39. Magicwand (3d) vs. Kirby (1d)

[Kirby]

I think I have a good move, but I am calculating a bit.

[Harleqin]

[...] and I wouldn't like below:

$$Bcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not? I would love my opponent to play that ! You play the kosumi and White has no real response.

[topazg]

For magicwand, Kirby, and anyone who wants to read my slightly alcohol-induced situation that have brought these rambles to the surface:

The further I have watched magicwand, the more I entirely endorse the spirit in which he plays. Even though I think his moves are overplayish a lot of the time, and his confidence a bit too unreasonably high, the truth is that playing because you believe you can win the game with every stone you play is vital in Go.

My game improved enormously when I started treating even games against the local 4 dan as games I could win. Regardless of my actual play, move 2 started with the attitude "I will win this game, or lose it because my moves today just weren't good enough. I'm not going to lose because I don't think I can win". If I played Lee Sedol, I would play to win from the very beginning. Sure, I most likely wouldn't, but I'd play as if I could, and keep going until resigning was the correct choice. Never would I play just to minimise my loss and keep face, nor would I play a high handicap stone in the hope to just hold on to them. If I had a 9 stone handicap stone game against a top pro, I'd cut, surround, divide, fight, and try to play as if it was a 20 kyu. I think magicwand would too, and I want to say that I see it as a very positive characteristic.

As an aside, if Kirby did too, I think he'd gain 2 stones of strength. He needs to stop looking after his groups all the time, and start making magicwand look after his groups. Even if it is overplay, steal eye-shape, chase groups, make them run, make them quake in their boots, kick them in the teeth, die a glorious way knowing that you threw your kitchen sink, carpet, household pets and front door at the fight. That, or you suddenly find out just how strong you are and win - but at least find out

[Kirby]

For magicwand, Kirby, and anyone who wants to read my slightly alcohol-induced situation that have brought these rambles to the surface:

The further I have watched magicwand, the more I entirely endorse the spirit in which he plays. Even though I think his moves are overplayish a lot of the time, and his confidence a bit too unreasonably high, the truth is that playing because you believe you can win the game with every stone you play is vital in Go.

My game improved enormously when I started treating even games against the local 4 dan as games I could win. Regardless of my actual play, move 2 started with the attitude "I will win this game, or lose it because my moves today just weren't good enough. I'm not going to lose because I don't think I can win". If I played Lee Sedol, I would play to win from the very beginning. Sure, I most likely wouldn't, but I'd play as if I could, and keep going until resigning was the correct choice. Never would I play just to minimise my loss and keep face, nor would I play a high handicap stone in the hope to just hold on to them. If I had a 9 stone handicap stone game against a top pro, I'd cut, surround, divide, fight, and try to play as if it was a 20 kyu. I think magicwand would too, and I want to say that I see it as a very positive characteristic.

As an aside, if Kirby did too, I think he'd gain 2 stones of strength. He needs to stop looking after his groups all the time, and start making magicwand look after his groups. Even if it is overplay, steal eye-shape, chase groups, make them run, make them quake in their boots, kick them in the teeth, die a glorious way knowing that you threw your kitchen sink, carpet, household pets and front door at the fight. That, or you suddenly find out just how strong you are and win - but at least find out

You write quite well when you are induced by alcohol.

[Magicwand]

For magicwand, Kirby, and anyone who wants to read my slightly alcohol-induced situation that have brought these rambles to the surface:

The further I have watched magicwand, the more I entirely endorse the spirit in which he plays. Even though I think his moves are overplayish a lot of the time, and his confidence a bit too unreasonably high, the truth is that playing because you believe you can win the game with every stone you play is vital in Go.

My game improved enormously when I started treating even games against the local 4 dan as games I could win. Regardless of my actual play, move 2 started with the attitude "I will win this game, or lose it because my moves today just weren't good enough. I'm not going to lose because I don't think I can win". If I played Lee Sedol, I would play to win from the very beginning. Sure, I most likely wouldn't, but I'd play as if I could, and keep going until resigning was the correct choice. Never would I play just to minimise my loss and keep face, nor would I play a high handicap stone in the hope to just hold on to them. If I had a 9 stone handicap stone game against a top pro, I'd cut, surround, divide, fight, and try to play as if it was a 20 kyu. I think magicwand would too, and I want to say that I see it as a very positive characteristic.

As an aside, if Kirby did too, I think he'd gain 2 stones of strength. He needs to stop looking after his groups all the time, and start making magicwand look after his groups. Even if it is overplay, steal eye-shape, chase groups, make them run, make them quake in their boots, kick them in the teeth, die a glorious way knowing that you threw your kitchen sink, carpet, household pets and front door at the fight. That, or you suddenly find out just how strong you are and win - but at least find out

now i wanna have some alchole too. thank you for reminding me that it is a weekend.

edit: wow..good beer!!

[Chew Terr]

Man, now I want something to drink AND I want to play an even game with someone a lot stronger or weaker than myself. =D

[Harleqin]

$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , W . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , W . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White has now played two peeps and one extension from his strongest side. All black has to do is jump with his weakest group, and then either split up the right side or cut on the left. He may even just play a big move on the top side, staring violently on the white weaknesses.

[Kirby]

$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . B . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . B . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I have some plans, but first I want to jump out with my group. This is mostly so that white doesn't seal me in.

White can't make a ton of points on the right side anyway.

[Magicwand]

$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . W . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . W . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

[Kirby]

$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Well, I want to attack one his stones so that I can get the initiative. By the way, it was kind of sloppy, but I was planning on cutting here if black played elsewhere for the last move:

$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O a . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . B O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . b . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: W=0, B=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O a . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . B O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . b . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

and if white played "a", I could play "b". There is still some aji left in his group, but I won't deal with it yet. It might be helpful if my center group comes under a more serious attack.

[Harleqin]

[...] I was planning on cutting here if black played elsewhere for the last move:

$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O a . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . B O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . b . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O a . . . . , O . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . B O . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . b . . X O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . X O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . . O . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . X . O X O O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

and if white played "a", I could play "b".

This is the wrong way to cut. First of all, Black should start at 'a' directly, for a much better shape. Note that the ladder is good for Black. Second, if he does cut this way (which he should only after reading out that the other cut does not work), he should cut through directly instead of playing 'b'.

[SpongeBob]

To observers:

In playing these games, I am kind of curious: What makes me different than Magicwand? I guess you can get a feel for how I play vs. how he plays.

I have always thought that go is all about reading. When I lose games online, I often feel I have been outread... But I don't get this feeling with the Malkovich games, but sometimes I still end up behind...

What is the difference between Magicwand and me in this regard? Is there something other than reading that I am strategically weak at? Any patterns?

People brought up emotions before. Anything else? ... Or is it really all just reading, and I am not reading as well as I think I am?

P.S. If you read this and respond with a comment I can read, please address it "To Kirby", so I know I can read it.

Lot of people are mentioning psychological aspects. But I think this is overrated. There is a nice quote from Kageyama's book: "Recall the words of Yukichi Fukuzawa: 'Confidence is born of strength, and strength of confidence.'" Well, Magicwand has both and you are - in comparison to him - kind of missing both. I hope that this does not sound offending. You are a nice person, which makes people think you are easily attacked psychologically. But I think the reason for you losing these games - well, not this one, I'm confident - is plainly that he is the far more experienced and complete player. (I wonder why he is only KGS 3d - seems stronger to me ... but what can a 4 kyu tell ) Surely, you feel frightened by the white stones - but who wouldn't, given what he can do with them. I think you have to plainly learn from your mistakes. I would not think too much about that psychological thing. Again: Confidence is born of strength, and strength of confidence.

[Kirby]

I'm really curious now, SpongeBob. Was that a response that I can read right now?

[SpongeBob]

I'm really curious now, SpongeBob. Was that a response that I can read right now?

Sorry about that - yes, go ahead.

[ketchup]

To observers:

In playing these games, I am kind of curious: What makes me different than Magicwand? I guess you can get a feel for how I play vs. how he plays.

I have always thought that go is all about reading. When I lose games online, I often feel I have been outread... But I don't get this feeling with the Malkovich games, but sometimes I still end up behind...

What is the difference between Magicwand and me in this regard? Is there something other than reading that I am strategically weak at? Any patterns?

People brought up emotions before. Anything else? ... Or is it really all just reading, and I am not reading as well as I think I am?

P.S. If you read this and respond with a comment I can read, please address it "To Kirby", so I know I can read it.

To Kirby:

I'd like to see if it really is doubt which is causing you trouble.. How do you think about what to play? I want to see if you like this idea I'm thinking of. It might be a bit hard to explain what I mean, but here goes:

You should take the first intuitive response, and compare it only to your last "best" response you get after hours/minutes/seconds? of reading. I'd wonder if sometimes, some moves get discarded too early, and so never get a second look. To me, it feels like you are trying very hard not to play the intuitive moves, and so you throw them away too early(maybe). So, I'd like to see if going back to the first move helps with your issue.