Life In 19x19

Let me throw out another hypothesis: What is needed to become shodan is talent.

What is talent?

Is it some ineffable, indescribable thing which you have identified as you not having, that must be had?

Or do you feel it is some inbred, genetic advantage that some people have that makes them ...

I don't believe you if you're saying that you always know how much this is worth.

Always know? Not really, values tend to be estimates because exact counting is too time consuming, but if you see the possibility of your opponent using sente moves against a weak group to get something, you can ...

1. Strengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.


I don't see the value in this generalization.

What does strengthening mean in this context? Does this mean adding to the weak group when it is not in danger? This sounds like playing a gote move, just to be sure, and is an ...

1Kyus are a wall.

How does anyone review the fundamentals? I just feel like I am lacking the basics of the game.

What do you consider the basics you are lacking?

You've mentioned you are studying Graded Go Problems for Dans, how are you studying? Do you find the answer and move on, how many ...

Hi Fedya,

I think you need to work on your idea of the value of stones, groups and exchanges.

In the game against pagni, after move 7, white pincers, black plays B4, there should be no doubt in your mind, you play at C3.

Quite simply, When white plays at C3, it is bad for black, black has no ...

I haven't got a board from Yellow Mountain but I have a shin kaya board I think its actually 3/2". But it is not perfectly flat, and so does not sit solidly on a flat surface. A reason for this is that solid wood tends to warp, due to changes in the local humidity and temperature.

Unless you get a ...

Move 4: Playing this move invites white to play K17 or J16, neither of which are great for black, the play at J17 is a little close to white and gives white a chance to get stronger.

This kind of loose pincer by white usually has two responses to think about, either black jumps into the corner, for ...

When Black plays move 11, it is more typical for white to play a move like O4, the peep at Q5 should really be answered by black and the exchange becomes OK for black. When Black doesn't connect and takes the corner white should look to make the most, pushing through at Q7 at move 16 seems important ...

where are you based?

If in the UK / near, I believe pentangle puzzles has copies of Speed baduk.

http://pentanglepuzzles.co.uk/shop/Shop ... ia_81.html

The go game tree is complex, that some people are enthusiastic about it, well I don't see that as a problem.

There are many 'problems' in the go community, one, for instance, might be 'amateur syndrome', people who say they want to improve, but really just want to play for fun.
Instead of doing ...

Move 6: I feel settling like this is too passive for white, the left is an area white wants to build. After move 26, white has made two small groups the left is easily invaded, white hasn't gained very much at all.

After move 22: The result of this joseki is good for white, Black's bottom has poor ...

Some points about the opening.

Move 6: When white splits it should normally be on the third line, this way when black approaches from the left or right, white will make a two space base typically.
This move by white has a weakness, because it is on the fourth line in that it can’t easily make a ...

When I think about shape in Go, I think more about things like the table, the mouth etc. Rather than the relationships between two moves, or haengma as it is called in korean.

Good shape are formations that are easy to make eyes and hard to attack.

Bad shape is formations which are hard to make ...

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A second sense of the word is speculation, which seems more likely, a third meaning is listed as estimation.

So it probably means, the sequence up to Black 13 is put forward as a likely outcome. The nuance being that it is not being put forward as the best play, or the most correct play, but as ...

Where do you play at move 62, Black just played the slowest move on the board. A two point jump at F14? Is white's corner group dead? No, then it doesn't need to run to the centre. You're not attacking or putting pressure on black at all, You're not surrounding territory.

I thought that if I let ...