Below is my latest game played against a 15k+ on IGS. I feel like I was absolutely destroyed: I felt like I was being guided by the nose all game long.

My observations:

1) I feel like my shapes are too loose. I was trying to keep my opponent out of my moyo in the center (failed miserably at that) and by doing so I may have broken up my strength.

2) I had a few majorly sized groups cut off and captured over the course of the game, which was disheartening to say the least. I'm at a loss as to how I could save them.

3)I'm sure many of my issues are stemming from a very week early game. I've been primarily studying lots of tsumego, which I THINK is helping me in other games, although I didn't feel much impact here...

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to break through the funk!

A few comments about the first 60 moves. Your opening is not as bad as you seem to think


EDIT : I just noticed you also posted this game in your study journal. My comments are similar to EdLee's.

Hi Rich -- no need to post the same game twice, once here and once in your Study Journal.
Just post it once and get all the reviews in one place.

The following is the same as in your journal.
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Hi Rich,

Basics problems. Bad sente moves.
Basic shape problems -- In particular, for , see Toothpaste.
For , , , , , , , see Small Gaps.Your biggest problems, in this game, are bad basics: bad sente (forcing) moves. Bad shapes (in particular, broken shapes).This is not because W destoyed you -- W also has bad basics --
Rather, it is because you made terrible shapes and you destroyed yourself! Again, and again.

Being destroyed by 20 points is meaningless at this stage. This stage of your development is so early that it is possible you would give the guy 3 stones next week and win by 20. Don't worry about the score until you are SDK.

I noticed two things that you could quickly correct.

1. You never ever give up any stones. Go look back at all the times in the game that you connected in order to try and save some stones. Think about whether that was worth it or not.
2. You peep every point that can be peeped. I've marked many of your peeping moves in the game file and also marked the relevant stones after your opponent connects. Think about who the sequence benefited. Whose stones got strong and whose got weaker?

If you began playing go at an older age, then you might enjoy paying for a couple of lessons from a teacher. It might be more cost efficient to take lessons earlier than later. It might also be fun.

You made a lot of plays that strengthened your opponent.

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

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.