No-one wants to play Go!

[shapenaji]

If you're having issues where you're easily winning, try playing while talking about the logic behind every move. You won't be able to hoodwink them, because they'll know exactly what you're thinking. Getting to see your thought process can be a huge jump for them

[Mark356]

If you're having issues where you're easily winning, try playing while talking about the logic behind every move. You won't be able to hoodwink them, because they'll know exactly what you're thinking. Getting to see your thought process can be a huge jump for them

Not the OP, but I'm guessing this is general advice. I've tried this a few times, from each side. The first time was in a club, IRL, with a player who was about 4 stones stronger than me-- we talked through the whole game. I'd ask questions like "Are you really that worried about those 4 stones?" after almost every move, and he'd answer describing what his actual goals were. I found it really helpful, because usually his reasons for playing a stone, and the directions he intended them to support, were completely different from how I'd seen things. I ended up responding to a lot of moves from directions I wouldn't have thought of, and ended up winning by about 30 points.

Another time I played someone in a club about 10 stones stronger than me, specifying that I wanted to talk through the whole game in the same way, he did give me a lot of useful suggestions and comments. It was very useful to be able to ask questions-- I still remember his recommendation for the optimal development from a 2-point stretch-- but at the same time, it was difficult getting recommendations about responses from someone that much stronger than me. It almost felt more like I were watching the game than actually playing it at times.

Another time was online, playing someone at least 10 stones weaker than me. I tried to do the same thing, explaining to him the motivation for each move, and some of the possible answers. It felt really awkward, because first, it took just so ridiculously long-- I let him take back moves whenever he wanted, and we chatted over almost every move-- and secondly, because he was so unused to go that he made a lot of very limp moves. I didn't want to beat him by too much, particularly when I was supposed to be giving him the advantage, and it was a struggle to find moves that weren't entirely bad but that still left the weaknesses that I wanted him to find ways to attack. In the end he won by about 20 points, but I didn't feel quite satisfied.

I've taken many teaching games and game reviews from stronger players online, but I don't think I've ever had one in that talking format. It's just so much easier to play the game and then go over the issues, if it's online. Talking games are difficult from both sides: from the stronger side, because each stone can have so many purposes and can carry so many implied threats, and you don't want to overwhelm the other person by trying to explain the full meaning of a move-- and from the weaker side, because it's hard to know what to ask or how to use the information you get.

I suppose what it comes down to is an endorsement of Malkovich games-- maybe it's easier in that format. But I definitely think that talking about the logic behind every move is easier said than done!