A beginner goes to Congress

[psk31]

Well here it is the night before the US Go Congress and it's finally sinking in that the next week will be very interesting. I just looked at the attendance list and out of 319 names on the list there are 23 DDK only 9 which are 15K or lower. Talking about feeling like a fish out of water, but at least I'll some company.

So the collection of thoughts for the upcoming week:

First face-to-face games, it's only been on-line up until now and then mostly turn based.

Finally dawns on me today that I have yet to count the end of a game since it's been done by the computer. Ummmm, this could be the first embarrassment.

Remembering to hit the clock after each move, actually this could be the first embarrassment.

Wondering if I should try to keep a record of my games...or just enjoy the moment.

Since I'm commuting to the Springs, realizing I'm going to miss the 9x9 tournament on Saturday night. Rats, wanted to do that one.

I'm going through the Congress booklet now trying to plan which events, presentations, etc., I'm going to try to attend. And still squeeze in as many self-paired games that I can. So in the end, what's a 54 year-old beginner hope to accomplish? To get totally immersed in Go, have fun, learn some, hopefully meet some L19 denizens, and have more fun.

I forgot who suggested this earlier, but I'll have my avatar and screen name on a visible tag.

Hope to see some of you in Colorado Springs!

[kokomi]

i don't have any experience to go to a Congress, so cannot give you any advice.

But Good luck. And don't forget to write something here about it.

[ethanb]

Well here it is the night before the US Go Congress and it's finally sinking in that the next week will be very interesting. I just looked at the attendance list and out of 319 names on the list there are 23 DDK only 9 which are 15K or lower. Talking about feeling like a fish out of water, but at least I'll some company.

So the collection of thoughts for the upcoming week:

First face-to-face games, it's only been on-line up until now and then mostly turn based.

Finally dawns on me today that I have yet to count the end of a game since it's been done by the computer. Ummmm, this could be the first embarrassment.

Remembering to hit the clock after each move, actually this could be the first embarrassment.

Wondering if I should try to keep a record of my games...or just enjoy the moment.

Since I'm commuting to the Springs, realizing I'm going to miss the 9x9 tournament on Saturday night. Rats, wanted to do that one.

I'm going through the Congress booklet now trying to plan which events, presentations, etc., I'm going to try to attend. And still squeeze in as many self-paired games that I can. So in the end, what's a 54 year-old beginner hope to accomplish? To get totally immersed in Go, have fun, learn some, hopefully meet some L19 denizens, and have more fun.

I forgot who suggested this earlier, but I'll have my avatar and screen name on a visible tag.

Hope to see some of you in Colorado Springs!

Basically, relax and don't forget to have fun! I guarantee you'll find enough exciting stuff going on to be worth the trip.

My first Congress, the first round I played in the U.S. Open ended early and my opponent and I left the playing hall still talking animatedly about the game. Maeda ambushed us just outside and asked if we wanted our game reviewed. Holy cow, a pro review of our 9 kyu game?! Of course!! So we replayed it as far as we could on a magnetic demo board they had set up and it was awesome. Other people coming out sat down to watch - we felt like heroes or something. It was awesome.

[karaklis]

Playing face-to-face is so much more fun than playing online. Don't worry that you don't know yet how to count on a real board. There will be lots of nice people to show you.

If you like, you can record your games, but I can tell you from own experience that it detracts from the match. I have tried three times to fill the kifu during the game. It costs so much concentration: I mixed up the move numbers (because I forgot what was the last number), forgot to write down some moves, and of course lost all of the games. That's why I stopped recording. So better just enjoy

[Dusk Eagle]

If you're capable of it, you could always play your game to the end and then record the kifu. Even if you don't remember all the way to the end this can still be a good quick way of reviewing your game. Plus, if you do this a couple of times, you will probably rapidly get better at it.

[psk31]

Day One down. Got to the campus about 4:00 and walked over to University Center then remembering that registration was in a different building. I guess I should have followed the blue signs that said "Conference Registration".

Got registered and got to meet with Sam Zimmerman (the TD for the Open) since I didn't have an official AGA rating yet. Told him I was brand new, never played face-to-face, been playing mostly on DGS, etc. He said we need to find someone to take you to the playing room and get a 19x19 game under your belt, how to use the clock, and general etiquette of over the board playing. About that time a couple of young ladies walked in, he explained what I needed and off we went. Didn't get to finish the game (the one I was playing was 5K) but we accomplished what we set out to do.

Sam was easy to work with and very helpful as was the two young ladies (who I can't remember their names now). I won't be there tomorrow due to a scheduling conflict but will be back on Monday full steam! The only hiccup today was in getting a bye for the Open tomorrow. When I checked the info after the opening ceremonies they had me down for a bye on Monday. Quick penciled in correction.

Looking forward to Monday now.

[rubin427]

If you can find me in the crowd, I'm up for one or more self paired games.

James Schaefer - 8 kyu.

[psk31]

Monday started off with a dud. When I had left Saturday night I had noticed that they had me down for the wrong bye day (Monday instead of Sunday) and I made the correction on the form. Well the corrections didn't make it to the TD staff and I got paired for yesterday and ended up with the bye for today. Bummer. Got to vent a little (and politely) to one of the TD staff. Cleared up the misunderstanding. So I ended up with a teaching game this morning with a member of the Congress staff which was good.

Did have a couple of L19 sightings today which was very cool. Met with T Mark Hall and bought the GoGod cd and while Mark was showing me some things the program would do, up came daniel_the_smith.

After lunch I went to a lecture by Ryo Maeda (6P). At least I was able to follow the major ideas he was talking about. Now applying that knowledge is another story. And after that I did manage to get a self-pair game with a 12K with a 9 stone handicap. We played too long (I should have resigned after I lost one of my corners) but we were having a fun game. And he did show me how to do the counting and after seeing it I can't imagine why I thought it was so difficult.

So with the mix-up on my Open scheduling I now have a solid hold on last place!

[kokomi]

Wow, so nice to meet up ppl in real. So finally what rank did you register on? 20k?

[psk31]

Wow, so nice to meet up ppl in real. So finally what rank did you register on? 20k?

Oh no, not going to get myself in that much trouble. Registered at 30K.

[psk31]

Today was my first Open match, my opponent was a 25K and I had a 5 stone handicap. I wish I had tried to record this game if for no other reason to try to understand why my opponent resigned. The only reason I can think of was he was under time pressure and probably thought he couldn't accomplish what he needed to do with the remaining time. He did take a long time to think between moves. I do have a picture of the final board on my cell phone and will post it or at least an sgf of the board later. But it was a win and I no longer have a hold on last place (I think). Actually whatever little ego inflation I had after the win was quickly deflated in a self-pair match with a 17K and a 9 stone handicap. It was really ugly toward the end. He made some key moves in byo-yomi time that just dismantled me.

I really need to start trying to record my games so I can figure out what happened. My opponent in the self-pair was using his iPad to record our game today.

Additionally, went to Ryo Maeda's lecture series. The fun part is at the end when there were two door prizes to be given away and it's not Go related to determine the winner. It's an audience against instructor in a game of rock, paper, scissors. After that I attended the Kyu game analysis session to see the comments of the pros while they reviewed the opening moves of several games today. Any little piece of information I can soak up can only help in the long run.

Tomorrow is the free day for trips, etc. I'll probably still go down for a little while to see if I can catch some self-pair or teaching games.

[Kirby]

I want to say that I find your posts in this thread interesting, psk31. I'm not at go congress, but I can feel like I'm there a little bit. I feel like you are enjoying your time at Congress - I'm not sure if it's the case or not, but it's the feeling I get when I read your posts.

[BrianB]

Maeda ambushed us just outside and asked if we wanted our game reviewed. Holy cow, a pro review of our 9 kyu game?! Of course!! So we replayed it as far as we could on a magnetic demo board they had set up and it was awesome. Other people coming out sat down to watch - we felt like heroes or something. It was awesome.

Maeda's a really nice guy, after his lectures he wanders around the main hall for an hour, walking up to random tables and reviewing games.

[psk31]

I want to say that I find your posts in this thread interesting, psk31. I'm not at go congress, but I can feel like I'm there a little bit.

Thanks Kirby, I am enjoying my time there. Learning lots, getting some face-to-face games which I never get to do, and just soaking in the environment. I just wished there were more beginners there in the 30K-20K range, as far as I know there are only about 3 or 4 of us in that band. Trying to get reasonable self-pair games have been a challenge since the maximum handicap is 9 stones and no reverse komi.

No report from today, since it was a free day I decided to stay home and get some house chores done and get GoGod loaded on the laptop. Will be back at it tomorrow!

[Chew Terr]

If you do end up recording any games, I don't mind reviewing one or two for you.