14k v's 3 Dan:

[BobC]

I don't play Go much- I think I've played a total of 20 games in my life on a full board... just read about it and watch. However, I offerred a challenge to a 3 Dan in our department (he played a lot in China and is quite OC about the game). The result is what follows:

(;FF[4]GM[1]SZ[19]AP[SGFC:1.16]

GN[yang-BobC-59-20101201]
PB[Bob (BobC)]
BR[14 kyu]
HA[4]
PW[Yang (yang)]
WR[3 dan]
KM[6.5]
DT[2010-11-25,2010-12-01]
PC[Go Server: http://www.xxxxxxxxxx/]
OT[Japanese byoyomi: 30 days + 1 day per move and 10 extra periods]

RU[Japanese]
GC[Game ID: 59, rated]

AB[pj][pp][dp][pd]PL[W];W[dd]MN[1];B[fc];W[nq];B[kq];W[qq];B[qp]
;W[pq];B[ql];W[op];B[rp];W[qf];B[rd];W[qi];B[qj];W[pi];B[oi]
;W[oh];B[ri];W[rh];B[rj];W[ni];B[nj];W[oj];B[ok];W[mj];B[nk]
;W[nc];B[dj];W[qc];B[hq];W[jd];B[cg];W[fd];B[ef];W[ec];B[dm]
;W[cq];B[cp];W[dq];B[eq];W[er];B[fq];W[fr];B[gr];W[bp];B[bo]
;W[bq];B[eo];W[pn];B[qn];W[gf];B[fh];W[hh];B[gj];W[ij];B[ik]
;W[jk];B[il];W[pc];B[ll];W[rq];B[oo];W[no];B[on];W[nn];B[nm]
;W[lp];B[hd];W[gc];B[if];W[hf];B[ig];W[ih];B[ki];W[ji];B[kj]
;W[kh];B[mi];W[mh];B[li];W[lh];B[kk];W[cd];B[be];W[bd];B[kn]
;W[kp];B[jp];W[jo];B[mp];W[mo];B[lq];W[jq];B[ip];W[jr];B[ko]
;W[lo];B[jn];W[ao];B[bn];W[an];B[am];W[ap];B[bl];W[sp];B[so]
;W[sq];B[rn];W[bf];B[bg];W[cf];B[df];W[ce];B[jj];W[hj];B[hk]
;W[gi];B[fi];W[oi];B[ir];W[lr];B[mc];W[kc];B[nd];W[od];B[le]
;W[md];B[ld];W[ne];B[fe];W[gd];B[ge];W[he];B[hc];W[ie];B[hg]
;W[gg];B[ln];W[om];B[po];W[mm];B[nl];W[mn];B[lm];W[ag];B[ah]
;W[af];B[bi];W[sh];B[si];W[fg];B[eg])

I guess this is a case of at what point in the game did I do anything right (apart from resigning)? I do think he was being easy on me....

I've played a little on IGS and Wbaduk (only little boards) - hence my estimated grade..

[Bill Spight]

Welcome to the world of go!

You should play as much as you can with your friend, Mr. Yang. You will learn a lot from him.

Several comments on the early game:

(;GM[1]ST[2]SZ[19]FF[4]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]CA[ISO8859-1]RU[Japanese]KM[6.5]DT[2010-11-25,2010-12-01]PB[Bob (BobC)]FG[259:]BR[14 kyu]GN[yang-BobC-59-20101201]GC[Game ID: 59, rated]PL[W]OT[Japanese byoyomi: 30 days + 1 day per move and 10 extra periods]HA[4]PC[Go Server: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.xxxxxxxxxx/">http://www.xxxxxxxxxx/</a><!-- m -->]AB[pj][dp][pp][pd]PW[Yang (yang)]PM[0]WR[3 dan]
;MN[1]PM[2]W[dd]
;B[fc]
;W[nq]
;B[kq]
;W[qq]
(
;B[qp]C[*** See variation.]
;W[pq]
(
;B[ql]C[*** I wondered about this move. Maybe you have read that you should make this extension from two stones. That is for a different situation, one where you do not already have a stone in this area, and one where your two stones are not so weak. One hint that they are weak is the number of dame they have, only four. Fewer than 5 dame is a danger signal. See variation.]
;W[op]
(
;B[rp]C[*** Good instincts! This not only protects your two stones, it threatens to go into White's corner. See variation.]
;W[qf]
(
;B[rd]C[*** Again, good instincts! You protect the corner while attacking White. See variation.]
;W[qi]
;B[qj]
;W[pi]
;B[oi]C[*** Good! Hane at the head of two stones.]
;W[oh]
(
;B[ri]C[*** Another good play. See variation.]
;W[rh]
;B[rj]
;W[ni]
(
;B[nj]C[*** An interesting idea. But see variation.]
;W[oj]
;B[ok]
;W[mj]
;B[nk]
;W[nc]
;B[dj]C[*** Good instincts! A lot of people would try to save the stones in the top right corner, and only end up making White strong. Your willingness to sacrifce the corner bodes well for your advancement.]
;W[qc]
(
;B[hq]C[*** See variaton.]
;W[jd]
;B[cg]
;W[fd]
(
;B[ef]C[*** Unlike your sacrifice of the top right corner, here White is not so strong, and Black is. In additon, this move is not big, so you get little for the sacrifice. See variaton.]
;W[ec]
(
;B[dm]C[*** Poor instincts. You are just nailing down some territory. Better to nail down territory by fighting. See variation.]
;W[cq]
;B[cp]
;W[dq]
;B[eq]
;W[er]
;B[fq]
;W[fr]
;B[gr]
;W[bp]
;B[bo]
;W[bq]
;B[eo]
;W[pn]
;B[qn]
;W[gf]
;B[fh]
;W[hh]
;B[gj]
;W[ij]
;B[ik]
;W[jk]
;B[il]
;W[pc]
;B[ll]
;W[rq]
;B[oo]
;W[no]
;B[on]
;W[nn]
;B[nm]
;W[lp]
;B[hd]
;W[gc]
;B[if]
;W[hf]
;B[ig]
;W[ih]
;B[ki]
;W[ji]
;B[kj]
;W[kh]
;B[mi]
;W[mh]
;B[li]
;W[lh]
;B[kk]
;W[cd]
;B[be]
;W[bd]
;B[kn]
;W[kp]
;B[jp]
;W[jo]
;B[mp]
;W[mo]
;B[lq]
;W[jq]
;B[ip]
;W[jr]
;B[ko]
;W[lo]
;B[jn]
;W[ao]
;B[bn]
;W[an]
;B[am]
;W[ap]
;B[bl]
;W[sp]
;B[so]
;W[sq]
;B[rn]
;W[bf]
;B[bg]
;W[cf]
;B[df]
;W[ce]
;B[jj]
;W[hj]
;B[hk]
;W[gi]
;B[fi]
;W[oi]
;B[ir]
;W[lr]
;B[mc]
;W[kc]
;B[nd]
;W[od]
;B[le]
;W[md]
;B[ld]
;W[ne]
;B[fe]
;W[gd]
;B[ge]
;W[he]
;B[hc]
;W[ie]
;B[hg]
;W[gg]
;B[ln]
;W[om]
;B[po]
;W[mm]
;B[nl]
;W[mn]
;B[lm]
;W[ag]
;B[ah]
;W[af]
;B[bi]
;W[sh]
;B[si]
;W[fg]
;B[eg]
)
(
;B[gf]C[*** Go ahead and sacrifice the single stone.]
;W[hd]
;B[jj]L[mi]C[*** But then make a large framework. White can invade, of course, but Black should end up with the bulk of the territory. Remember, make territory by fighting. Also, this move threatens the indicated cut at N-11. The resultant fight is complicated, so, as a practical matter, Black should perhaps not make it right away, but it is a play to keep in mind. End of comments.]
)

)
(
;B[gd]
;W[fe]
;B[dc]
;W[ec]
;B[eb]
;W[ed]
;B[gb]
;W[cc]
;B[db]C[*** There is plenty of room for Black to live.]
)

)
(
;B[cf]C[*** Attack!]
)

)
(
;B[oj]L[nh][ph][qh]C[*** This play not only saves the Black stone, a minor consideration in itself, it threatens cuts at the indicated points. Hmmm. The points do not show up. They are O-12, Q-12, and R-12.]
)

)
(
;B[nh]C[*** At this point in the game the center is more important than a few points on the second line. For one thing, because of the strength Black already has on the side, he can afford to make such an enterprising play. ]
;W[og]
;B[ni]C[*** Black is quite strong towards the center. We call this play thick. Thick is good. Black will not necessarily make territory in the center, but is prepared for further fighting.]
)

)
(
;B[qe]C[*** This attack is called a kick.]
;C[*** It induces this play, which makes White heavy. White has invested another stone, and it is more difficult to throw these two stones away than a single stone. ]W[pf]
;B[nd]C[*** Black continues the attack while making what is nearly territory.]
)

)
(
;B[cf]C[*** Saving two stones in the bottom right corner is not big, since White is already strong there. Better to attack White here now.]
)

)
(
;B[op]C[*** This strengthens your stones, and threatens the White stones. It would be very good for White to play here, which White did in the game. At this point you may not see the Black threat, but you can see that the two White stones in the corner have only four dame. For the threat, see the continuation after White passes.]
;W[tt]
;B[oq]
;W[or]
;B[nr]C[*** This is a sacrifice stone. Divide and conquer!]
(
;W[mr]
;B[pr]
;W[ns]
;B[qr]C[Now the White corner stones are dead. See continuation if White tries to run.]
;W[rq]
;B[rr]
;W[rp]
;B[ro]C[*** White has only 2 dame to Black's 4. White cannot win a fight over these stones.]
)
(
;W[pr]
;B[mr]C[*** The single White stone is virtually captured, and White stll has to live in the corner. Also, the White corner is completely enclosed. Very bad for White.]
)

)

)
(
;B[pq]C[*** Consistent with your previous play. Do not make it easy for White. Divide and conquer!]
;W[qp]
;B[po]
;W[pr]
;B[or]
;W[qr]
;B[oq]
;W[qn]
;B[pn]C[***Along with your stone on the right side, you can build a strong wall.]
;W[qm]
;B[pm]
;W[ql]
;B[ok]
)

)

Main points:

Your willingness to sacrifice is very good. You will go far.

But you need to show more fighting spirit. Don't just try to nail down territory by yourself. That is very inefficient. Attack White, threaten to attack. Make territory by fighting.

Good luck!

[topazg]

Bill, do you have students at all? I think you would make a genuinely excellent Go teacher, your points and principles are so well made.

[BobC]

brilliant comments Bill..I spent a good half hour reading through them...

As to impact.... already Dr Yang has tried a variant of move six ( my first weakness) on our present game... I've done the division bit... 200 moves left...

[Bill Spight]

Bill, do you have students at all? I think you would make a genuinely excellent Go teacher, your points and principles are so well made.

Many thanks, Gosei! I have had students in the past, OC.

And I see that your go teaching efforts are bearing fruit.

[Ribab]

I think that the play at 48 was not needed and could have been used to take the middle.

[topazg]

Bill, do you have students at all? I think you would make a genuinely excellent Go teacher, your points and principles are so well made.

Many thanks, Gosei! I have had students in the past, OC.

And I see that your go teaching efforts are bearing fruit.

Heh, I'd like to think so, but it's always hard to know

One thing's for sure, teaching really opens your eyes to just how much you don't know!