Poll: Do you read turn-based games?

[SpongeBob]

Just curious: Does anyone here have the patience and self-discipline to actually read variations in a turn-based game (played on OGS, DGS, soon as a deferred game on Kaya)?

Or is everybody doing it like me: Trying out the different variations by clicking them in an SGF editor (or with the Analyse funtion on OGS)?

[Boidhre]

I read first, check in a sgf viewer later. Best and worst of both worlds.

[HermanHiddema]

90% of the cases, I just make the first move that pops into my head.

The other 10%, I read it out in my head.

[Bill Spight]

i am of the why not play variations out school.

Still, I remember when, years ago, I accepted a challenge from Ted Drange to play a number of small board go games at the same time by post. He had suggested komi for each game, so I knew that he was already familiar with them. I did not have the proper respect for small board go, and declared that I would not play out any variation. In one of the games, the 5x7, IIRC, I read the game out to the end at move 5. I still remember lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Ted beat me on the 6x6.

[Bonobo]

When playing DGS games I often (~80%) load the SGF into CGoban and click around a LOT, sometimes for an hour or so, I have the feeling that this improves my reading.

[hyperpape]

A mix.

Sometimes, I play the first move without thinking, and that doesn't just go for forced moves.

Sometimes, I don't play a move immediately. Then I just stare at the board, half reading, half thinking "I don't know what to play". Then I leave, and come back and repeat the process. Eventually, I play a move on impulse or start seriously reading.

When I seriously read, I usually read until there's too much for me to keep straight, at which point I start playing out variations in an SGF editor.

[BaghwanB]

Read as much as I can (as practice) and if I'm not sure SGF it to make sure (and keep track of wacky variations).

Bruce "H. Lector" Young

[Koosh]

OGS allows you to submit "conditional lines of play," which allows me to submit the lines I read for immediate response - I found this feature a few months back and it has made playing turn-based Go almost bearable for me. Does DGS allow this now?

[CnP]

I'm not sure I understand:

I have the feeling that this improves my reading.

(above). Reading it out without resorting to a sgf editor is probably better for improving reading skills IMO.

Anyway, when I'm tired I don't read it out just play. When I'm feeling okay I try and read it out in my mind when I remember and have the time. I don't think using a sgf editor is cheating but I feel I'm cheating myself out of good practise if I do so it seems pretty pointless to me unless you obsess about rank.

edit: well actually putting down sgf editors is a bit over the top I guess but I think it could end up as a bit of a crutch. It depends on what you want to get out of the game though.

[hyperpape]

OGS allows you to submit "conditional lines of play," which allows me to submit the lines I read for immediate response - I found this feature a few months back and it has made playing turn-based Go almost bearable for me. Does DGS allow this now?

Not that I know of.

[Phelan]

When I used to play on OGS, I never used any sgf editors, but more often than not I would just play intuitively without reading.

[daal]

The fact that it is possible to play out variations on an .sgf editor is what I dislike most about turn-based go, because it is so tempting to substitute this for reading. Although I often succumb to the temptation, I enjoy the games more, and find them more valuable when I don't.

[Alguien]

I play most moves on my phone so there's not much alternative. (I guess I could download the games, and load them in an editor but I'm too lazy to investigate how to do that.)

[Bonobo]

The fact that it is possible to play out variations on an .sgf editor is what I dislike most about turn-based go, because it is so tempting to substitute this for reading. Although I often succumb to the temptation, I enjoy the games more, and find them more valuable when I don't.

Perhaps it is because I am of much lower rank and have much less experience in reading that I believe using an SGF editor helps me improve my reading? It sure does—since I do this I get many more new ideas for moves that before I didn’t dare, I see many more possibilities that I couldn’t think of before. Nevertheless I can imagine that some day this may seem too small for me and then I guess I’ll do more reading in my mind.

[DJLLAP]

I play most moves on my phone so there's not much alternative. (I guess I could download the games, and load them in an editor but I'm too lazy to investigate how to do that.)

I play turn based games exclusively from my phone, but I don't really read more than a couple moves ahead. I usually make my move within 10 seconds of viewing the board. To me, it is nice to have an outlet for go where I don't care at all about my rank or improving, and just play with my instinct.