My study Journal of awesomeness and excitement

[OtakuViking]

You know, I envy you greatly for your ability to find irl tournaments

[speedchase]

I just always look on the usgo website for open tournament. Where do you live, couldn't you do something similar?

[speedchase]

no real updates for a while. I am doing lots of tsumego. I am up to problem 75, still two mistakes.

I played in the USYGC (United States Youth Go Championship) today. First game against an AGA 3kyu (KGS 5kyu) I won by resignation.
The second Game I won by default (my opponent didn't show). Third game I played an AGA 1kyu (KGS unrated) and lost by resignation. The last Game I play against a AGA 1kyu (KGS 1dan) and lost by resignation.

[speedchase]

up to problem 97.

more importantly, I played a game today.

http://files.gokgs.com/games/2012/1/25/wolokom-speedchase.sgf

[speedchase]

I played three games yesterday (only lost 1, the one against Leyleth).
I also just finished this run through of the chapter. I got 8 wrong out of 117 for a correct percent of 93.1% I was doing well up to problem eighty ( only two wrong at that time) but then the problems got harder and I started making mistakes. There was only slight improvement so I will rotate the book and do it again.

[RBerenguel]

I've been a week without tsumego already I hope next week's holidays give some tsumego to my life. This or some blog writing, whatever... There's no improving without hard work!

[speedchase]

I haven't posted in a while. does that mean I am not studying now? of course not! still doing tsumego. I did up to problem 107 and I only got three wrong so far. More importantly I played in a tournament Yesterday and I went 3-0 winning the tournament! It took me 3.5 hours to get there and back, but I had alot of of fun, playing 3 really exciting games. It was a handicap tournament, and strangely enough when I beat a stronger player with a handicap, It was from making a large kill.

[speedchase]

I am done with the first 117 problems. On my third and final run through I got 3 wrong or 97.4%

[Simba]

It was a handicap tournament, and strangely enough when I beat a stronger player with a handicap, It was from making a large kill.

This should not surprise you as much when you remember that handicap stones are designed for attacking . Good job on your win!

[speedchase]

Thank you. The advice people always give me is play thickly and don't start a fight. That was why I found it surprising

[Simba]

Thank you. The advice people always give me is play thickly and don't start a fight. That was why I found it surprising

This advice is perhaps not the best. You have 4th line stones scattered around - 4th line stones are usually useful for fighting, so use them as such . Your stones are positioned in a way that makes them useful for attacking, so don't make it too easy for white by not doing so. 'Playing thickly' is likely not going to be as easy as using 4th line stones to attack, as it's unlikely someone giving a 6k a decent handicap is going to allow you many chances to get a really thick position .

[Dokuganryu]

I think that playing defensively while having handicaps is a valid strategy to win. But You won't learn much from such game, because You won't be able to transpose experience from defending such advantageous positions in an even game. While playing with handicaps we learn much more from attacking and losing than from defending and winning/losing.

[Magicwand]

I think that playing defensively while having handicaps is a valid strategy to win. But You won't learn much from such game, because You won't be able to transpose experience from defending such advantageous positions in an even game. While playing with handicaps we learn much more from attacking and losing than from defending and winning/losing.

actually.. i thought same thing about playing defensivly but my view changed when i saw a player who improved by reaching 1dan level from 5 kyu. it is a style and if you are strong at that style then you will improve. Cho hunhyun initially thought Lee changho was a tool who will never become a top professional because of his style.