Although I have been playing Go on and off for over 30 years, and reached about 5 kyu when I was playing very regularly, I still regard myself as a beginner who just happens to know the rules and a little of the strategy. And just recently I have re-started playing Go against the computer : at first SmartGo, then The Many Faces of Go, and now I am considering investing in a copy of Zen19. But when I play against the computer, I am surprised at the number of times that I fail to recognise that the computer's move has converted what had been a vulnerable-but-savable group into a group that has no viable future. In part, I understand what is happening : because I have been playing sufficiently long to know that O do not necessarily need to capture a potentially dangerous stone as soon as it is played, I tend to end up with quite a few isolated groups, each of which is potentially vulnerable yet which could be saved so long as I remember what I need to do. Yet time and time again, the computer plays a second stone against a vulnerable group, I fail to spot the danger, and "bang", the group is dead. So my question is : what do good players do concerning vulnerable groups ? Do they remember them, so that as soon as a stone is placed in proximity they go on red alert ? Or do they simply re-analyse both the local and the global situation every time an opponent's stone is played ?

... I tend to end up with quite a few isolated groups ...

Honest answer? Both Though, in truth, "Having lots of vulnerable groups" sounds more like the source of your problems. I'm very unhappy if I have 3 unsettled groups on the board at any one time.

"Five might live but the sixth is dead."

OK, so am I being over-ambitious ? I do try to win all four corners in every game, and then use those as bases from which to contest the centre. Would you advise me to be more modest in my ambitions, and allow my opponent one corner so that I have fewer vulnerable groups to worry about ?

Certainly, 4 corners + the center isn't going to happen

OK, my thanks to all for those very quick replies. Just one point of clarification :


When I spoke of trying to win all four corners and then using those as a base from which to contest the centre, I meant by that last phrase not "gain further territory" but rather "prevent my opponent from gaining sufficient territory in the centre that he can win despite the fact that I hold all four corners".

the other question is what exactly do you mean by "get all 4 corners"?

I tend to end up with quite a few isolated groups, each of which is potentially vulnerable yet which could be saved so long as I remember what I need to do.

(snip)My point is, a large part of Go is keeping your own groups strong and attacking your opponent's groups when they get weak. If you noticed, both topazg and daniel_the_smith touched on the sentence below, and I will too. Without actually being able to see a game of yours, I would guess it's a big part of your problems

What Dusk Eagle posted was most likely not the beginning of the game, but only the part that happened in one corner.

And you don't need to be ashamed of posting a game because it contains weak moves. That just creates more opportunity for us to give you tips for improvement. And remember: Almost every go player considers himself weak. Think about improving instead of being ashamed of your weakness.

I'll try : I just don't like feeling embarrassed But is there a sandbox on the forum in which one can practice uploading games, as this would be my first attempt at such a thing ?

First, to end speculation on the game Dusk Eagle posted, here are the first several moves of that game (I've removed the opponents name, although the entire game is publicly available):

It appears the sequence was played pretty early, and looks very good for white.

Don't be embarassed--it will prevent improvement. As others have said, don't place too much emphasis on the corners. Although the corners are the easiest place to create territory, "capturing" some points in the corner does not come without a cost. Besides, if you really want to make territory in the corners you open in (i.e., the corners you play in first) open on the 3-3 point.

I would also encourage you to play some real people--don't let embarassment hold you back!

Finally, as far as a "sandbox" you can experiment posting a game here in this thread--you won't break anything.

P.S. Daniel-the-Smith : I have just looked for "Five might live but the sixth is dead." in Go Proverbs Illustrated, but can't find it; obviously there must be a very large number of Go proverbs, so not all could possibly be included, but I wonder if you remember where you came across that one ?

Here's one place: http://senseis.xmp.net/?path=GoProverbs ... xthWillDie
Proverbs aren't meant to be too deep, IMO; the main point is that you don't have time to make a bunch of separate groups live individually.(snip)