A beginner's journal of little interest

[Boidhre]

Seriously, at this point in your go career, you could go up 4 - 5 stones in one week.

I know a few people for whom that was true, or close to true, but I don't think I have that natural talent to be honest. Too many beginner mistakes.

[EdLee]

[Boidhre]

Thank you for the review Ed, some valuable insights for me there.

[Bill Spight]

Seriously, at this point in your go career, you could go up 4 - 5 stones in one week.

I know a few people for whom that was true, or close to true, but I don't think I have that natural talent to be honest. Too many beginner mistakes.

I must disagree. You show a good bit of natural talent. That is one thing that has attracted so many players to your journal.

[Boidhre]

Seriously, at this point in your go career, you could go up 4 - 5 stones in one week.

I know a few people for whom that was true, or close to true, but I don't think I have that natural talent to be honest. Too many beginner mistakes.

I must disagree. You show a good bit of natural talent. That is one thing that has attracted so many players to your journal.

Thanks Bill.

[Bill Spight]

Some comments.



Edit: Added variations at 206 and 213.

[Boidhre]

Thanks again Bill.

[Boidhre]

For reference, W is completely alive below. It pays to learn this basic shape, so that you do not have to read it out every time it occurs in one of your games.

$$Alive
$$ --------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Alive
$$ --------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

I'm still struggling with this one by the way mitsun, admittedly on and off as the mood takes me. I'm trying to see why Black can't force the ko here with the same move order and am missing something basic.

[EdLee]

trying to see why Black can't force the ko

Do you mean ?

$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . 1 |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . 1 |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

Or this --

$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

It's pretty annoying:

[Loons]

For reference, W is completely alive below. It pays to learn this basic shape, so that you do not have to read it out every time it occurs in one of your games.

$$Alive
$$ --------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Alive
$$ --------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

I'm still struggling with this one by the way mitsun, admittedly on and off as the mood takes me. I'm trying to see why Black can't force the ko here with the same move order and am missing something basic.

Not so much missing something basic as missing something fancy and stylish. Under NZ rules black would have one more ko threat here.

[Boidhre]

trying to see why Black can't force the ko

Do you mean ?

$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . 1 |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . 1 |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

Or this --

$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ -----------------
$$ . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . X . X O . O |
$$ . . . . X X O . |
$$ . . . . . . X . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |[/go]

It's pretty annoying:

The second Ed.

[Boidhre]

Now I'm a 7k? This is getting silly, the local KGS 7k crushes me in even games. I'm going to try and play more so my rank settles down somewhat.

Anyway, my first game at 8k.



Edit: Bad sgf first time around, fixed now I think.

[Boidhre]

More and more I become more comfortable and confident in even games and more aware of my weaknesses in handicap games. I'm not sure if it's because I enjoy even games more or because of a lack of exposure to handicap games that aren't very high handicap (until recently, everyone else at the club was either 9 stones+ stronger or 9 stones weaker than me). Has anyone any advice about handicap games in general? Should I look to study this area?

[Bill Spight]

Has anyone any advice about handicap games in general? Should I look to study this area?

The usual advice is to play a 2 stone game pretty much like an even game. When taking 4 stones or more, attack like hell. When giving 4 stones or more, try to make the game close.

BTW, I have added a couple of variations to the previous game at #411.

[Boidhre]

Thanks Bill.