Hi all, I'm Ashley, from Nottingham, UK. I am a full-time administrator for a housing association and a part-time computing student.

Strangely, I have only played about 5 games of go in my life. Yet I have 14 books on the game. I have confronted myself about this. It seems to be due to 3 things:

1. Lack of time
2. Far too much enjoyment of go books: a. Reading and savouring their form; b. Loving tsumego
3. Lack of confidence

I play scalextric in a pub each Tuesday and see friends 2 other days a week. I always bake something on Fridays. I see my grandmother and mother every 4 weekends. So... I don't have as much time for the game as I would like.

I enjoy go books to an unhealthy level. In fact, I love all books - I abhor creasing of spines or dog-earing of corners, and refuse to carry books with me unless they are in some protective sturdy case with no room to move about.

I play chess online a bit and a bit of Starcraft. But, I don't really enjoy playing online very much (this goes for chess and Starcraft, too). I find it stressful. However, I am finding that the desire to become stronger currently outweighs the regressive tendency to play alone.

Such that to this forum I have subscribed. Not that I want to toot my own horn, but I have just bought 3 books from gogameguru, and I thought that you would like to see my collection of books. From looking through the review games on this forum (a forum which I have been kind-of stalking for a week or two), I would guess that I am around 15-20 kyu.

I am really a normal person, even though I don't sound it!

So that's me. You may notice that I have stated on my personal info that I am on KGS thursdays - I don't know what I am doing tomorrow, but if it isn't a stressful day, and there isn't wine involved straight after my tea (M&S 25% off 6 bottles - bargain), then I might bite the bullet and play a game against a real person.

Onegaishimasu!!

Welcome.

Nice selection of books!

Welcome to the forum and have fun playing!

I used to get stressed about winning or losing my games and hardly played at all, but I found that playing lots was all it took to get over it. Playing unranked games also helped a lot.

P.s. That photo makes me very jealous.

Welcome!

Welcome! Pretty books.

I don't think there is anything wrong with preferring tsumego to games. Different strokes. But if time is an issue, try 9x9 games to get your toes wet. Some 9x9 games are quicker than a tough tsumego.

Welcome! Those are pretty good books!

_________________
a1h1 [1d]: You just need to curse the gods and defend.
Good Go = Shape.
Associação Portuguesa de Go

Thanks all for the warm welcome I have a game posted in the review thread, although it was a pretty poor one for review. It helped me get over the nervousness though! I will play quite a few over the weekend and post one of the closest losses in the review thread too.