For all beginners looking for a study guide

[NoSkill]

5/5
1. Play slow games at least once a week and read things out if possible.

4.5/5
2. If possible get "lessons in the fundamentals of go" and read the shape part. Always play good shape.

4.5/5
3. Do tesuji problems of the same suite. Try to do problems that have similar answers or shape, start from easy then go to hard. That way you learn how to make even hard shapes easy and how to do the easy ones.

4/5
4. Review games that you took time on thinking, not the blitz games you lost. Even if you review a slow game you won by 5, its better than a blitz game you lost by 100. Only review slow games.

3/5

5. Play blitz games alot to get more instinct and experience









General advice:

1. Make good shape, don't leave weak groups when trying to make profit. You might initially make 10 points profit, but a weak group can cost you 20 or more if the opponents knows how to deal with it.

2. Don't get focused on one small section of the board, notice the whole board.

3. Don't be greedy and try to not let the opponent have any points. Just try to win by 5-10 points. If you try to win by more than 10 points, usually you play a greedy move, overplay, or leave bad shape. If you just play good shape and wait, the opponent will be greedy eventually.



Thinking process:

1. Do I have weak groups?

(fix no matter what right away)

2. Does the opponent have Weak groups

(attack asap)


Continue later

[tezza]

Hi,

Firstly, thank you for posting this .

I have a query re: rule 5. My click-happy tendency makes some slow games blitz. After a loss, I'm more in a "what happened" state. Trying to tie this back to your point about "getting instinct and more experience" . Any tip on how to get from to ?

Cheers
tezza

[NoSkill]

Hi,

Firstly, thank you for posting this .

I have a query re: rule 5. My click-happy tendency makes some slow games blitz. After a loss, I'm more in a "what happened" state. Trying to tie this back to your point about "getting instinct and more experience" . Any tip on how to get from to ?

Cheers
tezza

In blitz you just play like a few games a day and you get "experince". Blitz games are mostly to test new ideas/skills learned faster. So you study/play slow games to improve or learn. Then play blitz to apply it to instinct not memory. So first play slow games/teaching games/reviews/learn something then blitz to try it an apply it.

[Loons]

What's an example of a skill blitz would cement?

@tezza - For slow games - a common piece of advice for slow games is "take your hand off the mouse while considering your moves"

Edit:
Right, answered my own question. Applying relevant tesuji.

[NoSkill]

Tesujis
New openings
New styles
Counting fast

Basically anything like those that are new