This study journal is meant to be a continuation of the journal I've been keeping here: https://forums.online-go.com/t/studying-journal/4329. My inspiration was this video from Andrew Jackson about deliberate practice. In particular, I was struck by his comments about the importance of immediate feedback, and decided I wanted to implement this by forcing myself to review every game that I play. As an add-on, I've also decided to try to force myself to note something useful that I take away from any other study that I do (videos, replaying games, etc.).
As you can see from the prior version, I've been collecting those reviews in individual posts, and so far I've found it pretty helpful. I have been focusing my play on IGS (which was easiest to get working on my Mac) and Tygem (where I tend to struggle with the over-aggressive style that commonly appears), and have recently been promoted to 5dan on both servers. However, I've decided to move my journal over to L19, since the community here seems much better developed than in the still fairly new OGS forums.
Wish me luck in my continued efforts of deliberate practice!
Deliberate Practice
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studying
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Tonight I played a reverse komi game against an IGS 4d. I felt I played reasonably well initially, and built a winning position, but then a combination of greed and lack of concentration led me to squander it entirely. I'm trying to focus on the first part, but losing a won game is always frustrating. I'm not sure if there's much to be done, however, to build the ability to continue concentrating throughout a game, other than practice. In any case, the review (via GoKibitz) is here: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/VJvNDs6I Or the embedded version is below. (The disaster happens at moves 122-28.)
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Game 27
Here's my first game as a 5dan on Tygem. Like the game above, I managed to build a winning position, but this time I felt I did better with keeping my concentration and maintaining my lead. There was one bad endgame mistake that still shows I need to do more to maintain focus, but overall, I was happy with my play. Here is the review: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/N1uyngxw I've also embedded the sgf below.
Other materials
Recently, I've also had the time to watch Haylee's Game 90 and Go Game Guru's Review of the final game of the 53rd Judan. For Haylee's game, I was particularly impressed with the way she handled the rather unorthodox opening of her opponent, by simply making simple shapes and playing normally. The kind of plays by Black in that game would have left me very flustered. And for the 53rd Judan, I really liked the analysis of the lower side fight.
Embedded game review:
Here's my first game as a 5dan on Tygem. Like the game above, I managed to build a winning position, but this time I felt I did better with keeping my concentration and maintaining my lead. There was one bad endgame mistake that still shows I need to do more to maintain focus, but overall, I was happy with my play. Here is the review: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/N1uyngxw I've also embedded the sgf below.
Other materials
Recently, I've also had the time to watch Haylee's Game 90 and Go Game Guru's Review of the final game of the 53rd Judan. For Haylee's game, I was particularly impressed with the way she handled the rather unorthodox opening of her opponent, by simply making simple shapes and playing normally. The kind of plays by Black in that game would have left me very flustered. And for the 53rd Judan, I really liked the analysis of the lower side fight.
Embedded game review:
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studying
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Game 28
I played an even game against an IGS 5dan tonight, and was pretty pleased with the result. However, I found the game pretty difficult to self-review, but my general thought was that I got more out of my attack on Black's weak group than I probably should have. In any case, the game is here: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/VJTsBJ7v
I played an even game against an IGS 5dan tonight, and was pretty pleased with the result. However, I found the game pretty difficult to self-review, but my general thought was that I got more out of my attack on Black's weak group than I probably should have. In any case, the game is here: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/VJTsBJ7v
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ez4u
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Re: Deliberate Practice
When you invaded with 56 at 1 below, how did you plan to answer 2? The usual hane at 3 doesn't look so helpful to me.
The other question would be what about the Black hane at 1 below?
It seems to me that Black responded very weakly in the game to White's invasion. When White played 66 in the game, it feels like you were better and could look forward to tormenting the Black stones.
The other question would be what about the Black hane at 1 below?
It seems to me that Black responded very weakly in the game to White's invasion. When White played 66 in the game, it feels like you were better and could look forward to tormenting the Black stones.
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21
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Re: Deliberate Practice
ez4u wrote:It seems to me that Black responded very weakly in the game to White's invasion. When White played 66 in the game, it feels like you were better and could look forward to tormenting the Black stones.
That's a great point about Black's play here. I was definitely surprised by these choices.
To answer your questions, my thought was that Black's connection to M7 was going to be awkward enough, and that having M2 made White strong enough, that I could just move R7 out in either instance. If Black played the usual attach, I was thinking something like:
Now I felt Black still need to do something to fix his connection, and I could attack R9. (I also was considering jumping with Q6 and N7 instead.)
If Black played hane at move 59, I planned to attach, leaving Black with the choice of giving me the side or again letting me move out in the face of the weak connection:
is necessary-
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Game 29
Back to Tygem for my latest game. Even though I won, I was pretty disappointed with my play. I felt overly intimidated by my opponent's strange fuseki, and then had a number of reading mistakes. Fortunately for me, my opponent also made a reading mistake that proved decisive. If I'm going to improve, I'll need to stop counting on things like that to win. Here is the review: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/VJcbbX8v
Back to Tygem for my latest game. Even though I won, I was pretty disappointed with my play. I felt overly intimidated by my opponent's strange fuseki, and then had a number of reading mistakes. Fortunately for me, my opponent also made a reading mistake that proved decisive. If I'm going to improve, I'll need to stop counting on things like that to win. Here is the review: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/VJcbbX8v
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Game 30
I feel like I'm in a bit of a slump. I played another game on Tygem today, but like with Game 29, I was disappointed with my play. I had another series of reading mistakes that made the game very close, and I felt lucky to squeak out a 3.5 point win. But even before those mistakes, I felt like I got behind in the fuseki, which led to a reckless invasion. Here's the game in all its ugliness: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/EJtbqy_D
I feel like I'm in a bit of a slump. I played another game on Tygem today, but like with Game 29, I was disappointed with my play. I had another series of reading mistakes that made the game very close, and I felt lucky to squeak out a 3.5 point win. But even before those mistakes, I felt like I got behind in the fuseki, which led to a reckless invasion. Here's the game in all its ugliness: https://gokibitz.com/kifu/EJtbqy_D
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Knotwilg
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Re: Deliberate Practice
I have made a review of game 30. You can look at all my comments as questions.
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Knotwilg
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Hi Knotwilg,
Thanks for these excellent comments. I'm working through the Game 30 comments (and I'm excited to turn to Game 29 next), but I did have a couple of reactions:
Thanks for these excellent comments. I'm working through the Game 30 comments (and I'm excited to turn to Game 29 next), but I did have a couple of reactions:
- Your alternate sequence at
and 
looked like a great geta (I did not see it in the game), but looking at it more, I worry that it makes Black's push at H13 sente, while it was gote in the game. - Thanks especially for pointing out the mistake in my variation at
. - To answer your question about the variation at Black-159, I think you're right. Phew.
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Re: Deliberate Practice
h13 will indeed be sente for black but that would not worry me all that much because it's not a particularly good move, is it?
It will force you to reinforce your connection and its effect towards the top left is not so big.
Maybe I'm making less of that move than there is to it.
BTW, as you seem to like it (and I do too) here's 28, with a focus on the possible big kill in the centre. No comments after 160/
Mind you I wouldn't come up with all this in a real game myself.
It will force you to reinforce your connection and its effect towards the top left is not so big.
Maybe I'm making less of that move than there is to it.
BTW, as you seem to like it (and I do too) here's 28, with a focus on the possible big kill in the centre. No comments after 160/
Mind you I wouldn't come up with all this in a real game myself.
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Knotwilg,
Here are my reactions to your once again excellent comments (for Game 29):
Here are my reactions to your once again excellent comments (for Game 29):
- Thanks for pointing out the error in my variation at
. I knew something was off, but couldn't remember what. - Your variation for
is an interesting idea. I wonder if the fact that Black has the tengen stone makes a difference? - Your proposed
is excellent. I think I got too greedy here. - I'm not sure I agree with your variation for
. What if 
is at N12? White can still split, but is left with a weak group himself.
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Re: Deliberate Practice
Game 31
Today's game on Tygem shows a lot of what I've come to expect from players on that server - lots of overplay, forcing me to be very careful about how I attack and punish such moves. It got pretty tense for awhile at the end, but fortunately worked out:
Other materials
I realized I've been slacking on posting my reactions to other materials I've been studying. Lately, it's been pretty much just Haylee's videos:
Today's game on Tygem shows a lot of what I've come to expect from players on that server - lots of overplay, forcing me to be very careful about how I attack and punish such moves. It got pretty tense for awhile at the end, but fortunately worked out:
Other materials
I realized I've been slacking on posting my reactions to other materials I've been studying. Lately, it's been pretty much just Haylee's videos:
- Game 93 - Here, Haylee plays the famous opening from the Game of the Century, which lends itself to a more influence-oriented style than I think is typical in most modern go. The amazing thing, though, was how, little by little, White ended up with almost no territory at all.
- Game 94 - This was the kind of moyo game that terrifies me, and it was comforting to know that it was hard for her too. Also, a good reminder that while it's important to push for every point in the endgame, one mistake can lead to collapse.
- Game 78 - This was interesting because it's Haylee's only game on IGS. I found it useful to watch just from a psychology standpoint, as she managed to make the game very close despite an early mistake. I think it's a good caution against being too passive after building an early lead.
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Knotwilg
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Re: Deliberate Practice
You're right about the clamp at in game 29. I always neglect that suji.
Here's 31. If you have information overload, just ignore
in game 29. I always neglect that suji.Here's 31. If you have information overload, just ignore