As you improve, it is quite normal to experience gains and lapses. You learn something new, and lose focus on other things while you consolidate your new learning. Just before I had my hiatus this year I gained a better appreciation of the power of light play and sabaki, but I think that I need to refresh this, because recently I have concentrated more on improving my opening play.

Sabaki is one of those strange things that appear almost magical when you see it done well. One thing to clarify is that it refers to an outcome, rather than a technique. You make sabaki through the application of technique; sabaki is not a special method in itself.

Sabaki can be achieved by playing lightly and sacrificially in the opponent`s strong area. This sounds easy, but in practice it can feel counter-intuitive.

Let`s take a sequence that I like very much:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c The First Position
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In this picture, we see that Black has a corner enclosure. It surrounds about 12 points of territory.

Everybody knows the "heel probe" underneath the 3-4 point. Let`s see what happens when Black plays resolutely to keep hold of his corner territory.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Heel Probe and the Verdun Spirit
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . 9 . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 5 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

For a long time, I struggled to see how this could be satisfactory for White. Black has not only held the corner, but increased his profit. I count the corner at about 16 points.

However! Let`s look at this in a different way. The corner was Black`s to begin with. After all, he had invested 2 stones to White`s 0. What has happened here is that White has gained a strong group on the outside, but Black has only gained a tiny 4 more points. The stone that White sacrificed is very small, but the increase in strength on the outside is large. Depending on the rest of the board, that gain of influence could be of much greater value.

Let's consider another case, taken from the Kobayashi Fuseki.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Meeting Mr Kobayashi
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I suspect that quite a few people would feel the urge to attempt to reduce or destroy Black`s bottom side as much as possible. However, it isn't easy to do this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c What Black wants
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 5 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . 4 O 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Locally, White`s moves are joseki, but Black is delighted to play 5, which works harmoniously with the star point. White`s position looks heavy and not very pleasant to play.

White could also try the Large Avalanche:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Still no fun
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . 4 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . 6 X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is also heavy for White, because Black`s stone at the bottom severely cramps her style.

So, how do you handle it? The suggestion given by Ko Iso (in his MyCom book「手抜き」の基本戦略 - Basic Tenuki Strategy) is to treat the situation lightly, and to play away.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Go lightly
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White`s tenuki at 2 is a hard move to play at amateur levels. It is difficult for us to allow Black to consolidate territory at 3, but as this example shows, White is able to keep pace - the discarded approach stone is no great loss, but it could still prove very useful.

Another example I like is the following joseki:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Where does White continue?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . , . . . 3 . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The obvious answer is to play at a, but it is possible for Black play tsume at b and put pressure on the group. The right move is to discard something:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Where does White continue?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . , . . . 3 . 1 . 7 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After White plays a, Black can go through with the capture, but it is slow and small early in the game. Meanwhile, White is developing quickly along the side. Black is hardly any better off than he was at the start, although perhaps there is less aji in the corner, but White has achieved a pleasant position.

So, this is one point: making sabaki can involve a certain sleight of hand. It only looks like you are taking a loss, but really you are giving the opponent what was already theirs to start with. In return, you build a position where you had nothing before. It is like giving the opponent a few coins and then grabbing a bagful while they are happily gazing at their good fortune.

The sacrifice does not even have to be material. Here is a cheeky little number that I looked at this afternoon:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Where does White continue?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 3 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . , . 1 . 2 . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . b . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black 3 looks quite tough - it says "actually, I think I will keep the corner and not allow you to make a base". But there is a way for White to make sabaki.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Where does White continue?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 1 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . , . 1 . O . 4 X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White comes away with good shape and sente. I think many players would not think of 2 and 4 because they seem to give up the chance to play in the corner later, but this is better than lamely hopping away with the a for b exchange in the previous diagram.

It seems to me that the step forward comes with understanding and controlling basic human feelings. It is known that people fear loss, and so advertisers and others play on this with great effect ("Buy now! Only 3 pairs of our special trousers left!"). Sometimes they cannot see what they have gained because they are focussed on their loss, and sometimes they cannot see their losses because they think they have kept hold of something that was under threat. Many examples of sabaki are based on this principle. You let your partner feel that they have not only defended their corner (or group or whatever else), and you even give them a little sacrifice to sweeten the deal, but you take something bigger and better in the meanwhile. It`s misdirection - the classic technique of the magician.

But it`s hard to play like this, because you have to overcome your own fear of loss. You might need to sacrifice stones or give up aji. It can be difficult to enter a line of play that greatly solidifies the opponent`s territory, because it means that you can no longer dream about invading or destroying it later.

Still, I have had a glimpse of the satisfaction that light play and sabaki can bring, and I intend to work again on that aspect of my game.

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Oh, happy day! I buy a nice new computer and desk to make playing go more comfortable. I log on to KGS for the first time, and my old friend breakfast invites me to a 3-stone game in his simul. I go on to win by 13.5!

Admittedly, I got the benefit of a rare serious oversight on the pro`s part, but hey! I`m not complaining.

I`ll publish the game if Alex does not mind.

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Congrats Tami:)

_________________
Formerly Gorim

I am having a hard time.

First, I have decided to play as much as possible, because I think I study too much and don`t get enough practice.

In my last eight games on KGS and Kaya I have won only one. It is not as though I am on tilt. In each game I have been playing as well as I can, but it seems my opponents just keep raising the bar slightly too high for me. I`m depressed and I have annoying demands on my time, and I have been plagued by splitting headaches. I tend to get emotional when I lose too often, and I feel ashamed of that.

I don`t mind losing, but when it happens too often, it becomes painful. The worst thing right now is not having time to play another game today, because normally I could take a break and come back with a better attitude, but now the irritation cannot be scratched.

Perhaps I should buy a punch bag. It is strange, but sometimes when I get really mad, I feel deliciously peaceful and rational afterwards. What would help would be something I could take out my anger on without doing any damage, so that I can get to that peaceful feeling in a controlled fashion. Perhaps I`ll buy a ball and print David Cameron`s or Ishihara Shittaro`s face on it...

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

For you, Tami



If you visit the YouTube page you can also read the lyrics.

_________________
“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS?

Thanks Bonobo. That was a helpful song.

It seems all my emotional circuits are being overloaded today. I saw something unutterably beautiful and ten minutes later something unspeakably sad. I`ve had a really deep and constructive conversation and I`ve seen some heartening progress in one of my guitar students.

Speaking of go, I feel extreme frustration with my lack of wins, but I also feel some progress. It seems the game I`m playing now is "go" and not merely "capture/surround territory".

I`d like to get some answers on the subject of "reading". It is impossible to believe that truly strong players laboriously go through the steps of each variation, either verbally or visually. They must be seeing the whole at once somehow. This is how I read English or read a musical score, and I expect the mental process in go will turn out to be similar. It seems a burden to think through a position in words. Rather I expect that with practice, the principles and guidelines and shapes and terms of reference will just give way to a silent understanding. It may be a "leap of faith" scenario. When you play music, at some point you have to hush the mental voice that says "g, b, d, c, crotchet, quaver etc." and just do it; when you speak a second language, you must stop thinking in your native language and just think in the second language, strange as it may feel; and, when you play go, you must let go of all the verbiage and just understand the position. No wonder Alex Dinerchtein said it was too difficult to explain when I asked him. I can barely communicate the idea in English myself. The bulk of the work has to be done ahead of time, through practice.

But that`s the really troubling part. You have to practice consciously before things become truly internalised, and once you have internalised something, you often have to disinter the concept and practice it all over again to reach a better level of internalisation.

So, I`m going to have to practice new learning consciously, and practice letting it become automatic. In a sense, byo yomi might help with that - because once you`re in zeitnot, you have no choice but to "fly by wire".

It`s unfortunate to have to say this, but from now on I intend to ignore any needlessly argumentative comments. I had a little vision, you see, of finding myself sitting at a computer ten years from now, suddenly realising that I had grown old while trying to get the last word in an endless and pointless squabble. Therefore, I won`t play that game any more.

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

I found the following in the short description of a series of books on Go tactics (囲碁の戦術) on amazon.co.jp:

部分的な戦いは、読みの力で解決できるが、高度の作戦を必要とする戦術は読みだけでは解決できない。局面の全体的な動きを把握してこそ、その場に応じた戦術が可能になる。

You will understand the Japanese much better than mine, but I suppose that it says something like:

It is possible to solve partial fights by reading abilities.
But if a high degree of strategy is necessary it is impossible to solve by reading alone.
Only if you really understand the overall situation, you will be able to find the suitable measure.

_________________
The really most difficult Go problem ever: https://igohatsuyoron120.de/index.htm
Igo Hatsuyōron #120 (really solved by KataGo)

Strong players can see the basics at once and perform reading, explicit principle application etc. for what they don't see at once. Usually, one does not see everything at once because there are almost always also non-basic things.



IMO, it is easy enough to explain: above a certain beginner level, you do not read any longer "reduce to 5-points nakade, then fill its vital point" but you see the effect of the reading sequence at once. (It is still possible to verify whether one's seeing at once is right or only an illusion.) Higher level players have also more advanced such seeing at once knowledge, for which they have done the reading / thinking "before the game".

This sounds exactly like what I`m trying to achieve. Thank you, Robert, and I mean that sincerely.

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Go is very difficult for me right now. Ever since I took the decision to change the balance of my go life from mainly studying to mainly playing I have been really struggling. Still, I`m sure it will turn around sooner or later.

To cheer myself up, I`ve made a commentary on my win against Alexandre Dinerchtein.

_________________
Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Well, I`m just not satisfied with my progress. Either I cannot improve much more, or I`ve been failing to use effective methods. Since I`ve got better at other things I`ve tried hard at over time, I think the second possibility it much likelier.

Among other things, I am coming to believe I have spent too much time reading strategy books, and not enough time training with L&D and actually playing the game. Further, I`ve tended to stick to playing people around the same as myself or slightly weaker, and have been too proud to take a handicap. Yes, it can be infuriarating having somebody dance around you in a handicap game, but you also learn a lot from it. You have to look forward to the time when you`ll be the one doing the nifty dancing.

Finally, I`m starting to "see" a way in which observation may not be as crucial as I thought it was. It`s what you can see in your mind`s eye that counts, not what you can see with your physical ones.

Less speculating, more go.

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Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Tami: I agree that you can still improve significantly, but I don't think the second possibility really applies. I think you are already on the right course there My assessment, based on your various comments elsewhere but also on the game above, is that the bugbear is getting rid of old bad habits, e.g. that overplay when a honte was called for. The fact you spotted it yourself shows it's not the knowledge that was lacking, but the old habit that kicked in, and so the new knowledge didn't even get a chance to shine.

Trouble is, nobody seems very sure of a good way to break old habits - short of electroshock therapy maybe Any good ideas, anyone?

I only know of one way -- getting yelled at by a good teacher. For certain individuals and certain bad habits, maybe once or twice is enough.
For some people and some bad habits, it takes many times -- that's my experience. YMMV.

I`ve found in life, generally speaking, that there are two cures for specific mistakes:

* making a really, really silly mistake with lots of emotional pain (for example, the time I bought an Austin Allegro before I had even gained my licence)
* making a mistake on enough occasions (finally realising that, with the exception of crockery and stationery, Daiso products break immediately)

In go, I`ve been a lot more careful of connections ever since I threw away a won position against Helen Harvey that would probably have won me a nice trophy a few years ago (Cure One). I need to play more to get more of both Cure Two and Cure One (hopefully not too much of it, though).

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Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

At one school in Japan, I noticed that naughty children were given a good talking to. And I mean a good talking to. As in, a very lengthy and detailed harangue by a pair of teachers up against the wall.

I did wonder whether I ought to employ a go teacher, preferably a very senior geezer, to do something similar with me - "なんでそんな手打ったじゃろうか、おまえ。俺の時間無駄してるかなあああ" etc., etc. I think it could work, but the student would have to be ready for it.

The only reason I didn`t "like" your post is that I don`t actually agree with yellings unless the student is prepared for it. I prefer a strict but kind approach.

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Learn the "tea-stealing" tesuji! Cho Chikun demonstrates here:

Yes and no, and here's why.
Of course, this depends heavily on the teacher and the student and their relationship and the exact circumstances, just like in Go.
I was only talking about my experience, thus "YMMV." There is no one-size-fit-all approach to teaching.
In some cases, for some students, it's better if they're prepared for the yelling. (I've seen many examples of this.)
In some cases, for some students, it's better if they're not prepared for it. (And yes, I've also seen many examples of this.)
Even for the same student, in some cases, it's better if they're prepared for it, and in some other cases, no. (I've seen many examples of this, too.)
It really is just like Go -- it depends so heavily on the situation.

It's the same with the "strict but kind approach" -- this works for some teachers/some students.
This could also fail miserably for some teachers/some students.
For example, say a teacher tries a "strict but kind approach" on a particular student to fix his bad habits.
After 10 years, nothing's changed -- he's still making the same bad habits.
What to do next? A few continuations:
- Give up on the student about fixing these particular bad habits
- Continue with this "strict but kind approach" (for how long? Another 10 years? Another 30 years?)
- Try another route
Who knows? Maybe a good yelling will suddenly help the student (or, maybe not) --
but we don't know until we try it; after all, the 10 years of "strict and kind approach" has not worked.
The teacher can also try another 10 years of "strict and kind approach" to see if it helps
the student fix his bad habits -- maybe for this student, it takes 20 years. Who knows.

Anyway, the point is, Tami, you have to find out what works for you.
If a "strict but kind approach" works for you, great.

My experience is that every student is different, and a really good teacher recognises what the student is going to benefit best from rather than running through long periods of incorrect trial and error approaches.

Truly good teachers are few and far between though.

Correct.Also correct, but with a caveat (exceptions): what about the case of the really difficult student where only long periods of incorrect trial and error have a chance to work?
As we all agree, "every student is different"; for every really good teacher, there must also be a really difficult student (and vice versa).

Education is a very difficult problem, with infinite exceptions.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33469415/ns ... on-reform/
Changing Education Paradigms, by Sir Ken Robinson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

I agree completely - Some students are destined to not make progress for a number of reasons, the responsibility never lies entirely with one party (or very rarely at least).

Substitute "shock treatments" in general (e.g. deprivation of pocket money, or telling someone bluntly how they appear to others) for "yelling", then maybe - if a teacher exists. But I have noticed many fragile egos on L19 who ask for help and then cry when a stronger player criticises. They really want praise not help - is that a bad habit or a (?perverse) result of modern education practices? I'm of a generation that expected teachers to yell and even administer corporal punishment, so I find it hard to judge some young peoples' reactions.

But for the purposes of L19 we have to assume a teacher is not available. What are the best tricks? FWIW a trick I have used in the past is to put X stones on the table in front of the board to make sure I remember to check X things before I play. But this does not work online, of course. Online, I think the only solution is to rig up a Heath-Robinson cattle prod that activates if you play too soon, but even that doesn't work with what I think is the worst habit of all - thinking for five minutes about a move and then instantly playing another move that we have looked at for all of two seconds.