The Story of a Loser - The Great Pitfall of Studying Go!

Bill Spight · **#81**

dfan wrote:

As the great chess master Siegbert Tarrasch famously said, "Es genügt nicht ein guter Spieler zu sein, man muss auch gut spielen." (It is not enough to be a good player; one must also play well.)

Well worth repeating.

Ian Butler · **#82**

Great saying, thanks

I have 2 weeks off-work and I plan to play at least 10 serious games AND self review them move-by-move. I will post each of those reviews in the game analysis subforum, where you can look them over / comment.

I also played this game today, where my opponent resigned. I'll review it (not for the series, though) a bit later, but I wanted to post it here as an update. On OGS my ranking is now 15 kyu. Whatever the hell that means

Knotwilg · **#83**

Strategic advice at 9
Tactical issue: 39 - look at White's possible alternatives 40, 44, 46. What was your idea to answer those?

Bill Spight · **#84**

A couple of top of the head comments.

1) Another gentlemanly game. After you. No, after you. :roll:

2)

That looks familiar. Have you played this guy before?

3) :b9:

Much too close. In addition to Knotwilg's suggestions, you can also approach at C-06, C-07, or D-07.

4) :b11:

Much too close. My thinking is the reduction at K-05, aiming at the jump attachment at K-03. Possible follow-ups include invading the bottom right corner or attaching at D-04.

5) :b13:

Ditto.

Ian Butler · **#85**

Thanks both for your suggestions. My opening continues to be too nice. I avoid conflict on too large a scale.
I have the next two weeks off so I'll definitely play games. I'll try to play the games with a more assertive mind. I might get kicked around but at least I'll learn.

@knotwilg, yes that move was kind of brainless. I had already played and reviewed a serious game (see game analysis subforum) and I think my concentration after about three hours isn't sufficient to play my best game

Bill Spight · **#86**

Ian Butler wrote:

I had already played and reviewed a serious game (see game analysis subforum) and I think my concentration after about three hours isn't sufficient to play my best game

One summer on college vacation I lived on the outskirts of Tokyo, at the end of the subway line plus a 15 min. bus ride.

About three or four days a week I would take the bus and subway into downtown Tokyo, eat lunch, and then go to the Kiin and play three games of go at about one hour each, go back home, and then spend about one hour reviewing each game. That's three hours of go playing, one hour off (although I often did tsumego on the subway), followed by three hours of review. It's a lot of go, but the pace felt pretty relaxed.

Ian Butler · **#87**

Bill Spight wrote:

Ian Butler wrote:

I had already played and reviewed a serious game (see game analysis subforum) and I think my concentration after about three hours isn't sufficient to play my best game

One summer on college vacation I lived on the outskirts of Tokyo, at the end of the subway line plus a 15 min. bus ride.

About three or four days a week I would take the bus and subway into downtown Tokyo, eat lunch, and then go to the Kiin and play three games of go at about one hour each, go back home, and then spend about one hour reviewing each game. That's three hours of go playing, one hour off (although I often did tsumego on the subway), followed by three hours of review. It's a lot of go, but the pace felt pretty relaxed.

That sounds pretty awesome.
I'd love to do that

even though it'd be pretty tough in the beginning.
What doesn't help my concentration in my situation is the fact that I played en reviewed on a computer. Put me in front of a goban and my concentration is vastly improved!
You know, I can actually understand how that pace would feel relaxed. I think it's all about clearing your head of distractions. Being at home offers many distractions of family, work... But maybe I should actually take a trip just to play go with a more relaxed mind :mrgreen:

Thanks for sharing that story! I love these little stories about Go. Have you read The Treasure Chest Enigma?

Bill Spight · **#88**

Ian Butler wrote:

You know, I can actually understand how that pace would feel relaxed. I think it's all about clearing your head of distractions. Being at home offers many distractions of family, work... But maybe I should actually take a trip just to play go with a more relaxed mind :mrgreen:

A Carefree and Innocent Pastime, as John Fairbairn styles it.

Yeah, being a college student on summer vacation is a pretty carefree existence.

Go vs. family? You gotta get your priorities straight. :lol:

Quote:

Thanks for sharing that story! I love these little stories about Go. Have you read The Treasure Chest Enigma?

No, I don't have many go books in English. But I have looked at a friend's copy. It looks like a good book.

Ian Butler · **#89**

Okay I feel like a total idiot. (mostly because I am :mrgreen:

)
Two games in a short time period I fell into the same trap twice. Note, though, that these were games where my concentration was far from optimal and I was just looking for another game before lunch or ...

But still, it's no excuse. Twice in a row I play a weaker player and fall into the trap of having a group chased around the board. This real ugly looking style of Go where I just cringe while playing it.

How do you not fall into that trap?

Just tenuki? If so, at what point would you tenuki in these games?
I'd say after move 15 in game 1.
In game 2 I think move 8 was a big mistake and I just keep running. Probably better to tenuki and either find aji in these two stones later, jump in corner or give them up?

Probably the two ugliest games I've played and - even though I know I can play much better and these are just two weird things - I really don't ever want to play a game like that again! :-?

Bill Spight · **#90**

Game 1

. Play the ladder.

Black at R-18 first, then play T-18.

Bill Spight · **#91**

Game 2

Hane at the head of two stones. (P-14)

:w16:

Small. Who cares about one stone? This is an unfamiliar position. Maybe surround the corner with O-16. Maybe attach at Q-16.

:w20:

Keep up the pressure with Q-17.

:w24:

Better to peep at P17.

:w26:

Just extend one more at L-17.

:w48:

Atari at O-18, killing the corner.

:w50:

Kill he corner. (Q-19).

Ian Butler · **#92**

Thank you, Bill, for your wonderful advice once again.
You're right, I could've killed the corner in game 2 with 48 at 0-18, I didn't need to defend first.
However, I don't quite see how Q19 kills the corner with white 50? Can't black make two eyes by playing P19?

dfan · **#93**

Ian Butler wrote:

However, I don't quite see how Q19 kills the corner with white 50? Can't black make two eyes by playing P19?

After W Q19 B P19, White has one response to kill. I will not spoil it for you since you are capable of figuring it out yourself.

Ian Butler · **#94**

dfan wrote:

Ian Butler wrote:

However, I don't quite see how Q19 kills the corner with white 50? Can't black make two eyes by playing P19?

After W Q19 B P19, White has one response to kill. I will not spoil it for you since you are capable of figuring it out yourself.

R19! (Twice, throw in)

Ian Butler · **#95**

Two situations came up in a short game earlier today where I think I overplayed. I got away with it, twice, but after the game I tried some variants and I think both were a mistake.
What do you think?

They are moves :w44:

and

Too aggressive?

Ian Butler · **#96**

Jesus. I just had the worst go experience in my career. Playing against someone this style.
Worst of it all is, that it worked against me. Just a dreadful game. I feel really bad about this (not about losing, but about how it was played.)

Bah.

EDIT: reviewed. Not too detailed, I can't right now.

Knotwilg · **#97**

Self review. I'll be back this evening.

Bill Spight · **#98**

What about how it was played do you feel bad about?

Ian Butler · **#99**

Bill Spight wrote:

What about how it was played do you feel bad about?

Just that style. He keeps crawling with terrible moves and somehow I end up getting the short end of it. I react to it all wrong and the board turns into a blob of stones. I just ache by seeing the board like that.
If my opponent makes a bad move, I should be able to punish it. Instead I retreat with an even worse move and allow my opponent to waltz over me.

Bah.

I'm done playing go for today. This type of game completely throws me off. I can't explain it. It messes with my head (I lost two other games after that because I'm just totally out of the zone).
I should think about how to avoid that in the future. Both on the board (react better) and mentally (not get so "freaked out")

EDIT: after "cooling down", it's a bit better. Still, I must find a way to handle these type of situations. I think it's just in general that I always seem to end up on the losing side when the stones come into close contact. I really need to work on that and improve. I sometimes feel like I miss something very basic, but perhaps it's just my weakness and I really should improve on it. Because it is rather important

Knotwilg · **#100**

Ian Butler wrote:

Bill Spight wrote:

What about how it was played do you feel bad about?

Just that style. He keeps crawling with terrible moves and somehow I end up getting the short end of it. I react to it all wrong and the board turns into a blob of stones. I just ache by seeing the board like that.
If my opponent makes a bad move, I should be able to punish it. Instead I retreat with an even worse move and allow my opponent to waltz over me.

Bah.

I'm done playing go for today. This type of game completely throws me off. I can't explain it. It messes with my head (I lost two other games after that because I'm just totally out of the zone).
I should think about how to avoid that in the future. Both on the board (react better) and mentally (not get so "freaked out")

EDIT: after "cooling down", it's a bit better. Still, I must find a way to handle these type of situations. I think it's just in general that I always seem to end up on the losing side when the stones come into close contact. I really need to work on that and improve. I sometimes feel like I miss something very basic, but perhaps it's just my weakness and I really should improve on it. Because it is rather important

I think it will be really beneficial to review this game for yourself. If Bill or me, or other reviewers, start pointing out where you could have done better, it may only add insult to injury.

So, when you're cooled down, review your own game and publish the review here. We will surely confirm many of your own corrections and probably also improve on other. This will bring you back to your "real" level.

More importantly, your frustration is due to the difference between your level of understanding and your level of play here (measured by the level of play of the opponent). Please think about it: how does it come that bad play by the opponent leads to bad play by yourself. And what can you do about it? Tell us something about the game conditions: when was it played? how fast? did you drink alcohol? were you tired? things like that ...

The Story of a Loser - The Great Pitfall of Studying Go!

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