Life In 19x19

Professionals must fight out every small advantage and strive to play the best moves. And subtle moves played in the opening may sometimes directly influence winning or losing.

pommjuicy wrote:Looks like it sold out. But here is an excerpt from one of his mini essays. I can only hope the others give a little more insight. (the commentary on his games is great, and really detatiled, however). Apologies in advance for the unpolished translation.

The most difficult part of Go

The Opening, Reading Middle Game fights, the Endgame, situational judgment, etc, if I had I to choose the most difficult of Go’s many areas, for me, it’s the Opening.

That’s because placing stones, with nothing on the board, I find it very difficult to work out a plan.

Because the way to go after that is readily seen, if I can just get through the Opening, the rest seems easy in comparison.

However, during a game, fighting in the Middle Game is the most important part, I think.

Therefore, though all that’s left for someone as weak at the Opening as me is to catch up in the Middle Game by sheer force, compared to someone who can get an advantage in the Opening, it just causes problems.

I recommend one diligently aim to improve the weak parts (the Achilles’ heel) of one’s Opening.

The Way to Raise Go Strength

Recently, there are a variety of books are being sold that are useful in improving one’s Go strength.

Working systematically through a good book will, of course, improve your playing strength, but, as for me, more than anything else, studying in the middle of real fighting is the most effective, I think.

While it’s important to play a lot and enjoy fighting, not thinking about a thing and then getting surprised after playing--no matter how much Go you play, your abilities will never grow.

While playing Go, more than anything else feeling, and thinking about a variety of things is important.

The fun of Go aside, it is what kind of attitude and thoughts one has while playing that bring about a change in how quickly one improves.

There is, in fact, a tangible difference between the feeling of replaying from game records, and the firsthand experience of real combat.

To that end, personally, I greatly esteem actual fighting, and for the most part it’s through that first hand experience of playing that my Go strength has improved.

Rather than longer time limits, playing speed Go, or with 30 minutes or less is better.

Furthermore, if you can examine the game after playing, that is good, too.

If you can receive advice, or have your moves corrected, by professionals that is is good, too, but, if you can’t, even just reviewing the game with your opponent after playing will considerably improve your game.