t1m1976 wrote:I see this thread is a few years old, but I'm sure that GNU-Go has only gotten better since then. I would like to offer my thoughts on GNU-Go, from a novice/beginner's standpoint. Perhaps most of you are very good at this game, but I would hope you would be able to see my thoughts from back when you all were not so good.
GNU-Go is far too difficult. This is absolutely a turn off for new players. There are two main issues here. first, GNU-Go almost always plays a move that will gain the most territory possible. A novice is not capable of moves like these. Second, GNU-Go will leave you one move away from capture in almost all situations. For a novice, it's hard to discern. While GNU-Go begins to play elsewhere, gaining strength and territory, the novice continues to play for a capture only to have GNU-Go drive the dagger in deep at the last moment, breaking the line.
It's saddening, as a novice/beginner, to even use GNU-Go and instead of making me a better player it only makes me never want to use it again, and further, give up attempting to learn any further.
Hi T1m. I take it you're a new player? Welcome to the game!
In general in Go, the correct way for beginners to get games that they have a good chance of winning is
not to ask the other player to make poor moves, but instead to start with stones already on the board. This handicap system isn't just for beginners, either... in three hours I'll show up to my go club and I might be taking two stones from our strongest player or giving six stones to one of our newer players.
I would suggest that you start by playing, not just GnuGo, but a much stronger AI called Fuego, on a 9x9 board with 9 handicap stones. Should you win this easily? Oh yes you should. Then every time you win you can take away a stone. Where will the game start to get really challenging? 4H, 3H? It's hard to say. But the point is, you should be able to set up a game where you are seeing very strong moves that surprise and delight you, while also getting a game where if you play to the best of your ability you win and if you slip up you lose.
The 9x9 board is to make it easier for you to keep track of everything that's going on, to see the connection between opening, middle game, and endgame more quickly, and so that each handicap stone has a bigger effect.
By the way, it's rather impressive that you've noticed the biggest differences between the way GnuGo plays and the way beginners play all on your own without any coaching! Not making unnecessary moves, and ignoring your opponent's moves to make a lot of territory elsewhere - both huge steps.
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For any novice learning Go for the first time, I recommend the above regimen. A couple of professional game records daily - to get a feel for what a game of Go is like, minimum of 15 minutes of problem solving daily - to train your brain to analyze possible moves in any board position, and playing at least 2 games a week, preferably against a human - to apply what one has learned. (I would play Gobots for fun.) Depending on one's mood the time spent doing each item can be increased. All the better to help one improve; getting good at Go is hard work. No need to stress it out, though. Even pros had to study long hours and have lots of patience to get that pro certificate. Just take it easy and put in a little bit daily. Slow and steady wins the race.