After pretty much resigning myself to being a permanent KGS 5k, last month I went 16-7, won 71% of my games against stronger players, and broke through to 4k. This wasn't the first time I've done this, but the first time in a long time, and it felt pretty good. On the one hand, it seems that I should be strong enough to hold my own at 4k, but I don't feel particularly confident. Aside from studying (trying to memorize) Joseki, I haven't done anything new, so I'm basically assuming it's just a temporary blip, and in a few days I'll be back where I've been lingering for the past 4 years. On the other hand, maybe the Joseki study has given me a boost and I actually have gotten better. That would be nice! In any case however short-lived it may turn out to be, I am savoring the achievement - kind of as if I had done well at a tournament.

Here is the game that got me over the edge. The game went south quickly after I let myself get boxed in on the bottom right, letting my opponent build a nice framework on the bottom. My invasion at ended up dying shortly thereafter, but I managed to sacrifice it and turn the game around.


Edit: stats were wrong - they included unranked games against HelloPenta :p

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Patience, grasshopper.

Hi daal,

Congrats.

, W jumps into your Chinese opening (narrow) gap --
with , W can then jump into 3-3 and get a trade.
I wonder if instead, kicking with , then 1-space jump ( o16 ) is more efficient for B. ( You build the more profitable top instead;
the right side has many low stones by now. )

This jump seems questionable. ( I would 3-3; trade. )
Now W is jumping all by himself, not able to settle locally.

, This has a feeling of toothpaste, to me.
Completely different shapes, of course.
Not sure what's better for ... maybe o9 or o10 ?

M16...

Now that you're all connected,
I wonder about how to profit from his group... Maybe L14 ?

Interesting. Did you also consider G5 ?

Did you also consider G5 or K8, etc. ?

J8, etc. ...

K8, etc. ...

Connect.

Congratulations!

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The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

Thanks for the comments, Ed. G5 was not in my vocabulary, and the two space jump seems to be a good hanegma that I should have considered. Thanks for pointing it out!

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Patience, grasshopper.

Hi daal,

Congratulations - next will be 3k!

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Stay out of my territory! (W. White, aka Heisenberg)

Thanks for the encouragement! I actually won a game as a 4k, so there might be some hope!

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Patience, grasshopper.

Keep up the good work! I'm sure there's a lot of psychology in Go and a positive mental attitude can only be a good thing.

I suspect many/most forms of study can help, so I'm not surprised that joseki research benefited you. Well done!

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- Brady
Want to see videos of low-dan mistakes and what to learn from them? Brady's Blunders

Hi daal,