Actually I wanted to name it "SoDesuNe takes the big yellow taxi to drive to Shodan paradise to see that it has been paved to put up a parking lot to get hold of all the aspirants". I figured it would be too ponderously.

So here I'm sitting again at the afternoon before my last oral exam which is going to end this semester for me and I'm planing how to move on with my ambitious pursuit. Because of the experience I got over the last month, I think I found the right mixture to start paving my way to the mountains. I might crumble on the way when the terrain changes but I am going to think of something when the time comes, maybe earlier when I find a trail from roman legionaries, who walked this path before me (non-metaphorical speaking: I greatly appreciate any ideas of anyone wanting to distribute something).

What there is left to say... right! I know that I will most likely run out of books and problems before reaching the end of the year. I plan on re-doing problems books then. As for theory books I will try to assess my game then to get a feeling which part needs the most attention.
Furthermore I have some ideas left, where I thought it would become too much if I try to fit them in here. Like replaying pro games, which I don't feel as useful as solving Tsumegos (includes purchasing a "Go World" subscription, respective "Go Game World") or doing problem books such as "Get Strong at the Opening/Joseki/Invading/Attacking". Maybe I'm going to change my mind on them but for the moment I think my way suits me best.
Last but not least, I decided to follow fwiffo in taking off two days a week, when I want to. I don't feel like burning out, but you'll never know. Anyway, I think this break will only affect my reading of theory books and playing games online for the most part, I just love doing Tsumego.


Alright goal is set (yes!), eyes are burning (no.), everyone's trembling with excitement (maybe)... here it comes!


Go Study Plan: 4k-5k to Shodan (KGS) in six months
01.07.2010, Thursday → 31.12.2010, Friday


Tsumego

154 Tsumegos from “Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 4”
// ~20 a day (~8 days)
| moderately difficult

-> 1001 Tsumegos from “1001 Life-and-Death Problems“
// ~50-20 a day (~20 - 50 days)
| easy to moderately difficult

501 Tesujis from “501 Tesuji Problems”
// ~12 a day (~38 days)
| moderately to very difficult

-> Working through “Rescue and Capture”

Theory

10 Chapters from “Tesuji“ (104 p.)
// one chapter every two days
| easy to moderately difficult

One time read of “Reducing Territorial Frameworks”
| moderately difficult

3 ½ Chapters (Forcing Moves, Inducing Moves, Reducing and Invading large Frameworks, Invasions into three-space-extensions) from “Attack and Defense“ (less than 88 p.)
| moderately difficult

-> One time read of “Direction of Play”

Games

At least five serious games per week (average: KGS [>25 min], Wbaduk [>25 min], Go club and private)

Special:
(Stage 1 - “research when taking Black”)

• First 10 games with San-Ren-Sei
• Then 10 games with Low-Chinese
• Then 10 games with Mini-Chinese (if not possible, it does not count)
  
  (Stage 2 – “what fits best”)
• each game alternating between Orthodox, double Komoku and best fitting opening from the three above
  
  (As White alternating between double Hoshi and Hoshi and Komoku)

Reviewing each game and finding three to five bad moves or things, which could have been better.

Showing as many games as possible to stronger players



Off we go with this marathon!

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

So, the first bits of an update.

"Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 4" is quite challenging on Level 4, so 20 problems a day is more than sufficient, but on the other hand it's always a good feeling to finally be able to solve a problem.

"501 Tesuji Problems" is hard, sometimes extremely hard. With quite a few problems I'm sure I know the direction or the idea, but I'm just unable to solve it with the right sequence. But well, most of the problems I just get plain wrong ^^ That's why I'm thinking if I should change the order of the Tesuji problem books. But "Rescue and Capture" / "Making Good Shape" won't be at hand until 12th of July.
I'm just afraid that I'm spoiling "501 Tesuji Problems" when I start digging through it with mere looking at the answer than being able to solve it by myself. It's such a great book for a higher level, I think.

Sooo, hmm. I think I'll replace "501 Tesuji Problems" with "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" and go for the reading power boost. At least a Dan player told me today, Tsumegos are for reading power and Tesujis for knowing which moves to read =D Kind of like this idea.
I shortly thought about going through "Get Strong at Tesuji" again but that would be boring.

As for games, I already played five the last two days. Only handicap and one teaching game though, but nothing bad with this, I think. I try to stabilze a 4 Kyu ranking the next time since KGS put me down to 5 Kyu again ^^
Unfortunately I feel like I got weaker over the tournament, I trained for so hard. Mostly direction of play flaws and stupid mistakes, where I didn't read through the important sequences...
Need to find my calm again, I guess.


So much for now!

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

I love the how to run marathon video!

_________________
长考出臭棋.

I think it might be better simply to go through 501 Tesuji Problems, give them a shot, and look at the answer if you can't get it reasonably quickly. The important thing with tesuji problems, like that dan said, is not reading practice, but being able to see the right move instantly.

I really like the concept of using life and death as power training for your reading ability (science), while tesuji are for spotting the right move instinctively (art). That allows for some nice complementary training and it's more proof for how complete go is as a game. I don't think it's allowed to marry a board game, but I would if I could.

Shaddy
Hm, I don't know, that way it's a bit demoralizing and not much fun. Although I heard that when going through "Making Good Shape" one should aim on being able to spot the shape move instantly and thus repeat the book over and over again. Then again, "Making Good Shape" is some sort of prerequisite to "501 Tesuji Problems", I heard ^^

I think, I won't do "501 Tesuji Problems" now. "Rescue and Capture" is a very small book, so I don't think I will need much time going through it. So, maybe I could enjoy "501 Tesuji Problems" a month from now.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

I'm going to reduce "Graded Go Problems For Beginners Volume 4" to around 10 problems a day. 20 is too much for the last dozens (~60 left).
Started "1001 Life-and-Death Problems", they are pretty easy going. Nice change ^^ I've been through the first 90 so far.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

I managed to acquire an additional victory due to endgame today ^^ Slowly I really believe this is the strongest part in my game.
My greatest weakness, hm, playing urgent moves, I guess. And I need to experiment with invasions =D


As for playing games: I stopped playing San-Ren-Sei, I don't like it at all. I will play Mini-Chinese, Orthodox and double Komoku from now on.


Here's the game I was talking about:



Move #15 needs to be at B18.
I don't now about #17 maybe it's too slow, maybe not. I thought since I left out B18, I need to undermine his base somehow.
#47 is obviously both too small and not urgent. Approaching his Hoshi would be more balanced.
#49 is questionable. It gives White a huge framework, because he has walls on both sides. I think R6 or S5 would be more active, but I don't know the variations, so I decided, well, well, I can reduce ^^
#69: Giving up K7 might have not been the best decision, but I couldn't figure out a better sequence. This way my top became much bigger. Sadly his bottom, too =D
#85 at R12 is bigger endgame.
#151: Monkey-jumping is bigger endgame.


[admin]SGF tags changed so that it displays properly. -JB [/admin]

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Just a quick note about moves 15-25:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Best title ever!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . a X . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . B . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Personally I'd play the marked Black stone high, but thats open to dispute

Lets start with move 15:
As you have already mentioned move 1 in the diagram (in the game it was move 15) should be at 'a' because your aim with the minichinese is to take away whites eyespace. With B18 played and your minichinese stone (c11) in place, White cant establish a base and needs to run outside - this should be the point where you are able to catch a nice amount of territory while you chase white around.

In the game you continued with the second-line kosumi at B12 (diagram 3), this looks like an endgame move, an error in the stage of the game!
White should've jumped to d13 to get out. now white jumps a move faster because you played the kosumi

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Best title ever²!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . X . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . 4 . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Well in the actual game White chose to tenuki... I think this is an overplay! I really like to replay Honinbo Jowas games, I think he would play something like this now (dont know about the continuation after 5):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Best title ever³!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . X . . . O X X O . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O . 1 . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . |
$$ | . X . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X 4 . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 6 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . 5 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I end my comments here because I'm short on time right now Reply if you've any questions

Thanks Jonas!

in your third diagram looks really powerful, but I would be afraid of the attachment/cut at F15. Maybe if I had read this out, I would play this move =D

I have two specific questions, if you don't mind: How should I have handled the lower right, when White played his Ogeima? And is there a better/easier reducing sequence than what I did after invading San-San?



There are some news about my study plan, too. I will drop "Graded Go Problems Volume 4" for the moment because I don't like elaborating on one problem for ten minutes(+), I follow the approach of doing more easier problems in that time. So focus is now on "1001 Life-and-Death Problems", with 20 to 50 problems a day.
Second, I hope I will receive "Making Good Shape" and a few other books on Monday next week, so that I have a bit of a change. Sadly I was informed that "Rescue and Capture" is temporarily not available, so I will get it in five week perhaps.
Still need to play more even games. I had a lot of 4-stones handicap games in the last days... and lost all. A friend of mine, who is maybe one stone weaker than me plays the same opponent on the same handicap and has a serious chance of winning. I figured I need to play more aggressively. Should maybe read "Attack and Defense" again, but I'm not into textbooks right now ^^
As long as I do well against 3k/4k (for now) I'm satisfied ; )

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

I only did "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" in the last time: 248 so far. I will re-start "501 Tesuji Problems" today.

Sadly I overestimated my free-time and enthusiasm for my studies, now I voluntarily have to learn for an exam in less than a month. It's like playing Go, some moves really need more thought... ^^

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Sry for the late response!

Hmmm after the ogeima White has formed a huge moyo and after your san-san invasion he got two walls each faceing in a very good direction for him...guess the result isn't that great for black

Instead of sansan I would play something like M4 shoulderhit or attach at R4 to make it a little bit more complicated. Hmmm maybe S5 is also possible? I think it is very imporant that you have the shouldhit in mind and dont get locked inside the corner.

Thanks Jonas!


Need to pause this till August the 5th.
I would have to make a tight schedule to make my Go studies fit in besides my university studies and this really annoys me in a time, which is supposed to be leisure-time. So something has to be sacrificed, although I just received "Making Good Shape" : /

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c 21st century new openings!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 , . 1 . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c 21st century new openings!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 8 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 7 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c 21st century new openings!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . 1 . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

21st Century New Openings korean book has some interesting moves to offer for the mini-chinese.
I personally like it alot, although, my opponents never know the sequences so I can't just
use memorized stuff and have to read myself

White doesn't like the first 2 diagrams, so he can try other things, like in dia 3

Too bad you have to take a break Better luck in August then?

So... back in business - part of at least.

First of all, thank you Mike for the new input on the Low-Chinese, I'll be sure to use this sometime : )

All right, new schedule!
I will be on vacation now, so I can't play and I don't plan on reading a lot of theory books as I have many fictional text books in line. So it will be just "Making Good Shape" and "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" to take me back in the game and maybe get me back on the route to Shodan.

I played two games since 16th of July and I noticed a slight down in reading (lack of calmness) and direction but a nice up in trying refreshing moves, which I like very much.
That's why I chose "Making Good Shape" and "1001 Life-and-Death Problems". Both are fairly simple to intermediate so nothing which will immediately tackle me down, second both deal with fundamentals (vital points) so that I can sharpen my eye and regain my calmness by finding the right move.
I haven't planned further, yet. If I come back, I'll start playing again and I 'm going to see how it goes. Then I will decide how I am going to move on.

September is sadly going to be crowded with work again.

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Okay, got a bit lazy and need to find my pace again, it seems. But nonetheless, I played a couple of serious games and I must say, for the unwilling break I manage to play really fine (with occasional blunders ^^).
It seems all the stuff I did before the break now sank into my brain and had the chance to anchor in my conscious.

But enough of the self-praise, I need to go back to doing Tsumegos and finish "Making Good Shape" - at least I did start with it : ) And play, of course.

By the way, I added my rank graph in the first post. I think this is a good way to show improving over some period of time : )

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Never play Internet-Go without sound, you might miss a Ko-threat and think your opponent passed.

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

It's quite dusty around here... what's the stain there? Looks like spots of blood... *rubbing*


Sadly (or luckily?) I hadn't an encounter with a ghostly Go-Master-entity but nonetheless my pursuit for Go-strength returned. Mainly I have to thank bloodarena for this. After watching quite a few games of him, I got so obessed with being able to play as powerful and frightening as he does that I had to dig my nose right into "Get Strong at Tesuji".

Now, when you look at the very first post you will notice, that there's no "Get Strong at Tesuji" in it. Nor is it in the re-scheduled post three above this one.

Well, this is on the one hand due to the fact that I wanted to start with something "rewarding", I experienced how much this book helped my play before, so I have no doubt it will also help me gain strength this time. On the other hand, the problems are fairly easy, so I can dig into them every now and then without having to make free some extra time.

Momentarily this is the only thing I do, besides playing. I borrowed "Graded Go Problems for Beginners Volume 3" today because I noticed that my life-and-death (and sometimes reading in general) really sucks right now. "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" will be put on hold in the meantime, I find GGPfB much more entertaining.

What else is there to say? I will hopefully be able to get every worthy game reviewed by a Dan-player, because I severely lack a direction of play here and there. Thus I'm reading "Direction of Play" right now, but... well, I'm not a fan of textbooks ^^ We'll see how it goes.

Last sentences decribes best my approach right now, casual. This is why I will refrain from posting daily goals or some sort of fancy overview like in the first post =D
There's only one goal: Solid 3k in one month. Then I'm going to participate in a tournament : D

Actually I should be something around 3k already since a 5k (KGS) and other members in my local Go-club now force me to play him with two stones because of my win-ratio. Though I think it will significantly drop over the next meetings when playing against handicap : D


Thanks for reading - cheerio~!

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

I just have to post this game here to make clear why bloodarena's style is so motivating for me. Though he got badly crushed by roln111 after this game ^^

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Guess, I hit a severe plateau.
Despite doing almost as much as when I was preparing for the tournament in June, I lose 70% of my games right now and will soon be 5k again.
At first, I felt I lacked a direction of play due to which I often had an inferior position after the opening and thus had to fight/attack/invade to get along. There came the second factor in play: I not only lacked reading power but concentration, too.
It seemed that I was unable to read more than three to five moves ahead in one direction while not even considering other (important) directions. After the game, a lot of my moves feel aweful to me, and I can't even imagine what drove me to play like that.

Now I read "Direction of Play" and at least this part became much better, but I still play very uninspired, going for big moves instead of looking at the weak groups of my opponent to make them more of a burden for him.
It seems I'm overly concernced about my play, my shape than looking how I can make my opponent a hard time or punish his moves.
Then again, my reading sucks. Despite raiding through "Graded Go Problems For Beginners Vol. 3" and "Get Strong at Tesuji" with less than 10% of wrong solutions. Recently I even managed to kill two of my own groups, which were involved in a (at most) 10-kyu-Tsumego.

So, I really don't know what's wrong right now. Maybe it's all about the concentration, knowing I should learn more for my studies and stuff. Or it's just the dark, cloudy and rainy weather of autumn (today, the sun is shining). Who knows?

In the absence of a better alternative I will follow my course and going through "Graded Go Probemes for Beginners Vol. 4", "Attack and Defense" and "Enclosure Josekis" next.
Then I probably will buy Yi Chang'ho's Tesuji series.

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My "guide" to become stronger in Go