeds when I have a result that seems pretty even and pretty simple. Just be simple.
However, in this case, a pincer seeks to fight where you have the advantage of two stones. In an even game, those are pretty good odds.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.