How many games do you have within yourself?

SpongeBob · Post by **SpongeBob** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 3:52 am

This occurred to me when I had a vacation recently. I had the time and so I logged onto KGS and played a bunch of games. I realized that my 'move quality' deteriorated after a few games very rapidly and when playing the 5th game or so, I was playing like 4 stones weaker than usual.

So despite having the time to play plenty, it was no fun to do so. Then I was wondering about how many games I could play at 'maximum strength' and I found that it is only two games per day maximum, mostly only one game per day. If I restrict myself to only that many games, I have enough energy and motivation to take me through the whole game and I really enjoy playing like that. If I have more time to devote to Go, I will watch or read some lectures, or just browse the forums and follow the Malkovich games.

So my question is: How about you? You got more games within yourself? Or less?

antispin · Post by **antispin** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 5:27 am

I also find I can only play one or two games per day at maximum strength. Perhaps three if I have the whole day to devote to go. Any more than that and my concentration and reading deteriorates.

I sometimes play many games in a row (especially over a board) but I don't really enjoy games when one or both sides are making lots of mistakes below their level due to tiredness and / or getting drunk.

Not sure how to answer the poll - does it mean how many games you can play at full strength, or how many games you can enjoying playing?

Phelan · Post by **Phelan** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 6:10 am

I don't think I've ever reached a daily limit. I usually take a break after each game, though.

freegame · Post by **freegame** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:21 am

I can play loads of online games at relatively constant strength, but I don't consider internet games to be very serious.

real life weekend tournaments usually have 5 rounds, Therefore I know know I can play 3 serious games a day. After those three i'm fine with playing a whole bunch of less serious games.

voted for 3 since I'm sure that is fine. never tried 4 though

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:22 am

This seems difficult for me to assess of myself.

SpongeBob · Post by **SpongeBob** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:32 am

antispin wrote:Not sure how to answer the poll - does it mean how many games you can play at full strength, or how many games you can enjoying playing?

I meant how many games do you enjoy playing.

Phelan · Post by **Phelan** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:34 am

freegame makes a good point. I'm usually pretty tired after 3 tournament games.

jts · Post by **jts** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:26 am

Two games normally just gets me warmed up for more, but these days I don't really have the time for more than one a day.

snorri · Post by **snorri** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:14 am

I'm saying three for the same reason freegame did.

I'm wondering what people who are saying less than 1 per day are thinking. Is it being too tired to play go every day or just the lack of desire? I can understand the latter. One thing I discovered a few years ago is that I can't play turn-based go. I would actually lose such games in byoyomi because there would be some days I just didn't want to play a single move.

gowan · Post by **gowan** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 6:55 pm

I get tired after a couple of games if I'm playing at full strength and have less ability to focus and concentrate so I'd say two serious games per day.

Mark356 · Post by **Mark356** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:21 pm

I can't answer this. There are some days when I just don't feel like playing, or where my brain just isn't operating on all cylinders. Some days I wake up and do tsumego and go over a couple of pro games, then play a few games, then go over some more pro games, then play some more, and never reach a limit.

I've found, though, that my attention span is about 40 minutes at once. This can be a couple of blitzes, or only half of one really serious game (in which case I would lose in the yose).

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:55 pm

Ok, SpongeBob indicated that he wanted to know how many games I could enjoy, so I answered the poll in that vein:

I always enjoy playing ... ALWAYS. If I could play 20 games every day, I would.

However, I don't think I often play at my full strength, as some people have discussed. In fact, my play varies up to about 4 stones either way, depending on whether I'm sick/tired or rested/healthy, or somewhere in between.

Being sick or tired never stops me from trying to play "one more game" on KGS. I've recently dropped to 3k again on KGS because of this.

By the way, what's a "serious" game of Go? I personally think I take every game of Go I play seriously, but by that I mean I'm constantly evaluating my own games to try and get better in every aspect of my game. Just because I'm not playing at my best doesn't mean I can't learn from the games I do play.

On the other hand, losing streaks don't really ruffle my feathers. If I lose, I lose. On to the next game. I enjoy my losses as much as my wins, for the most part. A few of my Go playing friends think this is odd.

PROVOK3 · Post by **PROVOK3** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:52 am

I actually realized a few weeks ago that I can only play 2 games per day at maximum strength. I noticed that when I play more than that I become 2 or 3 stones weaker. I thought previously that to improve my game I should play as much as humanly possible with my free time, but I now just go with quality over quantity and try to win 2 games every day. This is extremely interesting.

I am curious as to how players are capable of more than 3 or 4 games at maximum strength. It might have something to do with the brain and your diet. I heard that your diet influences concentration a lot.

Sverre · Post by **Sverre** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:05 am

There is no option for 4-5 games per year

karaklis · Post by **karaklis** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:33 pm

Sverre wrote:There is no option for 4-5 games per year

There is also no option for "none" :batman:

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