Hi guys,

I started playing go about 10 years ago (i was 12 at that time), and have been atlernating between phases where i was quite serious about studying and periods of time where i didn't play at all. I'm currently 3 dan on KGS.

Since i reached that rank (more than a year ago), i've been experiencing difficulties in improving my strenght.

I think it would be quite difficult (at least for me) to stick with a very ambitious study plan, so i figured i'd rather set some small goals here and update the post regularly.

If you have some advice on how to improve, i'll be very happy to hear it from you.


My first goal is to finish the first volume of "graded go problems for dan players" series (300 l&d problems) by the end of the day. I'm at problem 113 and will let you guys know if i can achieve that first goal.

- sorry for approximative english -

Hi everyone,

So, here's a little update on my progression

The second part of the book was really, really, really harder than the first one, so i took me longer than expected to complete the book. Actually, wasn't even able to finish it as the last problems were just too hard for me.

I was quite shocked (and, i have to admit, a little upset ) to realize that my reading ability was not as good as i thought.

So, my next goal is to solve all the problems from the beginning of the book until i make a mistake, then start over until i am able to finish the book. I can't think of an appropriate deadline, since it might take weeks.

I'll try to play a serious game and post it here tonight too, so you guys can give me some piece of advice

So, here it is. We both played badly and my opponent seemed to be very fond of abusive play. Maybe the beginning is worth reviewing though. How would you play ?

I'm weaker than you but I love to kibitz ; )

I'll take the open corner : D

Seems to be Aji-keshi?.

I'd split at R11.

I'd just play O18.

I'd play C13.

D14 seems more forceful.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Thank you so much for your feedback ! Your strenght doesn't matter, you can still spot some good moves and correct mistakes.
Here's my feedback on your feedback, let's call it feedbackception

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc White is under attacK?
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . W O . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Especially with the marked exchange, I don't really see a strong attack here. But as I mentioned in my own study journal, I'm very bad when it comes to attacking : D But of course there are variations, e.g. first instead of . Or at ? Though I have a feeling this is overegging the pudding.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 5 stones, an open skirt and much Aji ('a')
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . a . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . 3 . . 1 . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X , . 7 . . . , . . . O . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X O X . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . 6 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , O . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Again a question of judgement: I feel like Black has way too much investment for not so much revenue at the top. Personally I would prefer White here.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Oh, you got your own study journal ! I'll come check it
Maybe we can play a game sometime !

First variation, the attack is indeed not so severe, but i would feel uncomfortable as white. Matter of taste i guess.

Second variation, actually yeah this looks quite good

Played another game. I felt good until my opponent invaded. I feel there was some way for him to escape and destroy my territory. Fortunately he did not find it, but there was probably a way for white to avoid such an uncertain outcome...

Again some unqualified kibitz ; )

I feel this is too early. You kill possibilities here without knowing whether this checking move is useful later on. Black probably won't extend either from his already solid group.

I like your change of direction but I would play this stone low. If you ever want to activate the Aji of the approach stone, you should leave no weaknesses in your outside group (since Black will most likely get strong in the process).

I think this is too early, again killing possibilities. Black could jump in at F3 perhaps, using his now very strong group at the bottom to attack your checking stone. The left side has lots of other possible reductions later on.

I'd play the normal Joseki here because leaving weaknesses behind really harms your Moyo strategy.

I wouldn't pincer here. Any right side potential can be dealt with because Black has a solid group at the bottom. Again due to White's early check.

Don't play close to thickness? : D I'd play at the top at L17 and then eye E13. But, by the way, notice how Black can easily attack this one stone because he has a strong group at the bottom with a stone looking into the center ; )

C6 and I feel White has a good game. Black botched the invasion but I feel, White should have got nothing there due to too many weak points.

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

Agree on , , ,

i'm afraid it's your worst kibbitz so far
Checking extension is the only move here, both urgent and valuable. Josekipedia explains the reason for the probe move very well, too.

playing high is slightly better here, since white aims at expanding his moyo. Concrete example : it makes the san-san invasion not so good as you mentioned. If w plays low. b can invade san-san then play a shoulder hit on the side ; w's potential is then destroyed.

tried to take sente here to approach black's stone at the top. Maybe I should have been more patient though, but i feel letting black get a double wing is not such a good idea. White's moyo can't get so big after all, since it has no corner.

Yes, I checked my Takao's on that and you're right. I understand. Interesting though, that Takao mainly shows the other one point jump for Black.



I'd argue San-San is not good in either situation, at least not directly. The high move gives Black a lot of forcing moves, even invading points and I feel it hampers the Aji of White's initial approach stone. What I'm thinking is something like Black F16, White probably F4(?) and than Black can plunge in. For me this feels like a "All eggs in one basket"-strategy by White. Could be wrong, though : D

_________________
My "guide" to become stronger in Go

The checking extension may be local joseki, but in this fuseki professionals often switch to an approach move in the upper left corner. So the checking extension is certainly not the only move.

Thanks mitsun for your correction, Cunningham's law strike again i guess ! I thought a very strong player taught me that but i probably mixed up with Kobayashi opening.