GONGGGGGGG!!!! GONGGGGGGGGG!!!

Vladimir [8k]

))

It took longer than I expected, almost a month, but it's still a step in the right direction.

Now, "Attack and Defense" is waiting for me.

Cheers

Congrats!

_________________
Slava Ukraini!

This is my first win ever over 7k.
Thanks to the great advice by Toge to start reading "Attack and Defense".
I just applied leaning attack i read about in that book and miracle happened. Or at least I think I applied it I know he could play better, but nevertheless, that's the level of play on our ranks.
Anyway, finally I have a feeling that I'm moving ahead thanks to applying advices that I heard from people or read somewhere.
Also, in last couple of games I finally managed to learn to let unimportant stones die.

With yesterday's rank up and today's win over 7k, I feel as a child in a sweets' shop. Hugely motivated and, most important, happy about my go.
Also, I'm looking forward to learn more.

Cheers

It looks like I need to gain another stone quickly.

I made some comments on your game but they're probably nonsense.

Thx for the comments. They all seem very reasonable to me.

Regarding stones, it's 2:1 now, isn't it?

Yeah we really need to play some games while I can (hopefully) still beat you.

P.s. I had another look at my comments. If you go to move 23 and then select variation 2, then 1, I said you couldn't block. That's because I thought the ladder worked which it clearly doesn't, so just ignore my shameful misread.

Only problem is that I play 95% of my games on android mobile client and I can't look for specific opponent through it.
Btw, I'm on vacation next two weeks. I hope I'll have more chances to use desktop java client, so I'll try to find you.

That sucks/I look forward to it.

Can anybody explain to me what happened with my KGS rank graph? I haven't played for only one (1) day and I lost quarter of a stone.
I don't understand. It's like I lost 6-7 games in a row.
I was promoted to 8k the day before. Maybe it's got something to do with it. Now, I'm 9k again

Many people don't understand the difference between level and a particular rating.
That's why we see questions like this one all the time.

We don't know what's your true level.

If your true level is 9k KGS, it means that from now on,
if you play approx. 1,000 games on KGS against other solid KGS 9k people,
you'll win approx. 500 games and lose approx. 500 games.

If your true level is better than 9k KGS, then you'll win more than 500 games.
If your true level is worse than 9k KGS, then you'll lose more than 500 games.

Just because one day you make 8k KGS does not necessarily mean that is your true level.

Your level is absolute, intrinsic to yourself;
your rating is relative, external, and may change from one server to another.

If you want to find a KGS rating that accurately represents your level,
then play many serious games on KGS. The more, the better.
After 100, 200, 500, or 1,000 serious games, your KGS rating will much more
accurately represent your true level.You want to improve your level, not your rating(s). Forget about your rating(s).
Your level is the same from yesterday to today -- it has not changed (much).
Your rating(s) will follow your level; not the other way.

Thank you very much for this detailed explanation.
However, that's not what I asked.
I'm not asking about my real level. Of course that it can't be absolutely accurate represented by KGS rank.
I'm asking only about my KGS level. In last 18 games I won 15.
2 days ago, I was promoted to 8k. On that day, I played only one game with 7k and won. Day after that I haven't played any games, and my rank dropped for a quarter of a stone. It's just not logical to me.

This is very good advice. Thank you.
I just find those numbers very motivational for me to push me to study further.

KGS ranks are derived ranks, they're not so much based on your performance but the performance of people you've beaten. So within a certain time frame (I forget what it is), it assumes you could still beat anyone you've beaten. If a decent percentage of the people you've beaten gain or rise substantially in strength (think half a stone or more) it will seriously affect your rank without you doing anything.

I really would advise not getting hung up on what your KGS rank is until it is very, very stable (as in over 100 games played at that rank).

To be specific, looking at your game record, on 5/22 you beat qqq123 four times. Whenever you beat or are beaten by someone multiple times, your rank starts to covary with their own rank.

@boidhre @jts Thank you, guys. Now, this is a little bit more understandable to me.
The decline was pretty sharp, but I reversed the trend already with 3:1 last night.

I don't plan to stick to the same rank in 100 games or more

Ah, the optimism of those fresh out of the ddk ranks.

8k again
I hope this time it will last at least till tomorrow morning

If you're serious about getting 1d within a year you should consider completely relinquishing your rank. Play games on a guest account or play unranked games on an unranked account against players that are no weaker than 1 dan.

Ask each and every one of them to review the game afterwards and try to understand their combined advice to come up with your own moves which are supported by your knowledge and experience.

Playing for rank is hindering true progress because you're too eager to win rather than to play the right move.

I hope that made sense.

Thank you for this advice but I don't understand.

If I'm playing for the rank then I'm trying to win. If I'm trying to win then I'm trying to find the best possible move.
I don't see how's that different from playing w/o ranks and trying to find a proper move.

I'm sorry, I just don't understand. I would be most grateful if you could explain that to me a little bit more. Thank you in advance.