Ian Butler's Go Journal

[Bill Spight]

Maybe the L+1 group was not killable because of the P4 cut?

I played it out a little bit with Lizzie. If he had haned to play P1 at , I think it works, but it turns into a very complicated fight. Additionally, white is able to develop the cut into a center group that eliminates the value of black's influence. So, black would win the battle but lose the war as they say.

Good point.

BTW, Ian, was the hane at T-05 Lizzie's choice for ? The simple sagari at T-04 threatens to kill the corner (although White may ignore that for the moment) and avoids strengthening White on the right side.

[Ian Butler]

Life and Death
My L&D skills are visibly improving. Doing 15 minutes of L&D really pays off!
If only I'd learn to be more aggressive/less lenient towards groups I might make a big step forward. That is, I think, still one of my biggest weaknesses. I usually make life for my opponent too easy. I contend too easily in taking the outside and let my opponent live on the side/in the corner. That trade is okay, but I shouldn't make it too easy for my opponent neither. And if killing is an option, it should be considered.

Doing L&D in 1001 L&D problems is a lot of fun. I do it 15 minutes every day in my class room (I do this thing where we all read for 15 minutes a day. the kids read a book, I do L&D). Calms me down, makes me focus and, like I said, really improves my reading.

[Ian Butler]

Maybe the L+1 group was not killable because of the P4 cut?

I played it out a little bit with Lizzie. If he had haned to play P1 at , I think it works, but it turns into a very complicated fight. Additionally, white is able to develop the cut into a center group that eliminates the value of black's influence. So, black would win the battle but lose the war as they say.

Good point.

BTW, Ian, was the hane at T-05 Lizzie's choice for ? The simple sagari at T-04 threatens to kill the corner (although White may ignore that for the moment) and avoids strengthening White on the right side.

Actually Leela (I use Leela .11, not Lizzie) also said T-04. But in my review I used T-05 because I understood that move more than the T-04. I think I understand it better now

[Bill Spight]

BTW, Ian, was the hane at T-05 Lizzie's choice for ? The simple sagari at T-04 threatens to kill the corner (although White may ignore that for the moment) and avoids strengthening White on the right side.

Actually Leela (I use Leela .11, not Lizzie) also said T-04. But in my review I used T-05 because I understood that move more than the T-04. I think I understand it better now

One important advantage of reviewing with Leela is that it can show you moves that you did not even think about. That's valuable even without explanation or variations.

In this case you projected Black T-05 - White T-06, Black T-04. At this point I hope that it is now fairly clear that Black T-04 is better in this case. An example of Charles Matthews' "1-2-3 principle". (Or is it his "A-B-C principle"? I forget.) Anyway, if you see a three move sequence, check to see if simply playing the third move is better.

[BlindGroup]

I have an old print of the Cho Chikun book 'All About Life and Death', but I'd definitely appreciate the SGF files you have!

Sent via PM.

[Ian Butler]

I have an old print of the Cho Chikun book 'All About Life and Death', but I'd definitely appreciate the SGF files you have!

Sent via PM.

Much appreciated!

[Ian Butler]

There is no teacher but the enemy. No one but the enemy is going to tell you what the enemy is going to do. No one but the enemy will ever teach you how to destroy and conquer. Only the enemy shows you where you are weak. Only the enemy tells you where he is strong. [...] I am your enemy from now on. From now on I am your teacher.

-- excerpt from Ender's Game

While this quote goes about war, it made me think instantly of Go. Just change the words 'enemy' to 'opponent' and 'destroy and conquer' to ... 'destroy and conquer'

[Ian Butler]

New Books!
Ordered a few new books to dive further into the world of Go.
Most books are less about improving to play myself (they do that, but not very effectively), rather to expand on my Go-lore.

A few books from the 'Master Play, The Style of ...' series:
- Go Seigen
- Takemiya
- Lee Sedol
- Kato Masao & Seo Bong Soo

By John Fairbairn:
- Go Consultants
- Go Companion

Also:
- Attacking and Defending weak groups (newest book in Mastertering the basics of Go series)
- How to play Handicap Go

And an entire tsumego series called:
You won't get dumber thinking. Pocket books tsumego, 8 volumes, ranging from 20 kyu to 3 kyu.

I also ordered my first set of Chinese stones (flat on one side) for analysing purposes and because they are cool
And lastly the Nihon Ki-in 2019 calendar, in which I'll be marking my 2019 Go studies.

2019: Under Construction
So for 2019 I'm going to try a new study theory. I've already talked about it above but I'm trying to make it more concrete. Hopefully I can kick it off starting 1st of January, 2019.

For now, it looks like I'll use a calendar to mark my activities, always for the week to come (no further in the future). Although I'll mark some things earlier in advance, probably.
I'll cross, or mark, the things I did. If I don't manage to do something (because something came between it, or I didn't feel like doing Go that day), it doesn't move up the calender. Instead it's just passed over. Like that. (there are exceptions)

I'll probably also use different categories to make sure the studies are diverse enough to keep interest. In these categories I'll also have different types of study, which I'll try to switch up.
Example: if I have the following 4 sub-categories in Pro Games Study (see below), I might schedule Pro Games Study in once a week, let's say on Thursday. Then I'll probably do: 1st thursday of the month: Shape! 2nd thursday: Counting! and so on.
I can mark these activities far in advance.

Categories I've come up already, but will think on deeper later:

Pro Games Study
1. Shape! = replay quickly, only look at shape or a specific theme.
2. Counting! = replay quickly, analyse board + counting every x moves
3. Next move? = replay but every few moves, come up with 3 possible next moves.
4. Pro Study! = replay with commentary, think about every move, etc.

Book Learning
Only 1 or 2 books at the time. Books like: Attack & Defense.
These activities best marked only a week in advance, progress in books may vary.

Tesuji/L&D Books
Exceptions on the "pass over" rule. If I miss the next lesson in Jump Level Up, or don't do Chapter 5 of Tesuji, I won't pass it over, but do it again. These tasks are to be written down max. 1 week in advance, to make sure I don't make a chore out of it.
- Jump Level Up
- Tesuji

Game Reviews
Review games. These can be:
- games played
- online games by other players

[Ian Butler]

Leela .11 finally rated me 1 Dan for the first time. Obviously the Leela .11 ranks are not very close to the online server ranks or the European, American, Chinese... ranks, but it's still a good sign.
Of course, it still amazes me every time how white can get so in the game with such a big handicap. And when I try that myself, I end up getting killed big time.

L&D, it always comes down to that.

[Ian Butler]

I now officially hate Leela.
I really hate her.

I beat her once with 6 handicap stones. Then she beat me 10 times in a row, bringing me back to 7 stones.
I truly hate her.

Though to be honest I'll probably stop playing her for a while now. While it's "interesting" to have an opponent who punishes every single mistake, it's not really fun anymore. Any keima that can be cut is cut. Every single throw-in that works, she gets right immediately. Every group that CAN die, will die. Every group I might kill, she finds a way to live. Every connection not truly there, she breaks. I can never kill anything of her, she always finds the perfect play to kill my group, disrupt my moyo or whatever.
There's just no winning with her. So off she goes for now :p

[Ian Butler]

Well, I just played a very interesting Blitz game. It was against a 3 kyu on OGS, where I am around 8-9 kyu.
5 minutes main time and 3x15s Byo-Yomi.

I played a very well game up to a point. Analysing with Leela also showed that, even more than I thought during the game. I was ahead most of the time and got quite a lead, even. I managed to take a huge middle and I was like +20 points ahead.
But then, because it was blitz and I was already in the stressfull Byo-Yomi, I totally missed his connection back up to his stones (I was thinking it was a slower endgame move) around move 141, and then my lead slowly evaperated in the endgame.

So all in all a game I can be happy with: I went toe to toe with a 3 kyu and nearly survived, I even did well for a while.

So 141 definitely the losing move. If I cut the connection there, I think I win. Though much of the endgame is against me, that middle is pretty nice.

[Ian Butler]

A wise man is not someone who makes no mistakes. A wise man is one who learns from his mistakes when he sees them.

I'm starting to believe there are many ways to Go and that "efficiency" is only a valid term for people who want to make pro.
For example the entire debate about replaying Pro games. Is it good? Some say playing it slowly is useless, you cannot understand it anyway, so you have to play it fast. Others say it's good.

I'm replaying a lot of pro/strong dan games lately and - while it's probably far from the most efficient way to get stronger - I know it's helping my Go. While I'm doing it, I don't even care about my Go. I'm too enveloped in the game before me. Even if it wouldn't help my Go, I'd still do it.

So like many wise men have said before: do what you want to do.
If you're doing things that are Go-related, chances are you'll improve. Or not. And who cares?

[jlt]

For example the entire debate about replaying Pro games. Is it good? Some say playing it slowly is useless, you cannot understand it anyway, so you have to play it fast. Others say it's good.

I don't know which way is better, but I think that no one completely "understands" a game. At my kyu level I can understand at least one purpose of each move of a pro game, even be impressed by some clever moves, but there are several other moves I would have considered, and I often don't know if/why they are less good. I can also read some variations, but may miss some important variations or consider useless ones. Better players eliminate more bad moves, select more good moves, and read more relevant variations, but no one can claim to know which move is the best, except in rare circumstances.

By the way, I would be curious to know if strong bots agree with what Shuko considers to be the only move.

[Uberdude]

By the way, I would be curious to know if strong bots agree with what Shuko considers to be the only move.

https://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.p ... 72#p235972
https://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.p ... 76#p235976
https://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.p ... 13#p236013

Summary, usually Elf agreed with Shuko when he said the move played in the real game was bad, said his alternative was better (but not always best) for a respectable proportion of problems, but his example continuations quite often overlooked what Elf thought were the best moves, particularly for his opponent (indulgent reading).

[Ian Butler]

I had never before heard of this 'the only move'. They look like 2 books on whole board problems, correct?


Late Middle-game
Concerning strength, I think I play a relatively stable opening and endgame, where I slowly improve to make it better.
My middle-game, however, is prone to much more spread. I'm starting to notice something, that might be true or might just be a coincidence:

The late middle game is where magic happens, or not.
My openings are okay-ish, I'd think. I don't fall behind a lot, don't get ahead too much, just normal. The game gets started and both players start staking out territory or moyo's. All is normal.
But when we hit the point of the late middle-game (like 2nd half of it), meaning where area is really starting to take shape, but before endgame, so when it's not too late just yet, then my game changes depending on the situation.

When I am behind at this point, I sometimes play some of my best Go, trying to get back in the game. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. When I play passively, it probably means I didn't count and am not aware I need something to get back in the game. when I know it, I usually show great fighting spirit, sometimes with results.

But when I am ahead, I play my worst game. I greatly feel that this is my worst aspect at Go at the moment. When I feel/am ahead, I lose some overview of what is still big and I start playing real slow moves. I also get attached to area (that's already mostly decided) and am contend to just close it off. I lose any sharpness and allow too much. Against a stronger opponent, it's usually because I'm afraid to still lose. Against a weaker opponent, it's because I feel I'll win anyway. Either way, it's a mistake and good that I'm aware of it.
So late middle-game, dangerous time for me. Don't lose sharpness, don't lose focus. Keep the eye on big moves! Don't be afraid. Don't be lazy. Don't be arrogant.

Good lessons to learn. Easy to understand. Harder to put into practice