A couple of games against mfgo09kyu2

[tekesta]

I know something good must be happening to my game, but I yet have to put my finger on it. Must be all those hard hours of digesting problems

On 27 March I played White. Black won by 49.5 pts. I was upset at my loss to a 9k program



Today I did a few dozen problems out of my copy of Weiqi Introductory Problem Collection. Then I played Black against the same opponent and won by resignation



I feel that in my second game my reading was slightly better than in the previous one. In that one I took a lot of reduction losses. All the better to keep me humble Much obliged in advance for your comments.

[Dusk Eagle]

Some suggestions based on the first game .

- You simply have to block at R16. If you play there, you get a fairly strong grip on the territory in the corner, and black is still unsettled so he has to play another move on the side. When black plays there on move 11, suddenly it is him who has the corner territory and the settled shape, while yours is still unsettled.

- This is a gote endgame move, too small to play right now.

- Even smaller than . Think about how many points you gain by playing here vs if black had played here. Black was sensible and ignored your move and played elsewhere.

Overall, my recommendation based on the first game would be to work on your sense of big moves. at R16 was a big move because it decided who got the corner and also who got the stronger of the two groups, whereas and neither affect the safety of any groups nor secure much territory.

[tekesta]

- You simply have to block at R16. If you play there, you get a fairly strong grip on the territory in the corner, and black is still unsettled so he has to play another move on the side. When black plays there on move 11, suddenly it is him who has the corner territory and the settled shape, while yours is still unsettled.

This time I was attempting to play for influence, so I did not pay too much attention to the corner. Currently I'm learning how to play a game based on outward influence.

- This is a gote endgame move, too small to play right now.

Correct. I should probably have concentrated instead on fortifying the influence of my White stones in the center of the board or getting my group in the lower right corner out into the center. I was fearing an invasion by Black through that opening, so I wanted to close it up beforehand.

- Even smaller than . Think about how many points you gain by playing here vs if black had played here. Black was sensible and ignored your move and played elsewhere.

W42 @ F14 might have been better, more consistent with an influence-oriented strategy.

Overall, my recommendation based on the first game would be to work on your sense of big moves. at R16 was a big move because it decided who got the corner and also who got the stronger of the two groups, whereas and neither affect the safety of any groups nor secure much territory.

I will need to think carefully about what constitutes a big move and what constitutes a little move. (And I often make little moves too early in the game, mistaking them for urgent moves.) I was playing for outward influence, so I did not try too hard to get the corner. Also, I have to learn how to curb my greed; it often makes me lose games Lately I have been doing the opening problems in my WIPC book. I still need to improve my fuseki skills.

[Dusk Eagle]

Playing for the center is fine, however it doesn't justify not playing R16. R16 is simply too vital for both sides. It's not all the time that I'll say you have no other choice, but this is one of those times. It literally is the only move. It's not just about the huge territory swing between the two groups, it also drastically changes the safety of the two groups, which tends to matter even more than direct territory. I would rather have R16 as white than K16 plus an additional 15 points komi, that's how important it is.

[EdLee]

This time I was attempting to play for magic, so I did not pay too much attention to the corner. Currently I'm learning how to play a game based on magic.

...I should probably have concentrated instead on fortifying the magic of my White stones in the center of the board...

...W42 @ F14 might have been better, more consistent with magic.

...I was playing for magic, so I did not try too hard to get the corner.

As Bill mused once, many people would like to become magicians. Enjoy.

[Uberdude]

R16... It literally is the only move.

Or not :

[Dusk Eagle]

That's different and you know it

[Bill Spight]

To expand upon Dusk Eagle's remarks, a few comments on the opening.



Main focus: Do not just think about your own territory. Thwart your opponent's development. Carry out threats. Follow through.

[tekesta]

Main focus: Do not just think about your own territory. Thwart your opponent's development. Carry out threats. Follow through.

Thanks for your comment. I'll look at your review in detail. I often fail to restrict my opponent's global development in the opening and pay for it dearly.

[tekesta]

This time I was attempting to play for magic, so I did not pay too much attention to the corner. Currently I'm learning how to play a game based on magic.

...I should probably have concentrated instead on fortifying the magic of my White stones in the center of the board...

...W42 @ F14 might have been better, more consistent with magic.

...I was playing for magic, so I did not try too hard to get the corner.

As Bill mused once, many people would like to become magicians. Enjoy.

Well, this bit of commentary is good food for thought, even though the taste is a bit weird My latest victory against mfgo09kyu2 was probably a fluke, but I must've been doing a few things right in that game. In the game before that, letting my opponent run away with global development was one of the things that killed me. Perhaps taking the corner with W10 would've helped me win the game. W42 at, say, N3 or (as a wild guess) M8 might've helped me do something constructive with my group on the lower right side.