Recording games

[zarzamora]

Earlier today I posted two photos of games I had played earlier this morning. I noted that I hadn't recorded them, so there was no way to elaborate on exactly what happened on the board. That said...

I do have some blank recording sheets, I believe, and I'm wondering what the best way to do that would be. Making circles with move numbers is one thing. But what about areas that have been captured multiple times or where a ko fight was played? Seems like it could get a bit messy on paper. I know that one option is to have a computer nearby and create an sgf. But I feel like that would be distracting not only for me, but for the people I'm playing with. Keeping track on a sheet would be easier...and I'd have less to carry around with me.

I know there must be conventions for dealing with the game aspects that I've mentioned without making a mess of your recording. Has anyone else ever done this by hand before?

[Li Kao]

I think you note those moves below the diagram as "17 on 5" when move 17 is on the same point as move 5 was.

[LocoRon]

I know some people do this. Personally, I cannot record a game while playing it. I tried a couple times at a club meeting once. The results were catastrophic. When I remember to record each move, my reading and focus on the game was heavily impaired, and when I was focusing on the game as much as I should have been, I forgotten to record whole sequences, leading me to frantically catching up the record. All in all, it severely affected my games, and I will never try it again.

Playing the game back from memory may be too much to ask for now, but if having a record of all your games is that important, perhaps you could ask someone else (not your opponent) to record the game, and offer to record their game in exchange?

As for how to actually do it; as I understand it, use two different colored pens or pencils to record the move numbers, and mark the move number for kos below the diagram (as Li Kao mentioned already).

[Shaddy]

the way i do it: for black stones, just write the move number. for white stones, write the move no. and circle it.

[prokofiev]

See http://senseis.xmp.net/?GameRecord and http://senseis.xmp.net/?HowToRecordAGame

[Dusk Eagle]

When I record kifu of my games, I do it the way Kaga tells Shindou to do it in Hikaru no Go: for black stones, simply write the move number with a black pen, and for white stones, write the move number with a red pen. I find that this makes it very easy to see the board position and to follow the moves. I also use just standard grid paper and create the board on it myself, rather than trying to acquire any fancy kifu paper.

[hyperpape]

Tip from my days as a debater: tape two pens together, heads facing in opposite directions. Then you can just spin the pen.

[zarzamora]

Tip from my days as a debater: tape two pens together, heads facing in opposite directions. Then you can just spin the pen.

LOL. That's fantastic. I love it.

[zarzamora]

When I record kifu of my games, I do it the way Kaga tells Shindou to do it in Hikaru no Go: for black stones, simply write the move number with a black pen, and for white stones, write the move number with a red pen. I find that this makes it very easy to see the board position and to follow the moves. I also use just standard grid paper and create the board on it myself, rather than trying to acquire any fancy kifu paper.

I used to use grid paper too, then I found this pre-designed paper...I'm not sure where...and it's been great. But the black and red pen thing--I'll definitely do that. At least I'll have a reason to use all my red pens now.

[k1ndofblue]

If you have a itouch or iphone you can use SmartGo.

[kirkmc]

If you have a itouch or iphone you can use SmartGo.

Or an iPad. I did it yesterday, when playing a rare face-to-face game.

[palapiku]

Use a pencil, because you will screw up.

[mohsart]

The screw ups are typically not noted until many moves later, so using a pencil helps very very little, also trying to "fix" them during the game will definitely ruin your focus.
I'd suggest the cheapest palmtop available, if you don't need it for something else as well.
Back when I recorded my games I used the cheapest Palm Pilot that then, around 2004, cost me SEK 700:- or so new (~€70/$100 I guess, but possibly cheaper in the US.)
Or any equipment that you already have, of course, like a cell phone.

/Mats

[palapiku]

I have a real kifu book I got in China, so I sort of feel obliged to use it (didn't need it for a year but will definitely use it at the tournament in September).
I didn't find it terribly difficult or distracting. On the other hand I did screw up majorly, such as writing 62 instead of 72 and never noticing, so that I had ten numbers appear twice.

[zarzamora]

I have a real kifu book I got in China, so I sort of feel obliged to use it (didn't need it for a year but will definitely use it at the tournament in September).
I didn't find it terribly difficult or distracting. On the other hand I did screw up majorly, such as writing 62 instead of 72 and never noticing, so that I had ten numbers appear twice.

LOL. That sounds like something I would do. Hopefully the correct move was obvious by the board layout?