Life In 19x19

Hi guys,
I recently started to learn Go, well today actually and wanted to play a few games before continueing to learn it.
I played 2 games so far and both times the players resigned. probably not because i was too strong an opponent for them^^
we played on a 15x15 board and I was playing black.

my game is probably full of errors and mistakes but maybe someone can point out my major mistakes and tell me how i am doing for my second game.

thanks in advance.

binbo1a

binbo1a wrote:Hi guys,
I recently started to learn Go, well today actually and wanted to play a few games before continueing to learn it.
I played 2 games so far and both times the players resigned. probably not because i was too strong an opponent for them^^
we played on a 15x15 board and I was playing black.

my game is probably full of errors and mistakes but maybe someone can point out my major mistakes and tell me how i am doing for my second game.

thanks in advance.

binbo1a

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=527

The best thing for your game is really to play lots more of them, ideally against people who at least have a solid grasp of the rules and some experience (and hence can point out basic mistakes). Thinking too hard about specific mistakes isn't worth very much yet - it's far more important to just get a general feel for what works.

As a specific goal to bear in mind, keep an eye out for when stones are in atari. Both players do not see ataris in this game, but it's one of the first things you need to be able to see easily.

amnal wrote:The best thing for your game is really to play lots more of them

Yes, try to finish 100 games as quickly as you can. 9x9, 13x13, and 19x19 are all OK (but the smaller boards will save you some time. )

Some tipps for the very beginning (you can read more about these things on 'Sensei's Library'):

general
- learn what 'liberties' and 'atari' mean
- learn what a 'net' and a 'ladder' is
- learn what an 'eye' and 'nakade shape' is
- learn what a 'base' is

for the opening phase
- first corners, then edges, then center
- avoid contact plays
- start staking out large areas first
- prefer setting stones on the third or fourth line

There is a nice training program at 321go.org (a go course with tons of exercises) that you can go through while doing lots of games as previous speakers have already advised.

karaklis wrote:'nakade shape'

What is this? *goes to look it up* ... ah, critical points for life and death. Interesting.

I'm really bad with my terminology.

Thanks for the great input.
I will probably spend the next months intensivly studying Go as i find it much more interesting than chess.

regards

binbo

By the way, if you get tired of FlyOrDie, there's also KGS (gokgs.com). It's kinda worthwile, with usually about 1000 people or so logged in, many games of strong players to watch, chatrooms, possibility to review your own and other people's games, possibility of playing 19*19, 13*13, 9*9 (and other board sizes), possibility of choosing time limits yourself, .........

Welcome to crazytown!

Approach each game as a learning experience, and you'll have lots of fun.

As for the game--just keep doing what you're doing for now. Try to take make a base for your stones and take big parts of the board (usually corners, then sides).

Also, come back and look at this game when you're around 13kyu .