I repeat some new themes (3-5 points, low approaches to 3-4 points) often enough to learn something about them. But I am really astonished about people playing the same opening regardless of what their opponents are doing. Especially when they play some weird openings as parallel 4-5 points.

My guess is that people who play, say, parallel 4-5 points have found that they can win often because their opponents are not used to such an opening and don't know what to do. I also think that people who always play openings like that care more about winning than enjoying the game, or about learning.

My guess is that people who play, say, parallel 4-5 points have found that they can win often because their opponents are not used to such an opening and don't know what to do. I also think that people who always play openings like that care more about winning than enjoying the game, or about learning.

Seriously? You think an opponent plays moves that are likely to quickly to go outside of joseki because they care little about learning? That's the _point_ of playing unorthodoxly surely, taking things into the realm where thought and understanding are of greater value than learning joseki sequence by wrote.

I play 4-5, 3-5, 6-4, more often than 3-3 and probably as often as 3-4 simply because I do enjoy the game, and I'd rather play from principles and ideas than 50 moves of theory out of a book

I played a game yesterday against a 3k where he started with dual semi-diagonal 7-5 points. It was one of the most interesting games I can remember: http://files.gokgs.com/games/2010/10/16 ... culmer.sgf

I made quite a hash of the lower right, twice, but the whole game was about trying to efficiently use what was on the board, not learning rehearsed josekis, and it was really refreshing