My journal - First SDK, then Shodan

virgo · #1

Good evening nice fellow Go players :bow:

I'm from Belgium but I am affiliated to the German Go Federation. (Long story and I don't want to troll on that on a public thread)

In my quest for SDK ranking I decided to follow the path od Boidhre and beginning a journal where I can post some games I played (tournament or online) and request your humble point of view.

By now I am 13k EGF after the EGC 2012 in Bonn. I play Go for 3-4 years but with a business life and a wonderful wife I can't spend my all day on Go study.

I try to read a bit but I didn't play alot so I forgot alot also; Now I decided to play at a more regular pace in order to memorize what I read.

My previous reading list :

* Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go by Kageyama Toshiro
* Opening Theory Made Easy -- Twenty Strategic Principles to Improve Your Opening Game by Otake Hideo 9-dan
* The Second Book of Go, by Richard Bozulich.
* Perfectionnement au Go, by Pierre Aroutcheff
* Some others not to mention because I didn't get over Chapter 3 or 4

My actual reading list :

* Go by exemple - Correcting common mistakes in double digit kyu play by Neil Moffat
* First Fundamenatls by Robert Jasiek

On tsumegos I bought the elyGo Android software and I started again the Graded Go Problems for Beginners, Vol. 2 (I'm around Problem #100 with a very high succeed rate)

As a starting point, here are the kifus of most of my games at EGC. Could you please help me to point some of the most problematic mistake I made ?

My next tournament (and next milestone of my improvement) will be at Bochum Bambus (Germany) on October 6th and 7th.

Thanks alot.

virgo · #2

virgo · #3

virgo · #4

virgo · #5

virgo · #6

virgo · #7

virgo · #8

virgo · #9

speedchase · **#10**

Some comments

virgo · **#11**

speedchase wrote:

Some comments

Thanks alot for your comments. You pointed the right things IMHO. The deep 93 variation looks hard to think to me. I find it like a parachutist ^^ Like a soldier far away from his base.

So yes I should try to analyse 93 and how to invade properly.

Thanks

speedchase · **#12**

virgo wrote:

speedchase wrote:

Some comments

Thanks alot for your comments. You pointed the right things IMHO. The deep 93 variation looks hard to think to me. I find it like a parachutist ^^ Like a soldier far away from his base.

So yes I should try to analyse 93 and how to invade properly.

Thanks

The important part about the variation at 93 isn't the exact placement of the stone. in fact you can play closer to your black wall if that is more comfortable for you. the point is that if you draw a line between the outermost stones of whites moyo, then your play lands somewhere on that line. When you are erasing like that, it is usually a bad idea too touch one of whites stones on the boundary.
Ps. I recommend you do some tesuji problems, not just tsumego
Pps. I also recommend that in the future you post less games. After a tournament you can look through your games, and see which ones you don't really understand, and a few specific questions to the SGF files. Focus on learning a much as possible from each review.

virgo · **#13**

speedchase wrote:

The important part about the variation at 93 isn't the exact placement of the stone. in fact you can play closer to your black wall if that is more comfortable for you. the point is that if you draw a line between the outermost stones of whites moyo, then your play lands somewhere on that line. When you are erasing like that, it is usually a bad idea too touch one of whites stones on the boundary.

My idea was extension according to the proverb "3 stone wall ... extension 4" but bad application of it. You are right. I'll look at the line and play on it.

Joaz Banbeck · **#14**

I looked through posts 4 thru 10. I notice a general pattern: you are overconcentrating on making territory early in the game. To become stronger, in the early part of the game, concentrate more on influence and eyes.

virgo · **#15**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

I looked through posts 4 thru 10. I notice a general pattern: you are overconcentrating on making territory early in the game. To become stronger, in the early part of the game, concentrate more on influence and eyes.

Hi Joaz. Thaks alot for your comment. I understand more or less what you mean. The pattern you mentionned is frequent in people I played with on EGC.

In my feeling, I don't like to play influence unless I truly need to keep the game close. The balance between a "mandatory connection" (see speedchase comment on game #9) and a overconcentrating territory is no so clear in my mind by now. How is it possible to be territorial without being overconcentrated (long discussion probably) :mrgreen:

Should I be more "invasive" or is it truly to be more present on influence. I like to take points first then attack.

Thanks a lot for your point of view which is very valuable.

topazg · **#16**

virgo wrote:

In my feeling, I don't like to play influence unless I truly need to keep the game close. The balance between a "mandatory connection" (see speedchase comment on game #9) and a overconcentrating territory is no so clear in my mind by now. How is it possible to be territorial without being overconcentrated (long discussion probably)

FWIW, even pros struggle with getting this right. It's not an easy topic. I would certainly recommend dealing with the "not very comfortable" zones. If you are comfortable with how and what to do to make territory, but really don't know the best way of playing and using influence, I very strongly recommend playing games focused almost entirely on the successful use of influence.

Only by really poking holes in the areas you are weak at will you get any better at them

virgo · **#17**

I don't feel confortable at all to any territory or influence techniques ^^ I'm 13k not 1d :tmbup:

But I agree with you. Know your enemy and the techniques he/she uses.

karaklis · **#18**

virgo wrote:

I don't feel confortable at all to any territory or influence techniques ^^ I'm 13k not 1d :tmbup:

Well, improving in go means to leave the comfort zone and try out new things.

Btw. I just found that one of your matches was with my son (you won), so I'll have the opportunity to review that match with him... :bow:

I've seen you at EGC and in Bochum several times. Maybe I'll attend the Bochum tournament this year again, so maybe we'll see there..

virgo · **#19**

As many things I've done, I was very enthusiastic when I began this journal but without entries ... it becomes just a common thread without interest.

Please accept my apologies.

I've learnt alot in Swiss Go Championship. I will post you the fuseki/chuban of the games soon.

Long is the road to SDK.

Thanks alot.

virgo · **#20**

karaklis wrote:

Btw. I just found that one of your matches was with my son (you won), so I'll have the opportunity to review that match with him... :bow:

I've seen you at EGC and in Bochum several times. Maybe I'll attend the Bochum tournament this year again, so maybe we'll see there..

I should come to Bochum in October. I hope to see you there. It would be a great pleasure to speak with you.

My journal - First SDK, then Shodan

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