Making Go digestible?

[Keith White]

I'm also a go newbie.

I have started with the Janice Kim series and am currently into book 2.

I have just ordered a physical set but, I play 9X9 and 13X13 games against 'weak' engines to try to practice what I'm reading.

To be honest, in 9X9, you don't see the tactics and structures that are described in ( the books I'm reading ) but in 13X13 they DO come up. You, sorry, I often don't see the chances as i'm not reading the game so well.

But I reckon I'm slowly getting better.

This despite me playing chess, shogi (and a few variants) and i thought the latter was tough.
I guess it was but after learning the pieces, moves, drops, promotions etc, you add strategy a little at a time until you formulate a game plan.

I find go, drops you straight in the strategy and tactics zone from the first stone and I don't mind admitting, at times, I have struggled with it's concepts.

However, every now and then, by choosing ONE simple path and not flitting from book to book, trying to attack 19X19 games, even looking at joseki (unlike shogi where you rely on it from the off pretty much), I'm making what I feel is steady, but still weak progress. However, the mass of black and white is starting to make sense and, I wake up dreaming about the damn game so something somewhere is sinking in.

So, my advice is KIS, Keep it Simple.