I've noticed something odd about all of my games that tend to go further than middle game: I tend to perform better in endgame/late stages than any other stage of the game. This could just be me being too much of a novice to realize I set myself up good at the beginning, but it doesn't seem that way. I was playing a game against a KGS 14K, I was ranked 16K but moved up to 15K, and I was losing ground for a majority of the game (at least it felt that way), but then when endgame/late stages rolled around, I seemed to play better. Again, I'm not sure of this is simply my overactive imagination or not, but you all be the judge on that one.

You're not alone Hailthorne. I think the endgame is also my strongest area. I currently rank 1k on KGS. I would self-rate my various game skills something like:

opening: 3k
middlegame direction: 2k
fighting: 1k
tsumego: 2-3k
endgame: 2-3d

Not sure why this has developed, but there it is.

There is a player at my club who plays a very good opening - perhaps 3d level - and has good strategic judgement. But his fighting skill is noticeably weaker than mine, which means I take white or even give him two stones. It always gets worse in the opening which is his strength and my weakness. Not infrequently I look at the position at move 20-40 or so and consider resigning. Then I just start some fights instead and sometimes I win. Other times I equalize in the fighting then pull away in the ending. And sometimes I just lose.

Anyway, the point is, rank is really an average of skills in various areas. A good way to improve is to identify those areas where you are weakest, and work on those. Or to just always work on fighting and tsumego, which are the dominant factors.

I didn't look at every move, but I noticed you played the entire game blitz pace - you have more than 2/3rds of your time left at the end of the game. If you want to become stronger, slow down and think! There are almost always more options than the one that comes to mind first, so don't choose one until you have at least some idea why your move is better than the alternatives (plural).

There are many mistakes in the first clash, but I think a lot of them result from you not taking your time to figure out your objectives. For example:
- You spent 5 seconds on move 11. But it's not so simple - why not play P16? One cutting point less...
- You then spent 6 seconds on move 13. But why play that atari?
- 4 seconds on move 15. But if white would atari at R16, you would collapse...
- The situation gets settled, and then you play 21 (5 seconds). Well, I suppose that point is better than a pass. But only marginally! It's worth like 4 points or so, but the board is so open. Any shimari, kakari, or side extension would be so much bigger than a second line move like this!

I'll stop my game review here, as I don't believe it's very useful to review a blitz game in depth.

If you want to improve, I'll give you an "assignment": next time you play a game, take your time at every single move (especially in the opening & middle game), consider a few alternatives, and don't play until you can come up with good reasons that your move is best.

PS: hopefully that didn't come over too stern. Whatever you do, do make sure that you keep enjoying the game

I want to know how to be good at end game...

I want to know how to be good at end game...

I want to know how to be good at end game...

200 Endgame Problems and going over the last 80 or so moves of Lee Changho games from the late 90s - early 2000s.