Coming back after a long break.

Talk about improving your game, resources you like, games you played, etc.
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alephzero
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Coming back after a long break.

Post by alephzero »

Hi guys, I hope I write this post in a good place and you'll help me with a tough problem I have. The thing is that I haven't played Go for two years due to various reasons (the one of them of the lack of enough time to do this properly) :oops: . But now I want to come back to this beautiful game and get strong as I was in the most quick and effective way. My highest rank on KGS was 6 kyu, I don't have 'real' rank. So I ask you for help. What should I do to recall this everything. I know that I have to play. It is an obvious fact for me and I gonna play a lot but I think I need also a lot of problems, tsumego, tesuji etc. and some theory materials. What would you recommend? I can say I learn very quickly (if only I have time) and I'm determinated to do this everything in improve my Go skills regularly.

Thank you for all advices written below.
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EdLee
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Post by EdLee »

Welcome back.

If your budget allows, find a good-level pro who is also a good teacher.

Otherwise, there are nice people here and on KGS and elsewhere
to give you "free" advice. Usually, you get what you pay for.
alephzero wrote:I want to come back to this beautiful game and get strong as I was in the most quick and effective way.
This is a big open question, with many aspects.
Depends on what you mean by "quick and effective."
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SoDesuNe
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Re:

Post by SoDesuNe »

EdLee wrote:If your budget allows, find a good-level pro who is also a good teacher.
This and/or my favourite: goproblems.com (maybe the book 'Attack and Defense' can't hurt, too).

Showing some of your games here for reviewing is also a good idea.
alephzero
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Re: Coming back after a long break.

Post by alephzero »

EdLee wrote:If your budget allows, find a good-level pro who is also a good teacher.
That's the problem because my budget doesn't allow me to be teached by a pro. I know that the only way is to find kind people here or on KGS and ask them to e.g. comment my games. I have some ideas what to do and I ask you what do you think about it, would you add something or resign from.
1. Playing. This is obvious, I'll play on KGS, Tygem and probably WBaduk. The thing is that I do not 'feel' the game as I did in the past that causes a lot of wrong decisions I wouldn't make then. At the beginning it may be difficult to even analyse my games deeply so I need somebody who'll help me with that.
2. Solving problems. I gonna do tsumego from various sources: Cho Chikun's Encyclopedia of Life and Death, Get Strong at Life and Death and other thing I'll buy of find online. I'm not a big fan of goproblems.com but I'll use it too. I gonna do other problems (tesuji, making good shape, etc.) too.
3. Reading theory books. I have Attack and defense by Davies I'll read it again. I think I have to recall some basic josekis and principles of fuseki. I look for recommendations. ;-)
4. Reading pro games. I think it won't be a problem to find such games commented and analysed by pro.

What do you think about that? And I have one more question: are there any Go video lectures available online for free?
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EdLee
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Post by EdLee »

alephzero wrote:are there any Go video lectures available online for free?
There are various "free" videos online.
As always, your mileage may vary (i.e. how to tell if the information is
good, average, or erroneous [even if it's from a pro] ? )
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Re: Coming back after a long break.

Post by Aidoneus »

alephzero wrote:And I have one more question: are there any Go video lectures available online for free?
Perhaps you would find the youtube lectures by Nick Sibicky (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_msct ... M8yAtaju1A) and Joshua Lee (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYIiY ... mS9ClnKddQ) a good start.
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Re: Coming back after a long break.

Post by gowan »

In most cases where some acquired skill has not been used or practiced for some time when a person resumes the activity the conceptual understanding remains but the execution suffers. I agree with Ed Lee that getting an excellent teacher is a good idea. But my own experience is that just playing serious games will bring you back fairly quickly. You will still understand why moves are good or bad so the "unconscious" use of correct style will come back after some playing. How long depends on how often you play. Don't be fixated on your rank. If you play at a level below your best from before just see it as a step on the path to recovery. Maybe you'll surge past your former 6k rank in the process. :)

P.S. You can't go wrong with Otake's Opening Theory Made Easy
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