Hi, I am Hushfield. I would like to be a better go player. Not just stronger. Better. Currently, I have multiple accounts on KGS. I use my main account, Hushfield [6k], for serious games and KGS Plus. Fear of losing and streaks of angry games without thinking have led to me also creating some other accounts on KGS. On those accounts, I sometimes find myself resigning and leaving instantly, not saying thank you to my opponent, or even arguing with people. From this day on, I will leave those accounts gathering virtual dust. Impatience and anger are not characteristics which help one improve.
The following will be my plan:
Phase 1: Fundamentals
My goal is to acquire a firm grasp of the fundamentals, as well as broader experience through playing many serious games. After playing go on and off for about 3 years and consulting various sources on this, I believe that in order to become a better player, one needs a very strong base to build on. I believe this base consists of solid reading ability and being truthful to the fundamentals (e.g. cutting and connecting, the struggle to get ahead, good shape). Also I will work tirelessly to cultivate a calm mind before, during and after a game, so that one day, I won't have to, but this will just be my natural mode of being. I want to be good-mannered all the time.
I don't know how far this training can take me. I hope this will make me at least several stones stronger, and that should eventually be reflected in a ranking of KGS 4k-2k. It's hard to put numbers on this, because I have never been a KGS 4k or 2k. I have no idea how strong that is. I also have no idea how long that will take. I do believe, however, that study of the fundamentals can get me (far) beyond my current level.
Training Program
Weekly
- Do a lot of tsumego, following Benjamin Teuber's method of not looking at the answers ever. I firmly believe in this method.
- Play at least 4 serious games a week, if possible more.
- Analyze each game played, and discuss this analysis with stronger players.
- Take two days a week of absolutely no go study. No books, no games, no tsumego. Being human is a good thing. I burned out on go before. Overkill is not desirable.
Daily:
- Tsumego (between 30 and 60 minutes)
- Read, and try to completely understand one chapter from one of the basic texts mentioned under study material.
- Work towards target of playing at least 4 serious games a week
- Work towards target of analyzing my own games and discussing these with stronger players
- Meditate for 20 minutes (this is the only exercise I will perform on non-go days.)
Study Materials
Tsumego:
- Kanô, Yoshinori: Graded Go Problems for Beginners, (vols.2 – 4)
- Yi, Ch'ang-ho: Selected Life and Death Go Problems (vols. 1 – 6)
- Chô, Chikun: Encyclopedia of Life and Death (elementary, intermediate and advanced)
- Maeda, Nobuaki: “Life and Death: Intermediate Level”
- Bozulich, Richard: “Five Hundred and One Tesuji Problems”
Books:
Kageyama, Toshirô: “Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go"
Davies, James: “Life and Death”
Davies, James: “Tesuji”
Things I will not do:
I will not play blitz games. This one required tough deliberation, because I keep hearing that blitz games sharpen your intuition, which sounds like a perfect fit for ingraining the fundamentals in my play. However, I can't deal with the pressure. I get angry. I play moves I know to be bad. Therefore I will refrain from playing blitz games for the time being.
Because this study program emphasizes one's own ability, and learning things for oneself through reading and experimenting in games, I will also refrain from studying pro games and joseki. Pro games are a great exhibition of staying true to the fundamentals, and both pro games and joseki are important study materials for maturing as a go player. However, both also tend to instill shallow imitation in weaker players like myself, and this is opposite to what this program tries to achieve. That is exactly why I don't want to look at the solutions of tsumego.
On go days, this program takes around 3 hours, making for around 15 hours of study a week (games included). I am shocked at how much that is. Yet, I am determined to put in the effort. Go can be an unforgiving lover at times, but I'm head over heels, so what choice do I have?
Study journals are quite selfish things. I cannot offer you much in return for reading this or helping me on my way, except for being absolutely honest. In particular, if any of you have some advice for me or would like to comment on some of my game analyses, that would be greatly appreciated. All I can offer in return is to do the same for players weaker than me that are looking for such services.
I would like to thank SoDesuNe, fwiffo, Benjamin Teuber and Dieter Verhofstadt (my teacher) for providing me with examples on which to model this training program, and I would like to thank you for reading.
Cheers,
Hushfield
Hushfield's Study Journal
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Chew Terr
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
It seems commendable that you are trying to become a more mature go player, instead of just a stronger one. If I could do better at keeping myself from getting frustrated and disheartened, I would enjoy the game a lot more and probably learn faster as well. It's so easy to get down when you focus so hard on a game, and feel like you played really horribly.
Someday I want to be strong enough to earn KGS[-].
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karaklis
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
I tried not to look at the solution of tsumego problems for some time. Later I started to doubt whether my solutions had always been correct. So I started to look at the solution and found out that I got 15-20% wrong. Since then I always look at the solution to find out about my weak points. It seems that not looking at the solution is only helpful if you are already a dan player.
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Thank you for your feedback.
Note:
Forum time, KGS Plus lectures and watching other player's games are not included in the allotted time for my study. I won't mention them here.
Week 1: 2010-06-28-2010-07-04
Mo 2010-06-28:
> non-go day
Tu 2010-06-29:
> non-go day
We 2010-06-30:
> Outlined study plan. It's wednesday so I have already used up my two non-go days for this week.
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 1: 'Reading'. This seemed fitting: some how-to on reading, and applying the knowledge you got from analyzed sequences in your games ("weak players are always playing in situations they cannot read out, strong players refrain from playing even if they have the situation completely read out.")
> Graded Go Problems vol. 2: Problems 1-56 (Opens with problems on ladders and nets. Seems fair to Kageyama, whose relentless repetition of the fundamentals pushed me over the edge into this crazy study journal anyway. Liked problem 12, I still answer variations on this one incorrectly in actual play. Had the book upside down the entire time.)
I could not disagree more, and personally I feel I might never become a dan player if I keep relying on the answer if I cannot find it on my own. If I need to check, I haven't solved the problem. But looking at the solution for tsumego has always been a highly debated question. it's not like there's a definite answer to this, and I really don't want this study journal to turn into another discussion on the merits/flaws of a certain method of doing tsumego. This is the way I enjoy doing them, and I think it fits well with the overall strategy I have formulated.karaklis wrote:It seems that not looking at the solution is only helpful if you are already a dan player.
Note:
Forum time, KGS Plus lectures and watching other player's games are not included in the allotted time for my study. I won't mention them here.
Week 1: 2010-06-28-2010-07-04
Mo 2010-06-28:
> non-go day
Tu 2010-06-29:
> non-go day
We 2010-06-30:
> Outlined study plan. It's wednesday so I have already used up my two non-go days for this week.
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 1: 'Reading'. This seemed fitting: some how-to on reading, and applying the knowledge you got from analyzed sequences in your games ("weak players are always playing in situations they cannot read out, strong players refrain from playing even if they have the situation completely read out.")
> Graded Go Problems vol. 2: Problems 1-56 (Opens with problems on ladders and nets. Seems fair to Kageyama, whose relentless repetition of the fundamentals pushed me over the edge into this crazy study journal anyway. Liked problem 12, I still answer variations on this one incorrectly in actual play. Had the book upside down the entire time.)
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
I just realized that updating the same post doesn't mark this thread as having new entries. That's not what I'm shooting for as I would love to see some stronger players point out some mistakes in my games/analyses.
Th 2010-07-01:
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec), against tuomio [6k]
> Analyzed the game, you can find my homework here.
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-01-Hushfield-tuomio.sgf[/sgf-full]
> Graded Go Problems vol. 2: Problems 57-80
Th 2010-07-01:
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec), against tuomio [6k]
> Analyzed the game, you can find my homework here.
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-01-Hushfield-tuomio.sgf[/sgf-full]
> Graded Go Problems vol. 2: Problems 57-80
Last edited by Hushfield on Fri Jul 02, 2010 4:24 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Redundant
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
The formation on the left that black creates is called the kobayashi fuseki. The canonical response for white is a distant low approach of the 3-4.
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Jonas
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Hey Hush,
you can find a way to play the kobayashi-opening in one of my recent games posted in the game-analyse-subforum ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=961 ).
Moves 1-12
As you already noticed your 1 point high approach of the upper left corner is exactly what black wanted. Some people call this the kobayashi-trap. Black should play a calm one or two space jump, the attachment @move 11 isnt good for him. I think your hane is correct, after the crosscut a nobi in one direction is (most of the time) the right choice, here I'd think about playing f14 (although I havent read it out), because afterwards the e12 ladder favors you.
Move 28
Blocking from this site is only an option when you already have a stone around 'a' area. Otherwise you end up with a wall but black has sente to reduce directly:
Therefore you should block the other side!
Move 34
Personally I'd build on the lower side because black gave his chance of a direct reduction away. if you want to invade the upper side you should always think about "how to build a base". If black (as in the game) attacks with '2', your two point extension is actually a diagonal play which can be seen as a contactmove which isnt good for building a base and damages your potential territory at the upper left corner. Playing only a onespace jump at 'a' doesnt feel right, too (but would be better then the diagonal move). Therefore I think that the white stone already was at the wrong spot.
Soooo what else?
Personally I'd play at 'c' or 'b'. Both move have good potential of running away or building a base quickly, 'a' looks also possible but I'd be afraid of getting closed into the corner.
later
Around move 50 you should invade his upper right corner directly before he gets enough strengh to actually kill the 3-3 invasion directly.
At move75 I would play B without thinking, both groups are running without eyes, the one who first get the initiative is able to chase the otherone and control the game!
Even if black is able to escape somehow, you're building very much strengh and an invasion at 'a' area becomes a very high burden for black.
Hope fully this is able to help you, if you've any questions let me now
Although I'm some stones stronger I do plenty of mistakes, so take everything with a grain of salt ^-^
you can find a way to play the kobayashi-opening in one of my recent games posted in the game-analyse-subforum ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=961 ).
Moves 1-12
As you already noticed your 1 point high approach of the upper left corner is exactly what black wanted. Some people call this the kobayashi-trap. Black should play a calm one or two space jump, the attachment @move 11 isnt good for him. I think your hane is correct, after the crosscut a nobi in one direction is (most of the time) the right choice, here I'd think about playing f14 (although I havent read it out), because afterwards the e12 ladder favors you.
Move 28
Blocking from this site is only an option when you already have a stone around 'a' area. Otherwise you end up with a wall but black has sente to reduce directly:
Therefore you should block the other side!
Move 34
Personally I'd build on the lower side because black gave his chance of a direct reduction away. if you want to invade the upper side you should always think about "how to build a base". If black (as in the game) attacks with '2', your two point extension is actually a diagonal play which can be seen as a contactmove which isnt good for building a base and damages your potential territory at the upper left corner. Playing only a onespace jump at 'a' doesnt feel right, too (but would be better then the diagonal move). Therefore I think that the white stone already was at the wrong spot.
Soooo what else?
Personally I'd play at 'c' or 'b'. Both move have good potential of running away or building a base quickly, 'a' looks also possible but I'd be afraid of getting closed into the corner.
later
Around move 50 you should invade his upper right corner directly before he gets enough strengh to actually kill the 3-3 invasion directly.
At move75 I would play B without thinking, both groups are running without eyes, the one who first get the initiative is able to chase the otherone and control the game!
Even if black is able to escape somehow, you're building very much strengh and an invasion at 'a' area becomes a very high burden for black.
Hope fully this is able to help you, if you've any questions let me now
Although I'm some stones stronger I do plenty of mistakes, so take everything with a grain of salt ^-^-
ethanb
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Comments above are pretty good, just wanted to add this:
@120, you mention that peeping where you can cut is bad. This is true, but... This isn't a real cut.
Yes, you separate one stone, but it's not important. It only counts as a cut if it's actually something black cares about.
Maybe if you play C8 first, then depending on how black responds there aren't as many forcing moves, making the cut more interesting. If black defends the cut, you get to squeeze his two stones near your corner.
@120, you mention that peeping where you can cut is bad. This is true, but... This isn't a real cut.
Yes, you separate one stone, but it's not important. It only counts as a cut if it's actually something black cares about.
Maybe if you play C8 first, then depending on how black responds there aren't as many forcing moves, making the cut more interesting. If black defends the cut, you get to squeeze his two stones near your corner.
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Redundant and Jonas, thank you very much for identifying this opening as the Kobayashi opening (I have heard about it many times, but didn't know what it looked like.) So I made an error in judgment by playing too close to black's strength in this corner. Jonas: I looked at your game, and it seems the similarities in the areas where fighting occured are a direct result of this Kobayashi opening?
About choosing a direction with White 28:
Concerning the middle game fighting:
Ethanb, you are right about move 120. That proverb is not really applicable to this situation and it is a small move.
Thank you all for your input.
Fr 2010-07-02
> Graded Go Problems for Beginners, vol. 2: 81-165 (By redoing these simple problems, most which are now comfortably solvable on sight, I found new respect for this collection. They really drill home the basics of life and death like death-by-hane, throw-ins and unsettled eye space)
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against Kozmo [6k]
> Analyzed the game, you can find my homework here.
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-02-Hushfield-kozmo.sgf[/sgf-full]
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 2: 'Capture the Cutting Stones'.
About choosing a direction with White 28:
Thank you all for your input.
Fr 2010-07-02
> Graded Go Problems for Beginners, vol. 2: 81-165 (By redoing these simple problems, most which are now comfortably solvable on sight, I found new respect for this collection. They really drill home the basics of life and death like death-by-hane, throw-ins and unsettled eye space)
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against Kozmo [6k]
> Analyzed the game, you can find my homework here.
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-02-Hushfield-kozmo.sgf[/sgf-full]
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 2: 'Capture the Cutting Stones'.
Last edited by Hushfield on Sun Jul 04, 2010 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Sa 2010-07-03
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 3: 'Amputate the Cutting Stones'.
Su 2010-07-04
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 4: 'Ko'.
> Graded Go Problems for Beginners, vol. 2: 166-218
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against MarkChang [7k] (B+5.5)
> Played another game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against MarkChang [7k] (W+12.5)
> I'll add the games and analysis tomorrow, I'm too tired to make a decent analysis right now.
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 3: 'Amputate the Cutting Stones'.
Su 2010-07-04
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 4: 'Ko'.
> Graded Go Problems for Beginners, vol. 2: 166-218
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against MarkChang [7k] (B+5.5)
> Played another game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against MarkChang [7k] (W+12.5)
> I'll add the games and analysis tomorrow, I'm too tired to make a decent analysis right now.
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Week Summary:
Success:
- Played 4 serious games on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against 6k and 7k players (analyzed 2)
- Thoroughly worked on 4 chapters from Davies' Tesuji.
- Took 2 non-go days.
Failure:
- Didn't work long enough with tsumego.
- Didn't meditate a single time.
Success:
- Played 4 serious games on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against 6k and 7k players (analyzed 2)
- Thoroughly worked on 4 chapters from Davies' Tesuji.
- Took 2 non-go days.
Failure:
- Didn't work long enough with tsumego.
- Didn't meditate a single time.
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Week 1: 2010-07-05-2010-07-11
Mo 2010-07-05:
> non-go day
Tu 2010-07-06:
> non-go day
We 2010-07-07:
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 5: 'When Liberties Count'. This is awesome and exactly what I've been looking for: hardcore capturing races.
> Analyzed one of my games from sunday.
The fundamental principle and concept I am struggling most with is without doubt the couple territory/influence. I find it hard to evaluate the value of one or the other, and often only recognize a large moyo or a large amount of solid territory after it's too late. How could I improve in this area, and how do you think I erred in this respect during this game?
What I think I did wrong:
I would be very grateful for your help, as I believe this is one of the weakest parts of my go.
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-04-Hushfield-markchang-1.sgf[/sgf-full]
Mo 2010-07-05:
> non-go day
Tu 2010-07-06:
> non-go day
We 2010-07-07:
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 5: 'When Liberties Count'. This is awesome and exactly what I've been looking for: hardcore capturing races.
> Analyzed one of my games from sunday.
The fundamental principle and concept I am struggling most with is without doubt the couple territory/influence. I find it hard to evaluate the value of one or the other, and often only recognize a large moyo or a large amount of solid territory after it's too late. How could I improve in this area, and how do you think I erred in this respect during this game?
What I think I did wrong:
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-04-Hushfield-markchang-1.sgf[/sgf-full]
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Magicwand
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
first thing that bothered my eye is move 28.
that is not an attack on black group.
what you did was gave him a shot of vital on a weak black group.
in my opinion E6 is correct attack if you want to attack directly.
is it correct to play E6?? i dont know..(but it appears to be correct but i might be wrong on that)
that is not an attack on black group.
what you did was gave him a shot of vital on a weak black group.
in my opinion E6 is correct attack if you want to attack directly.
is it correct to play E6?? i dont know..(but it appears to be correct but i might be wrong on that)
"The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown"
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
The greater the unknown"
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
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Hushfield
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
Thank you very much for your insight, Magicwand. I hadn't thought of it this way, but indeed: I seem to be helping this group strengthen itself. I've heard that before: Do not play attachments to weak groups (because this makes them stronger), so instead attack them from a distance.
We 2010-07-07: (continued)
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 5: 'When Liberties Count'. This is awesome and exactly what I've been looking for: hardcore capturing races.
> Analyzed one of my games from sunday.
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against hokansho [5k]
> Analyzed the game afterwards. As it was a close game I focused on the small things I could have done a little bit better so as to come out ahead. This was mainly: technique, reading. I guess my reading will improve slowly as long as I keep playing serious games and doing lots of tsumego. It's frustrating, though, to see a move when you go over the game afterwards, and couldn't see it during the game even if had it been standing next to you yelling "Pick me! Pick me!"
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-07-hokansho-Hushfield.sgf[/sgf-full]
We 2010-07-07: (continued)
> Read Davies' Tesuji, Chapter 5: 'When Liberties Count'. This is awesome and exactly what I've been looking for: hardcore capturing races.
> Analyzed one of my games from sunday.
> Played a game on KGS (30min + 5x30sec) against hokansho [5k]
> Analyzed the game afterwards. As it was a close game I focused on the small things I could have done a little bit better so as to come out ahead. This was mainly: technique, reading. I guess my reading will improve slowly as long as I keep playing serious games and doing lots of tsumego. It's frustrating, though, to see a move when you go over the game afterwards, and couldn't see it during the game even if had it been standing next to you yelling "Pick me! Pick me!"
[sgf-full]http://www.hushfield.com/L19/2010-07-07-hokansho-Hushfield.sgf[/sgf-full]
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Harleqin
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Re: Hushfield's Study Journal
This should be quite OK. The result in the game was too good for Black.
is too close to the side hoshi stone. You already have a pincer in place, so there is no need to add another.
is even worse, Black should play a double approach or simply take the corner:A good system naturally covers all corner cases without further effort.