Life In 19x19
http://www.lifein19x19.com/

SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
http://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=977
Page 5 of 23

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

As for studying: I finished "Life and Death: Intermediate Level Problems" a while ago (they are just 110; ~60% solvable) and I am now solving Yi Chang'ho's Selected Life-and-Death Problems Vol. 1. Quite easy for a change and I know a lot of problems from "1001 Life-and-Death Problems".

Out of boredom I solved Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 1 the other day and I even managed to get one inferior variation ^^

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

Solved Yi Chang'ho's Selected Life-and-Death Problems Vol. 1. Now the first Tesuji Volume of the series!

After playing against a ~5 Dan on 5H, which let to total annihilation for me, he said I really should work at Tesujis because they would help my very poor fighting skills ^^

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

So, I'm back from China, where kind of nobody plays Wéiqí and some didn't even know it. Met a korean and he told me, Baduk is just a game for older men.
Yeah, so much for the two greatest Go nations in the world ^^

Likewise it was very hard for me to find Go books. I even was in the famous Go club in Beijing but they didn't have the books I wanted and sadly there wasn't enough time to visit the big bookstore.
In the end, I still got 15 books, only missing two from the books I actually wanted. But maybe there is a chance I manage to get an account on amazon.cn and just order the two missing books.

So, back on the route to Shodan now! ; )

Author:  cdybeijing [ Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

SoDesuNe wrote:
So, I'm back from China, where kind of nobody plays Wéiqí and some didn't even know it. Met a korean and he told me, Baduk is just a game for older men.
Yeah, so much for the two greatest Go nations in the world ^^

Likewise it was very hard for me to find Go books. I even was in the famous Go club in Beijing but they didn't have the books I wanted and sadly there wasn't enough time to visit the big bookstore.
In the end, I still got 15 books, only missing two from the books I actually wanted. But maybe there is a chance I manage to get an account on amazon.cn and just order the two missing books.

So, back on the route to Shodan now! ; )


What books were you wanting that you couldn't find? If they were English texts, I can well imagine you didn't see them in Beijing, but Chinese books should be easily available.

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Mon Aug 22, 2011 3:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I didn't find Yi Chang-ho L&D Vol. 6 and Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems (圍棋死活1000題) but as I said, I sadly didn't had the time to visit book stores in Beijing, I just was in this Go Club and they didn't have it.

Most of the books I bought in Wuhan, because I stayed there for three weeks.

Author:  cdybeijing [ Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

SoDesuNe wrote:
I didn't find Yi Chang-ho L&D Vol. 6 and Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems (圍棋死活1000題) but as I said, I sadly didn't had the time to visit book stores in Beijing, I just was in this Go Club and they didn't have it.

Most of the books I bought in Wuhan, because I stayed there for three weeks.


It's too bad, because 圍棋死活1000題 is my favorite problem book, and it's readily available here in the city. :-?

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I'm tackling Yi Ch'ang-Ho's Seletced Tesujis Vol. 3 right now and besides noticing that the difficulty has increased enormously compared to volume one and two, I have a hard time figuring out why two of my answer move should be wrong?
Another possibility is, that I followed the wrong objective because I can't read the chinese characters (with exception of whose play it is). Therefore I refered to the number of the problem in the diagramme's title.


Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | 1 . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | a . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


I think :b1: saves the stones but the book says 'a' is the right answer. Surprisingly it also features 'a' in the two failure diagrammes. So I think they might have confused 1 and 'a' in the answer diagramme, then it would make sense.



Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 3 X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 b . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


That's the books answer. It works, if White plays that way since 'a' and 'b' are Miai.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O b c X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 2 d . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


But what about this move? Black could follow with 'a' to 'd'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


:b1: is pretty much a standard response in such situations but can Black connect his stones with this move?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 2 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


I think it does not work since White can simply play :w2: and give up two stones while seperating Black.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


What if Black plays 'b' here?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 b X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


White captures the marked stone and 'a' and 'b' are Miai, aren't they?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O X . X . X O . .
$$ | . O . O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Still Black has this move to start a Ko. Better than the book's solution for White?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Choice 'c' is a short one. White plays :w2: and it's over.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 b X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Black's trickiest response is 'd', I think. But when White plays :w2: it seems to be over again - 'a' and 'b' are Miai again, right?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O O 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O X . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


Wrong, White is in a shortage of liberties and can't connect.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 3 . X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


So White has to take the marked stones and it becomes Ko again.


My attempt:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]


I thought this move was right to connect unconditionally and I still can't figure out, why it is wrong.

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Sun Nov 06, 2011 3:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

Just back from my first tournament as a 4-kyu EGF. And it was quite successful for me: I scored 3 wins and 2 losses.
One of the losses was unlucky again (with a winning position against a 6-kyu) but so be it - it was the third game of the first day ^^

In my first game (against a 4-kyu) I failed to attack my opponent's splitting group which resulted in me having two groups with almost no points while he somehow managed to build a Moyo on top. I luckily could get a lot of points in the endgame and was able - due to a mistake by him - to reduce a +15-points group of him to just two eyes.
Still I lost by 0.5 points.

My second game was a little bit crazy (against 4-kyu aswell). I managed to get a wall from a well-known Komoku one-space pincer Joseki and my opponent moderately approached this "thickness". I immeadiately pincered his pincer stone and he pincered me again, enclosing his Hoshi corner with a Keima.
Needless to say there was a big fight from which he Tenuki'd quite often to secure quite a lot "territory" on top. In the end I chased his group towards my "thickness" and we exchanged his side group against my wall (huge corner for him). Only counting territory his two corners plus the top where twice as big as the group I captured. But without doubt I dominated the center because of the capture.
In the course of the game he also gave me Ponnuki facing the center and missed a cutting sequence, resulting in his loss of another group (huge corner for me - in exchange he reduced my center to a couple of points).
He then tried something in my enclosed corner but it didn't work out and I won by resignation.

The third game is the one mentioned above (against the 6-kyu). I actually had a really good start, sealing in a corner group with an open skirt, cutting my opponent into three weak-ish groups (where I had none) and killing a corner invasion by him.
But then it went downhill.
I tried to surround one weak-ish group and he actively helped me with it by also surrounding my surounding group. Sadly he lived inside in Sente and his outside wall dominated almost half of the board.
Later I missread a cutting sequence and therefore had an excuse to resign.

The next day began with a very good opening, although I played some bad moves. But my opponent (5-kyu) didn't seek to profit from them. Then he invaded my right side and I mentally talked me out of the killing move - so he lived (never try to calculate to long on a problem, every move will turn out to not working).
But at least I got some thickness in return and could build a Moyo and the left, which he immeadiately invaded PRETTY deep. I went all-in and expaned the Moyo even further and dared him to live inside.
It got pretty intense since he managed to cut me into two groups from which one hadn't two eyes. But I managed to make Miai of either connecting or making two eyes, so he died inside and I won by resignation.

The last game was against my personal nemesis (4-kyu) ^^. We have two totally different since contrary styles which almost always turns out in favour for her. I like territory, she likes influence.
In tournament games she always got a win - until now.
The game itself was not very thrilling, it all came down to two running groups and how we would manage to handle them. She managed her group a lot better than I did mine, so I Tenuki'd quite often from my group to split a big side or grab some territory since I was feeling short.
In the end I miscalculated a move from which I was sure, would lead to two eyes and as she cut off my running group it was more dead than alive. Lucky for me, she didn't play the vital point and I could live by making Miai of creating a second eye or capturing a tail of her group.



And I purchased all four volumes of Dictionary of Basic Tesujis! Shodan, here I come : )

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Mon Nov 07, 2011 2:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

Ha ha ha, I replayed the game against the 6-kyu and my programme tells me that at my resignation White (me) is over 20 points ahead...

Author:  karaklis [ Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

SoDesuNe wrote:
Ha ha ha, I replayed the game against the 6-kyu and my programme tells me that at my resignation White (me) is over 20 points ahead...

It seems that it helps counting the territory before resigning.
Do you count territory at all on tournaments? I have made it to a personal practice to count 2-3 times in a game. That really helps. But it also depends on how much time you still have. That's why I count when byoyomi is getting closer, because I know that I don't have the time to count during byoyomi.

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I always (and I mean always ^^) end up behind when I count. Guess it would be a good idea to practice it, at least when I play at the Go-Club with no time limits.

On the other hand, the SGF-file somehow switched the colours of the stones, so I was right when I resigned because my opponent is 20 points ahead ; )


post scriptum:
That was the end position:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ Position at move 139
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . X . X . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . X . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . X X O . . O O O . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . O X O X . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . . . O O X X X O O O X O X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . O . O X . O . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . . X O . O O X O . . . X O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X X X O . X . X X O . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O . . . . O O X O . |
$$ | . . O O O X X . O . . X . . O X . O . |
$$ | . X X . X O . X O . O X O . X O O O . |
$$ | . . . . X O . O O O . O X O O X X X . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . X , . . X . X O . X . |
$$ | . . X X X O X X . X . X . X . O O X O |
$$ | . . . . O O O X . . . . X . . O X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . O X O . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Author:  daal [ Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

SoDesuNe wrote:
...
And I purchased all four volumes of Dictionary of Basic Tesujis! Shodan, here I come : )


If only it was as easy as buying some books :)

BTW, I enjoyed reading your descriptions of your games.

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Mon Nov 07, 2011 11:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

daal wrote:
SoDesuNe wrote:
...
And I purchased all four volumes of Dictionary of Basic Tesujis! Shodan, here I come : )


If only it was as easy as buying some books :)

BTW, I enjoyed reading your descriptions of your games.


Yeah, guess I'm one pro-dan when it comes to buying Go books ^^ At least I (partially) read and worked with (almost) every book I bought.

And thank you very much! =)

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I just saw that my page on senseis library (http://senseis.xmp.net/?SoDesuNe) is the second most popular page created in the last six months - with almost double as much pageviews compared to the third place :O

Then again it only attracted 1144 visitors over this period (like 7 a day), so I think this is pretty relative ^^

Still nice =D

Author:  karaklis [ Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

How can you see that?

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

It's listed here: http://senseis.xmp.net/?MostPopular

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I think I slowly enter the stage where I try my utmost to play efficient moves (like forcing the opponent so I can make shape) only to end up playing Aji-Keshi or hurting the global situation of other groups or stones of mine.

At least the local 5-dan likes to refer this to players transitioning from SDK to low dan.

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

Played my second annual tournament last weekend, again as a 4-kyu EGF and again with three wins to two losses.
I feel, I'm pretty stable with this rank and maybe - just maybe - on good terms towards 3-kyu. Unfortunately for me I managed to lose one won and one favourable game. One in the endgame with at least 20 points ahead and the other one in the middlegame because I misread (didn't read at all and Honte seemed slow as usual ^^) a cut.

My first game was against a fellow 4-kyu and after a pretty standard opening - double Komoku and a Shimari for me, double Hoshi and a Kakari for him -, I approached his top Hoshi whereon he pincered me so that I took the corner.
He chose to block south, which suprised me a bit since this is Gote in most cases. He proceeded with an unusual sequence, not defending his cutting point between his pincer and his resulting wall and he even ended in Gote.
Of course, I immeadiately split his side, he approached from his bottom Hoshi and I jumped out (with this in mind).
He peeped, I connected and he pincered from his top wall.
So far I was quite satisfied: My running group was in no danger, his pincer from the top didn't make any use of the wall and I still had cutting Aji.
I made rudimentary shape with my splitting group, inviting him to play near his bottom Hoshi only to play an attachment the next move. He chose to keep his corner.
The following sequence wasn't exactly what I had planned: He forced me to take solid territory on the third and fourth line but he got a thick wall in exchange. I began to worry about my splitting group and had to make a choice between further solidifying territory or making shape with my splitting group.
I chose the latter but he managed to get a Ponnuki in Gote facing the center because he could exploit cutting points due to my Tenuki.
I, then, cut his position on the top, which he hadn't defended and we fought a bit. His wall ended up completely useless, barely making two eyes and his pincer stone got sealed in, which gave me nice influence.
I - admittedly - foolishly tried to convert this influence in territory by making a framework. Surprisingly he didn't interfere but jumped into my Shimari corner, I didn't interfere either and further extended my framework.
We almost ended up playing endgame at this point, he solidified my framework to make a similiar one on the right but as I played the endgame attachement on the second line he chose to cut me off, eating this one stone but letting me in his framework. He then walled me off again but gave me four of his stones plus a couple of points.
After this I thought I was savely ahead since he had not much territory besides his one corner and a bigger group on the right.
He digged again in my Shimari corner but as I tried to stop him, he played a little greedy leaving cutting points behind, which resulted in a shortage of liberties. I managed to cut his top group (the pincer stone) in two parts and captured two stones in Sente.
The game was pretty much finished by then so I played out the remaining endgame. On one point he didn't answer a crawl on the first line but played near my former splitting group. I tried to figure out why only to see that he cut this group some ten moves before which I hadn't realized and that it was dead now. I had to resign.

The second game was also against a 4-kyu. I was White and he played an unusual opening which soon lead to some fighting. It climaxed in the bottom right where I pincered his corner appraoch. He surprisingly played the Keima to dig in the corner, so I walled him in.
I then played a corner approach to his bottom left corner ([over]extending from my now strengthend pincer stone), which was unreasonable since I had an open skirt at the bottom. He pincerd this approach and I jumped out.
This is where things got complicated.
Since I had some cutting Aji in my wall in the bottom right, the game progressed with each side having two running groups. After some center-hopping I found a sequence with which I could connect my two groups in Sente (so I thought). It looked thin but I couldn't find (I didn't really search) a way to cut.
So I took a big point elsewhere - knowing I had twice as much territory now as my opponent - and my opponent cut me, exploiting my open skirt to make a Monkey-Jump-connection.
I suddenly had two rather dead than alive groups on the board whereas he had two almost connected and safe groups.
But since these two were running groups, they had also their share of bad Aji.
Long story short, I was able to save the bigger group (with two points) and exchanged the other group for his left side and a part of his corner.
I sensed the game was close in the middlegame, since he hadn't really gotten anything out of the attack I felt there was still a win to achieve. Later I found a Ko in his bottom left corner, which was too big to fight for him so I even could save my cut off stones from before.
I feld ahead in the endgame. Then I missed a snapback (four stones), then I missed a shortage of liberties (around ten stones). Then I had lost =D

The last game on the first day was against a friend (7-kyu). She already beat me in a friendly match between the rounds and I really didn't feel confident at all.
This time I never had a favourable game. I played in the wrong directions. I played endgame in the middlegame (which she of course ignored to take bigger points). I missed cutting sequences again. And I played small and Gote endgame.
With her last move she unnecessarily defended a cutting point in her own territory. I won by 0.5 points.

I blamed it all on getting up at 4:45am to catch the train to the tournament ^^

On the next day, I played against a 4-kyu again and started really bad in the opening.
I wanted to prevent the Kobayashi so I directly approached his Komoku after he approached my Hoshi. It ended in Gote for me. He got a wall and played the proper extension along the top.
Seriously, Kobayashi would have been easier to deal with...
I played a reduction, again very badly (played near thickness) but he didn't even tried to attack my weak shape. Instead he defended his left side, which made it a bit overconcentrated. I again played the Hoshi attachment whereon he played a strange sequence. His corner and side got heavily reduced and I had Sente to fix my shape. Later he gave me Sente again so I could finally resolve the situation at the top right Hoshi, where I still hadn't answered his appraoching move.
He continued to play slow moves in my opinion, so I could take big points with Sente. Endgame was quite good for me, too.
I won by 9.5 points.

The last game was against a 3-kyu. He played very timid in the opening giving me a huge left side and then tried to make a Moyo on the top. I invaded (actually I wanted to reduce but after hearing some comments, my reducation was more of an invasion ^^) and he naturally cut me off. He then didn't read deep enough after I played an attachment to a stone blocking me.
He stopped reading as he saw that he could cut me but he missed a resulting forcing sequence which lead to me getting a strong shape inside his framework. His last resort was some Aji I misread and therefore didn't defend against. It got pretty intense because I saw a huge capturing race but couldn't see ahead enough who of us would win it.
However there was no way for me to back off so I went all-in but he connected his stones instead of starting the capturing race (after the game we analyzed the position and I would have won the race quite easily), so I did the same.
Or so I thought: I again missed a cutting sequence, which lead to a Ko. Surprisingly he didn't fight it. After the game he said he didn't find big enough Ko threats but there were plenty. So I could close the Ko after he played a move which didn't threat anything. Since his cutting group completely died by connecting the Ko and because he had several cuts on the outside to cover, he resigned.


So, next time: More sleep before tournaments and if I feel I'm ahead, I should play more Honte moves! =D
(And, self-explanatory, I should read more and more precise.)

Author:  SoDesuNe [ Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

Today, I beat my first KGS Shodan in an even game! =D

He played a little unreasonable and thus a group of him died. Although I was a bit click-happy in the end and blindly played the vital point - it should have become a Ko, I think but I could have got a save and clean kill.

Author:  RBerenguel [ Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

I just happened to hang around KGS when I saw you were already 1d. Congratulations, I guess the "road pavement" has worked wonderfully! Now it's my turn, a long road ahead :S

Page 5 of 23 All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/