Uptick wrote:
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice or provide some great resources to check out?
I've downloaded both KGS and IGS. I hear KGS might be better for beginners since it has a friendlier community and environment. On top of that, it has a bigger/better player pool for the mid level players, while IGS might be more suitable for higher level players? (the graphical interface of igs is so good though lol) Is KGS the place I should be starting at?
Welcome!
It's really down to whichever interface you like more. KGS has a large social element, IGS is basically radio silence. They're both great, and I think you'll improve in both places. I strongly recommend finding a local club in addition to the online servers.
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And, does anyone know any good web sites/forums/books/magazines that might be great for a beginner?
I'm currently learning some basics from http://www.playgo.to/iwtg/en/
But, if anyone know of any good resources regarding Go that might be suitable for a new player, I would really appreciate a few recommendations.
I'm currently learning some basics from http://www.playgo.to/iwtg/en/
But, if anyone know of any good resources regarding Go that might be suitable for a new player, I would really appreciate a few recommendations.
well, you found one
Some books that worked for me, but just the tip of the iceberg:
Fundamentals of Go by Kageyama
Get Strong at Tesuji by Bozulich
Sites:
http://goproblems.com
http://gochild2009.appspot.com/
http://gokifu.com
the first two are problem sites, the last posts recent professional games
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Lastly, what would be the best way for a beginner to learn and progress? Of course, I know that the best way to learn is through playing as many games as possible, but should i just plunge into a random game as soon as i learn the basic rules? or are there any basic patterns and strategies I should familiar myself with first in order to get more out of the experience? and, as a beginner, should i start with a 9x9 board?
-kind regards,
Uptick
-kind regards,
Uptick
I think the best way is to get hammered at handicap games on a full board or play even games on a smaller board. That's why a local club can be so valuable. It can be hard to find those kind of games online, and you will need a lot of them.
Basic advice:
There's a balance in go between the local and the global. Beginners tend to focus too much on one or the other. Either they ignore moves which demand responses, or they become overly attached to one region of the board. These two positions are at odds, and I think the game starts really making sense when a player finds a balance. Higher level players struggle with that balance too, but I would describe those efforts as tweaking... as opposed to beginners, where it's something you just have to discover.
An addendum:
Try to keep in mind an image of what you want to happen. When you make a move near another stone of yours, try to imagine territory that they surround. Then be willing to protect that from incursion.
This imagined board state will be greedy, or too conservative. Eventually you'll learn that formations have tactical weaknesses, or that you're committing far too many moves to one region for very little marginal gain. But that's okay, you have to start somewhere.
