Loons' Internet Go Adventure

Loons · #1

Lots of people are making these (we do have this forum for it) so I’m jumping on the bandwagon.
Tentatively, I plan to structure this by regularly editing the first post as a sort of preamble, and adding new posts for “Journal Entries”. I'm leaning more towards Kokomi's direction, not being particularly organised myself, either.

The following, mostly trivially;
Current Favorite player: Honinbo Shuei
# Tsumego since 16/07/2010 : 10
# Games since 16/07/2010 ; 1

Specific schedule maybe pending.

Loons · #2

16/07/2010
Tsumego;
Started the Gokyo Shumyo collection over at Sensei’s. I’ve done first 10 (corner life problems for first part). Pretty easy, but I’m pretty bad at tsumego. I’m focussing on reading the problems thoroughly (in my head, not clicking anything out) finding the solution and maximizing points (hasn’t really been much flexibility so far). I also did some tsumego courtesy of tchan001, but I don’t recall them specifically right now.

Games;
Just one today. 25 + 5*30, taking black against a white no komi 3k. +R, in late endgame, was going to be black +12.5. My late midgame was disappointingly slack, thanks to time pressure as always… I was briefly worried I was losing (I forgot no komi, and my counting put him around 52 using Dr Straw’s methods, (un?)happily I was out by a bit). Gonna work on counting! (I only counted twice that game, once after fuseki (millions more points, much less centre) and once around start of endgame.)

Sentiments:
Not today but relatively recently I’ve had a lesson with freegame regarding openings and 3-4 points (especially in the context of pincers (which is what you gotta often anticipate from 3-4 points...)). So I’m a bit more familiar with 3-4 joseki and their meanings now. I still hate 3-4 point one space high approach one space low pincer joseki a bit, avoiding high approaches in pincer-friendly situations for now.

Something else that’s made me a lot more comfortable with 3-4 points is playing through (memorizing!) some of Shuei’s games. His stones work very harmoniously and I strive to emulate his openings. You can really see in practice how each player finely balances their moves based on the comparative health of groups, more clearly than high dan blitzing on KGS at least.

Also! For obscure reasons Shy gave me some quick pointers to improve. He urged me to stop tenuki-ing from unhealthy groups, even though I got a reasonable number of wins this way, and instead play according to his (maybe slightly garbled) 3 qualifiers;

1) What is my least healthy group
2) By helping this group, can I also help another of my groups?
b) By helping this group, can I also harm an enemy group ?
3) What is the biggest (gote) point?

In descending order of urgency. Also rather than having a goal of “better rank” I should perhaps strive to have a clearer and deeper understanding of go (which will eventually result in a better rank).

kokomi · #3

Good luck, Loons!

I think tenuki is always a good idea, at least, it won't be the worst idea on board.

tchan001 · #4

Glad you enjoy the occasional tsumego session I organized in the godiscussions.com room at KGS. Although they aren't scheduled or anything, if anyone sees me when I hold one of these sessions, you are welcome to join in the collaborative tsumego solving. We usually work on at least 4 go problems per session sampled from some of my Asian go problem books. The levels are varied and usually range from SDK to dan level problems. The idea is to learn how each other think as we look at the problems. By looking at the thought process of solving the tsumego problems, hopefully we can improve our overall reading so we can better apply such skills in our own games.

Loons · #5

Argh, today was a day I lost a bunch of games. Two I played before bed in the morning (always a bad idea) and one was... well...

Complete failure of reading and fundamentals and not making awful mistakes in general.

So I was feeling pretty awful about go.

But I did another 15 problems from Gokyo Shumyo, so up to 25, and they're honest-to-God fun. The difficulty fluctuates a bit though !

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B Black to live $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . O . . . . . $$ | . O O X . . . . . . $$ | . X X X O O . O . . $$ | . . . . X X O . . . $$ | . . . . . O . . . . $$ --------------------[/go]

This one bemused me, I didn't find the answer myself (I did check it. This is a situation I'm going to be watching out for in future...)

Shaddy · #6

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . O . . . . . $$ | . . . X . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . O . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ --------------------[/go]

This is where that situation comes from, if you were wondering: triple approach to a star point.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ | . 8 O . . . . . . . $$ | . 5 6 . O . . . . . $$ | . . 7 X . . . . . . $$ | . . 1 4 . O . . . . $$ | . . 3 2 . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . . $$ --------------------[/go]

Loons · #7

Done up to 35, section one in Gokyo Shumyo. I'm pretty proud that I can nail vital points pretty reliably with but a few moments thought. Almost all of them, the first spot I considered was the right answer.

This one did give me pause, though

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B Black to live $$ | . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . $$ | . O O . . . $$ | . X O . . . $$ | . . X O . . $$ | . . X O . . $$ | . . . O . . $$ | . X X O . . $$ | . X O . . . $$ | . . O . . . $$ | . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . $$ | . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . $$ ------------[/go]

One rated game today, won +time instead of passing, game featured him clinging to 3 corners, then unapologetically spamming weak groups everywhere (He managed to save 2, and lost 2). The game time was 10:00+4*00:20, I spent "endgame" in my last period, content that my damage was done.

Shaddy also gave me a teaching game, thanks again for that. It's very helpful to have someone considerably stronger helping find, justify, reject moves.

I also managed to solve a couple of the tsumego from today's session with Tchan001 (even when it wasn't my turn -_-) I'm gettin' better !

Loons · #8

21/07/2010

Terrible at Tchan's tsumego today. But, it's ok 'cause Kenshin9 was cleaning up.
Two games, won both +R, only one really belonged to me. The first game my opponent failed to kill calmly and I got the second bite at a vital point. We talked about it afterwards.

I think c. S2 is crucial for both of us and has been for a while. I have sente-ish right now, gonna try and solve the position. Both are moves from here on were clearly wrong (probably previously too, but this I think is my first opportunity to play s2, which seems to be before him actually.

Edit: Added what I think is the strongest continuation. Ko (for the game) white takes first. White will lose the game if he loses the ko after having eyemaking threats blocked, but if he wins, I don't think any black threat is big enough. Black can not-ko and allow white to live in gote... But I think white is ahead on the board in that case.

Edit 2 : Make that 5 games, +R, +R, +R, +7.5 and one loss, -4.5 after half of a 20 point corner died in a terrible misread against a desperation overplay.

Loons · #9

Made 3k today ! I normally automatch +/- 1, so this is opening up the exciting new realm of losing to 2ks.

Haven't been keeping up with my tsumego recently, just up to #45 Gokyo Shumyo today, still haven't finished the set Tabemasu gave me to do (I may brew some coffee and do that now).

Games today, nothing spectacular. Actually today, I really wanted to play white against nirensei and do some bizarre moves with a 2 space high pincer I've recently had a look at. Naturally, my games as white today featured all my opponents playing 3-4s.

Hang on, let me type out a diagram of the joseki I wanted to try

Edit: Diagram having kittens

This family of joseki, anyway

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . O X . O , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Loons · **#10**

Just joined the ASR league today !

If you haven`t joined yet, I really recommend it - it's great to get a lot of even games against stronger opponents.

First day - even games against a 4d, 1d, 1k - The 4d was pretty nice about it, and gave me some good thoughts in the review afterwards, but my play was pretty sloppy from fear. Next time, I'll try and stay on level.

Tactically, I enjoyed my games against the 1d & 1k more (thanks Shaddy & Faintvoice) - I understand a lot more of the moves at this level, but with interesting new material coming up too, these games practice - and push (and currently defeat) - my reading and positional abilities.

Sorry this post is a little content-less, I'm just raving from the fun go day I've had. I feel really motivated for my go studies.

Did do some tsumego, some fun tricks, nothing too rigorous though. Tsumego with Tchan001 have previously drilled this particular tesuji into my head.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ . . . . . . . X . . | $$ . . . . . . X . . . | $$ , . . O . O X . . . | $$ . O . O . O X . . . | $$ . . . . X X O O . . | $$ . . . . . . . . . . | $$ --------------------+[/go]

Also; new avatar. Yeah.

kokomi · **#11**

keep ur motivation, and let's meet in beta next month :lol:

Loons · **#12**

Sounds like a plan.

Loons · **#13**

Some more wonderful ASR losses today ... A 6 dan nicely reviewed a game for me, and pointed out some moves which to him seemed perfectly natural but I would never spot in a million years.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X O . . . X . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

(Evidently it's joseki. Ehh.) "Black has a hard time finding shape"

And another one, later;

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O X X X . X O . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X X O O O . X . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . X , O O . X X O O . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . O O . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X O . . . X . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

(This one is from a variation, not an immediate game position)

I've got some learning to do.

Other things I've got to work on ; stop trying to rescue worthless stones, also, considering my ASR games typically have long time settings, I'm going to try and at least roughly count every 20 moves or so

(Thankyou, my teachers various)

Edit: Oh, I've got to add, some of my moves this game were complimented

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc "Good Move" $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . X . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X X O . . . W . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . X , O O . . . O . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X O . . . X . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

But still gotta flex my reading muscles in games more ...

kokomi · **#14**

Are all the move you circles are those 'natural' ones? Why not give a brief explanation

I know the first one prevent cut, but how it's better than a tiger's mouth?

Stefany93 · **#15**

Loons wrote:

Lots of people are making these (we do have this forum for it) so I’m jumping on the bandwagon.
Tentatively, I plan to structure this by regularly editing the first post as a sort of preamble, and adding new posts for “Journal Entries”. I'm leaning more towards Kokomi's direction, not being particularly organised myself, either.

The following, mostly trivially;
Current Favorite player: Honinbo Shuei
# Tsumego since 16/07/2010 : 10
# Games since 16/07/2010 ; 1

Specific schedule maybe pending.

Who cares?

Chew Terr · **#16**

Stefany93 wrote:

Who cares?

I do. I've played Loons a couple of times, so it's nice to track his progress. Why does this bother you so?

SoDesuNe · **#17**

Why do people post in threads to say, they don't care about them. Still don't get it.

I post, I care - true story.

oren · **#18**

I just have to post to say I care.

Redundant · **#19**

I too care.

Shaddy · **#20**

ditto (i care enough to put this here, but not enough to type that i care- oh, wait)

Loons' Internet Go Adventure

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