Absolue beginners (30k-15k):
1. Ranks are relative. It might say 30k, 25k,20k,15k, but most of the time it only takes a month of playing everyday (maybe a game a day, with a few days off) or a bit of serious study and time to improve. A 15k isnt much better than a 30k, he might make 2-3 less big mistakes per game, but against a 5k you will both lose the same percent, almost 100%. The difference in ranks is really just that they are slightly better at beating beginners than you are, as a beginner.

2. Play a lot of games, dont spent too much time reviewing or studying until 12k. The proverb "lose 100 games as fast as possible" applies here. You don't know anything, so if you study you dont know enough to learn yet. Even with a teacher, it is easier to learn from experience then build on your own knowledge with others later.

3. Experiment! If you keep playing regular moves or copying things you see you wont improve. Dont even bother studying joseki until at least 12k.

4. Try to have a new idea to apply to every game, that way you learn faster and better. If you think the same each game you won't improve.

Advanced beginners (15k-10k):

1. Start reviewing your games when you are done, or have a higher rank help you. Start learning some basic patterns like the 3-3 invasions, the approaches, the differences between influence and territory.

2. Learn shapes like empty triangle, full triangle, the bamboo joint, the one space jump, the knights move, the large knights move.

3. Start thinking about weak/strong groups, and why they are weak. How to attack to gain profit, not to kill. What is killable/not killable. Start to do a few L&D, learn the basic tesuji like snapback, throw in, under the stones.

4. Play teaching games with 5k or stronger, ask alot of questions to make the most of it.

5. If you can get your hands on them, life and death sets as well as technical books like "lessons in the fundamentals of go", "elementary go series attack and defense", and "elementary go series tesuji" are mind blowers

Where is the part for 'a little bit more advanced beginners' (10-5k) ?

Cheers,
Otenki

I wouldnt consider them beginners.

30k-10k are beginners. 10k-1k are intermediate. 1D-9D are advanced.

I think that that is a fair adjustment ^^.

However for 10k-5k I really think they read alot better than 12k, but have terrible fundamentals (good shape, attacking to gain points not to kill, being aware of the direction of play.... etc.) so really it would come down to restudying good shape. Alot of 5k try to tenuki a weak group to play a big move. You just cant do that. Or they think getting surrounded in gote is worth 5 points.

At any level past 15k life and death is a good thing, and for 5k i think "lessons in the fundamentals of go", "attack and defense" would also do well. Especially lessons in the fundamentals of go. The main difference between 5k and 1D is shape and not leaving weak groups.

Beat head against board until you achieve satori or blood loss.

At least that's what my progression through the SDK ranks feels like...

Bruce "Shoesize Determined Kyu" Young

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Currently reading: Plutarch, Cerebus, and D&Q 25th Anniversary

That's a gross misuse of a go board. You should have separate equipment for self flagellation.

Trust me, I don't do this on the "good board". Sometimes having a club full of equipment is helpful...

Self-flagellation is a whole other story...

Bruce "Clubber" Young

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Currently reading: Plutarch, Cerebus, and D&Q 25th Anniversary

Don't forget to wear sunscreen!