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need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
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Author:  bierjunge [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 2:22 pm ]
Post subject:  need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
Hi guys,

as the title says, I'm looking for some help to create a study guide to reach 1d.

I have started playing go 6 months ago with a 4 months break (I'm currently 18k on OGS but I feel more like 22k). I want to reach dan level within the next 5 years (when I'm 35). I prepared some studying materials but I don't know how to get through the most efficient way. And maybe you can give me some additional advice.

This is what I got so far:

books
Graded Go Problems for Beginners 1-4
Elementary Go Series 1-6
Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go
Opening Theory made easy
The Second Book of Go

tsumegos
see Books Graded Go Problems
Tsumego Pro - AndroidApp
GpAndroid - AndroidApp

youtube
I follow Nick Sibicky

Would you add or remove books?
In which order would you read the books?
What are the best tsumego websites?
Which youtube channels would you recommend?

greetings
Author:  jeromie [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
I don't think there is a single path to one dan, though since I'm not there yet any advice I offer should be taken with a grain of salt. ;-) Still, I'm approximately on track to get there in 5 years of consistent play. (I have played at least a few games every month since January 2014, and I am currently on the verge of 4 kyu on KGS. I've gained at least two stones every year I have played the game.)

I'll group the books you own into tiers; you can read the books in a given tier in any order. (Actually, you can read the books in any order you want, this is just my opinion. ;-) ) Still, the most important things you can do are to keep playing games and take the time to review them afterward. Getting stronger players to review your games occasionally can also help, and a good teacher can probably smooth the path to one dan significantly. I can't speak to the latter from personal experience, though.

Here's my groupings for the books:

Tier 1
  • Graded Go Problems for Beginners 1 (You may already find this very easy.)
  • Opening Theory Made Easy (A quick read that makes the opening much less intmidating.)
  • The Second Book of Go (I haven't read this, but I have heard very good things.)

Tier 2:
  • Graded Go Problems for Beginners 2 (You can start on this as soon as you finish book 1.
  • Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go (Some of the content is actually more difficult than its place on this list indicates, but it is very motivational.)
  • Tesuji (This one will challenge you for a while, but it is well worth the effort.)
  • In the Beginning (Not necessary, but this will reinforce concepts learned in Opening Theory Made Easy)

Tier 3:
  • Graded Go Problems for Beginners 3
  • Attack and Defense
  • Life and Death (A good treatment of the subject, but it's very dry so may be difficult to get through.)

Tier 4:
  • Graded Go Problems for Beginners 4 (Many of the problems in this volume are still quite difficult for me.)
  • The Endgame (This book isn't particularly difficult, but you're more likely to appreciate how many points the endgame can be worth when you're stronger.)

Anytime:
  • 38 Basic Joseki (Use this as a reference after your games; don't try to memorize the moves.)
  • Handicap Go (I've never actually read this one, so I don't know how useful it is. If you're playing on OGS you probably won't play a lot of handicap games.)
Author:  dfan [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
I wouldn't look past 10k for the moment. I think that the more ambitious the goal, the easier it is to get frustrated and give up. I would guess that over half of beginners who say "I want to reach 1 dan in N years" give up the game completely before those N years are up. The ones who do reach 1 dan seem to be the ones who just enjoy playing and learning and improving, and are content to see how far that will take them. You will also have a very different view of reaching 1d when you are at 5k than when you are at 18k.

Anyway, your resources are good quality (put away volumes 3 and 4 of GGPB until you get to 10k, though). Play lots of games, and post them here or on gokibitz.com and get them reviewed.
Author:  Koosh [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
SoDesuNe (a board member here) wrote a guide that might help you out. Check it out! :tmbup:
http://senseis.xmp.net/?SoDesuNe

After that, I like this guide that was contributed by a strong Chinese amateur.
https://forums.online-go.com/t/repost-to-become-a-master-of-go-is-not-easy-but-to-become-an-amateur-5d-or-6d-is-not-hard/789

tchan did a much nicer translation of this post into English; once you get to 2d, perhaps you might ask him for it. For now, these two guides will give you a good idea of what kind of technical training many people undergo to get to dan level. Good luck!

Also, to add to what dfan said above, try giving yourself tiered goals and associate them with some sort of reward. 12k, 8k, 5k, 2k, 1k, 1d seem like promising tiers for me based on knowing where people I know have gotten stuck, but it's your call.
Author:  Kirby [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
Forget books. Find a rival that's around 1d, and try to beat him. Start with 9-stone handicap, and work your way up.
Author:  sparky314 [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
Vital books to add once you hit 12k:
* 1001 Life and Death Problems
* Get Strong at Tesuji

These books come before GGPfBv4 (but after v3).

Always redo all tsumego/tesuji books 3 times, and then again until you hit 95% accuracy on a relatively quick pass through. Don't reread them immediately, alternate books, so you're not just memorizing problems.

Play serious games, and spend 5-15 minutes reviewing games. Also, have stronger players review a couple of your games per week.

Focus first on 10k.

Then on 5k.

Once you hit 5k, you can decide if you want to pursue 1 dan. ;) It's a long way up the mountain. Good luck!

Guides:
SoDesuNe mentioned above is good.
https://gogameguru.com/how-to-get-better-at-go/
http://senseis.xmp.net/?BenjaminTeuber% ... comeStrong
Author:  bierjunge [ Fri Sep 16, 2016 11:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
Thank you for your advice :)

I still got one question: Which go server would you recommend?
I play on OGS because there seem to be a lot more players around my level than on KGS/IGS. Sometimes I play on KGS but I'll always get some 11k players which means I start with 9 handicap stones. My problem is that I don't think these handicap games will help me to understand the early game but if I play without handicap I get destroyed of course.

Do you think I shouldn't consider about this and just play mass games on KGS or should I stay OGS until ~13k?
Author:  Majordomo [ Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
For servers - OGS is easier >10k I think, and then KGS has more SDK I think (my experience at least).

Handicap is a good thing, you really build an understanding - not of opening patterns - but how to gain advantage when you are superior in an area, how to be aggressive and press your advantage to make your opponent squirm. The games I've learned the most from are the handicap games against dan players - so for me at least handicap is nothing to scoff at, opening patterns and joseki can come later when you don't just collapse at every turn even with an advantage. I suspect you could get to 1d simply playing handi games against a much stronger opponent all the way (if you can find opponents).
Author:  illluck [ Sat Sep 17, 2016 3:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: need some help to create a study plan to reach 1d
For OGS vs KGS, I don't think it matters much now that OGS has live games - though do make sure you play a number of live games and not just correspondence if you stay on OGS.
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