Another day, another game for me
I have a feeling my play is wildly inconsistent, even during a single game. I guess that's a direct consequence from my (relatively) rapid improvement and my lack of experience. I know things but have not seen them in action enough to apply them correctly, I think.

This game, however, is one I might just remember (not move by move ) for the rest of my life. For two reasons.

1. The Cosmic Go Style
I had just watched a commented game of Takemiya and I got so inspired I thought: let's play a game and try to do the same. Especially since I usually focus on territory a lot and don't value the middle enough. It'd be a great exercise. The way that I played the game, I have never felt that kind of "power" from my stones. It felt pretty good, even if I had to give my opponent a lot of points in the early game. By the middle game, I had a lot of strength in the middle, though.

2. Broken Ladder
Yours truly did it again. The 14 kyu can't read out ladders and that's the fact. Another ladder gets broken, real early in the game and I was close to resigning again, but somehow I couldn't. Kageyama would be very disappointed with that ladder. I hope it counters with Bill being proud I didn't resign?


The Upside
Another comeback. Don't resign, fight back, be flexibel and change your game.
Ability to sacrifice to gain strength.
Surround to attack instead of toothpaste go.
Stay amazingly calm after seeing my ladder didn't work and my game was almost practically ruined by move 26.

The Downside
I feel my opponent didn't play optimally when attacking my weak group on the upper left. Maybe I got away with it too easily and I need to be more careful in the future.
Broken ladders.
Missed opportunity to kill off the black group in the middle at move 138.
Why do I always have to fall behind to start playing better? If I play a good opening, I'm too passive in the rest of the game. If I screw up my opening, I think I play the middle game better (even if I end up losing). Not sure about this, though.

At your stage, exploration is very important. Flexibility is good.



An entertaining game.



The upside of that is that you rise to the occasion. As Billie Jean King says, you raise the level of your game. The downside is that you fall to the occasion, as well. Psychologically, you can work on maintaining your level of play when you are ahead. But in terms of your go right now, what this really means is that you are underrated. If you were rated two stones better you would play two stones better.

Edit: BTW, what ladder?

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

Exactly