Life In 19x19

My opponent played some sente dame, and I thought "it's only dame, don't care" and tenukied, and lost 30 points. Then lost the game by 0.5.

This is why I can't have nice things.

No more go until I've stopped being an idiot. On a more serious note, if I'm this sloppy and haphazard with the rest of my life, how do I manage to get anything done? It might explain why I reach the end of each day feeling like I haven't achieved anything.

It's safe to say, we've all been there. And your game of Go is maybe not accidentally called a mirror of your soul ; )

In the end you just have to embrace your mistakes and learn from them. It's hard sure.

I for instance lost one game in a Ko fight because, due to no sound, I though my opponent passed (you see: awesome whole-board-awereness!) and so did I. Jolly me, he just played a Ko-threat I didn't see and which killed a group of mine. In the endgame. In a won game. I think that was my most devastating experience in Go so far =D

This sort of thing used to happen to me a bit, but doesn't really any more (notwithstanding missing serious threats in yose).

Just from having it happen a few times you'll be more careful (like hitting done when your opponent has just unmarked a small group and hit done).


Tangentially, I find it's worth making the effort to, when playing go only be playing go (no browser windows or conversations running elsewhere).

I think it's laziness. Once I'm winning, I'm no longer concentrating on the game, I'm concentrating on ending the game. I would never do something as silly as playing 1-point moves or dame before the end of the game even if they were huge sente (if I'm so desperate that my only option is to hope my opponent isn't paying attention, I will resign!), so I take it as read that my opponent won't either. Which is silly. Because they might, and they do, and I'm not paying attention.