Tami's Way Revisited
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:51 pm
In my latest attempt to break my several-year barrier, I decided to concentrate mainly on mentally solving simple tsumego, along with reading elementary textbooks with help of board and stones.
I wonder if the reason that we are frequently advised to solve easy tsumego is similar to the rationale behind the typical GM's advice to chess amateurs to study endgames. That is to say, I surmise that studying the fundamental patterns repeatedly may give one a better understanding of how go works.
I have considered various ways for Black to play, and for a while this was the best that I could find:
This seems to be a situation in which the best either side can do is a disadvantageous ko (a for Black, b for White).
However, what if Black tries to live outright?
White can refute this try and both of Black's plausible defences.
At first glance, the second one looks like seki, but it is not.
Unless Black wants to start a dangerous ko at 4 all he can do is pass until White makes a bent four in the corner.
However, going back to the first try, I noticed another resource for Black:
Producing a seki.
However, I took another look:
I am not convinced that the answer is a thousand-year ko, and I will doubtless come back to this problem, but I feel I have learned quite a lot about the potential shapes that lurk beneath even a fairly simple-looking situation, and that is surely the real benefit. It is not so much about visualisation (and I have a near-photographic memory, such that I can easily see a position in my head after a glance), but about grasping and working with relationships.
Anyway, I thought I would share this. My dream one day is to be able to say "Yes, I am several stones stronger" and then "this is how I did it", so that you can do the same; but in the meantime, you'll have to be content with speculation and entertainment.
Addendum
While I think of it, I notice that I use very simple exercises both in my own practice and when I am teaching singing. I find it invaluable for building up the technique that enables one to tackle difficult music. Make of that what you will.
I wonder if the reason that we are frequently advised to solve easy tsumego is similar to the rationale behind the typical GM's advice to chess amateurs to study endgames. That is to say, I surmise that studying the fundamental patterns repeatedly may give one a better understanding of how go works.
I have considered various ways for Black to play, and for a while this was the best that I could find:
However, what if Black tries to live outright?
However, going back to the first try, I noticed another resource for Black:
However, I took another look:
Anyway, I thought I would share this. My dream one day is to be able to say "Yes, I am several stones stronger" and then "this is how I did it", so that you can do the same; but in the meantime, you'll have to be content with speculation and entertainment.
Addendum
While I think of it, I notice that I use very simple exercises both in my own practice and when I am teaching singing. I find it invaluable for building up the technique that enables one to tackle difficult music. Make of that what you will.
almost works, but when white plays 
, it messes everything up. 1-2-3 reading! Try playing 