Looking for the strong.

[Verde]

Well. I went to KGS for the first time as a guest. Usually I play around on flyordie. I was challenged by a random opponent. I dont think he was the strong one I was looking for. He submitted before the match became dirty. I dont know what kyu he was.

I am white.

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=2290

What level of player should I challenge. I don't know my own level. Any ideas?

Also quick question, why is it whenever I play black they go center. Isn't it boring to play the same moves over and over?

[skydyr]

It might be worth your while to try a 13x13 game and see how you do. Here, when black doesn't take advantage of white's cutting points after Move 12, the game is basically over.

Regarding starting on the 5-5 point, that point is a valid place to start in a corner on a 19x19 board, even if it is not the most common. On a small board, you are playing the 5-5 point in all four corners at once. Certainly for smaller boards than 9x9, the centre point has been proven to be the strongest starting play. The bigger the board, though, the harder it is to use.

[chessweiqi]

Okay. The best way I know to find your rank is go to goshrine. We have 4 dans and many high level kyus. The rest vary. Also look on kgs for someone named dullah. Currently he's 2d but he has so many accounts that I can't keep track. If you don't know your rank, challenge someone to a 13x13 or 19x19. I would start from the lower ranked and then go up. On smaller boards it's impossible to tell the ranks because you only see a glimpse of the rank. Just like in fusekis it's hard to tell because in the beginning it's only a couple of moves and some people have very good fusekis but don't have the skill in the middle and endgame to match it. I'm a regular on goshrine, though no one knows my identity . Anyway I would be happy to help you there as would many of my friends.

[chessweiqi]

It might be worth your while to try a 13x13 game and see how you do. Here, when black doesn't take advantage of white's cutting points after Move 12, the game is basically over.

Regarding starting on the 5-5 point, that point is a valid place to start in a corner on a 19x19 board, even if it is not the most common. On a small board, you are playing the 5-5 point in all four corners at once. Certainly for smaller boards than 9x9, the centre point has been proven to be the strongest starting play. The bigger the board, though, the harder it is to use.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you there. Tengen on a 9x9 is the strongest move only with people who are worse than 5k. I've been testing tengen against a 3k bot (it's stronger now because when I didn't use tengen I beat it) It just depends on the person I think. Tengen on bigger boards however can be good or bad. You just have to know how to use it and make it influence the board.

[topazg]

It might be worth your while to try a 13x13 game and see how you do. Here, when black doesn't take advantage of white's cutting points after Move 12, the game is basically over.

Regarding starting on the 5-5 point, that point is a valid place to start in a corner on a 19x19 board, even if it is not the most common. On a small board, you are playing the 5-5 point in all four corners at once. Certainly for smaller boards than 9x9, the centre point has been proven to be the strongest starting play. The bigger the board, though, the harder it is to use.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you there. Tengen on a 9x9 is the strongest move only with people who are worse than 5k. I've been testing tengen against a 3k bot (it's stronger now because when I didn't use tengen I beat it) It just depends on the person I think. Tengen on bigger boards however can be good or bad. You just have to know how to use it and make it influence the board.

It's the most common move I've seen in 9x9 professional games, but I have seen others too. It's clearly very very strong anyway

[skydyr]

It might be worth your while to try a 13x13 game and see how you do. Here, when black doesn't take advantage of white's cutting points after Move 12, the game is basically over.

Regarding starting on the 5-5 point, that point is a valid place to start in a corner on a 19x19 board, even if it is not the most common. On a small board, you are playing the 5-5 point in all four corners at once. Certainly for smaller boards than 9x9, the centre point has been proven to be the strongest starting play. The bigger the board, though, the harder it is to use.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you there. Tengen on a 9x9 is the strongest move only with people who are worse than 5k. I've been testing tengen against a 3k bot (it's stronger now because when I didn't use tengen I beat it) It just depends on the person I think. Tengen on bigger boards however can be good or bad. You just have to know how to use it and make it influence the board.

I'm not guaranteeing that it is the one strongest possible move on 9x9. Just explaining that it's strong enough to be very playable.