Thanks for the very interesting statistics and commentary, John. If (and only if) you have the time and motivation, I would love to see a sample position or two in which 紧 is used. Or maybe it is so common that it applies to pretty much all good play?

It is interesting, after seeing this discussion, that In-seong Hwang is constantly talking about "applying pressure" in his lectures and game reviews. Often this has to do with making contact moves (taking away liberties and claiming more space) when one's instinct might be to play more peacefully.

I'm currently in the process of studying the middle game and have found Shuko's Dictionary of basic tesuji very useful. It includes a chapter on connecting and one on separating but, more importantly, it teaches you how to utilize the full potential of 'shape' in different situations and for different purposes. I haven't been studying it in great detail but even so I now have a better sense of shape when it comes to attacking and defending. I think tesuji problems in general are good for practicing various middle game techniques and shape. I've also bought but have yet to read Richard Hunter's Cross cut workshop. It might be a bit basic, but it looks like a good overview of crosscut patterns. Other tangentially related topics would be haengma, invasions and reductions.

In addition to analysing my games with AI, I'm using AI sensei's spaced repetition function. I make around 10 problems from each of my games with a focus on basics shapes & principles and to a lesser extent whole-board intuition (e.g. direction of play, whole board strategic decisions). I've found this to be useful as well.

Interesting, what John explains about 细 is how I currently understand the japanese term »tesuji« (手筋).

The »whole board pressure« is something that I see in my own mistakes and lacking strategical view. I now think that this can take many forms: the most obvious is something like »ijime«, where a group can be harrassed for profit. However, I think this can also take the shape of the inverse: something like »shinogi« where you deny your opponent profit that they need to keep up. Likewise, just taking the right big point after a temperature drop can be seen as keeping up pressure. In some ways, this dissolves into obvious »ya gotta do what ya gotta do«, but I think that the feeling of pressure is something very palpable. Play moves that stress your opponent. Or, as some old chess master said: don't solve problems, create them!

About what mistakes to learn from: I am using AI-Sensei's training feature a lot, and what I take into my problem set is situations where I am surprised of the »correct« answer, and where I can work out a plausible reasoning for what makes it correct.

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A good system naturally covers all corner cases without further effort.

Not wrong, but simple suji (technique) is a better equivalent. The te portion adds a nuance of extra craftedness or precision, i.e. extra-good suji.



I like that. The word 'stress' is especially apposite.

The concept In-seong is talking about is probably the same one. When Chinese teachers want you to play one space closer to the opponent's stones or to attach instead, 紧 is the word they use. It has connotations of keeping sente, particularly.