Perhaps what happens is that we need to develop fighting skills to be able to parry these overplays, and then, when we get strong enough, focus more on the opening.

It's not that one should play "sub-optimal" openings, but since SDKs have less of an understanding of the consequences of moves, we have to get into these fights, that may not be good. (That's probably why most SDK games I play or watch end up with large differences in score, or with resignation.)

But I realized something about the opening, and how at my level it is so difficult. When you look at the answers to the problems, and especially the follow-up moves, you see that the correct answers depend on a certain way of thinking that SDKs don't have. Let me try and explain. Say you have a problem where the correct move is to extend someplace, and the follow-up for your opponent is to extend on their side. If the first extension starts building some territory, an SDK will be likely to dive in and try and invade, reduce or live. But dans - according to the book - see that this is not the biggest move, and will play elsewhere to build their own territory.

This sort of move by SDKs could probably be called overplays, but I don't think that's actually what they are. I think they simply show a lack of whole-board understanding. However, as an SDK, I can't play the way this book shows me, because of what my opponent will do. Instead, I have to fight because of these overplays, and that's where the game gets very complicated. So I wonder, at what point will I be able to go further with my opening, since at this level, playing good openings really isn't possible.