A beginner's journal of little interest

[Boidhre]

So currently I've been focused on DGS since it fits in better with minding kids and my unusual sleep cycle (I sleep 10pm-4am at the moment). What I've found is:

a) It's pretty beginner friendly (read: get lots of games in) once you find a few other fast players. I've a few regular opponents on there already where we'll get through a game in 2 days most of the time. Slower than if I played on a real time server in terms of games/day but I don't have many hours that I am not "on-call" with the kids with the kids off school/preschool at the moment and in the summer this will get even worse!
b) You get more time to mull over games and this leads to things sticking better in your memory, for me at least.
c) You can still play fast if you want to so long as you've enough games running concurrently. I'm trying a play quickly, review at leisure approach at the moment but indulging myself in playing out variations when I find myself in an interesting position in a game.

In other matters, I'm finding both the Irish and Global go community to be great. I'm getting loads of help as a beginner and a lot of chances to play against much stronger players. A local KGS 4d is giving me teaching games at the moment on DGS which is very interesting. I think I learn most about shape from playing against stronger players and watching what they do. Though I suppose one could also do the same reviewing games from people a few stones stronger than you off the Go Teaching Ladder or similar. What would people think of me doing this? i.e. reviewing KGS 10k/DGS 14k games and studying what shapes they use or is this a good way to pick up more bad habits by emulating weaker sdk players? My worry is that if I look at games more than 4 or 5 stones stronger than me that I won't really understand them.


I tried to review bits of this game, especially focusing on the opening. My opponent is a BGA 13k, so a nice challenge for me in an even game. Any comments appreciated.

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=1664

There's also a tournament on at the end of May in Galway which I'm considering going to. I'll lose all my games and finish last of course but it should be a good laugh.

[EdLee]

Boidhre, Basics: Broken (fractured) shapes:

Just and -- understanding the Broken (fractured) shape is worth this entire game:

(;CA[utf-8]FF[4]RU[Japanese]OT[Japanese byoyomi: 90 days + 1 day per move and 10 extra periods]
C[]AP[SmartGo:2.8.3.0]SZ[19]GM[1]GN[James_UK-Boidhre-726017-20120412]GC[Game ID\: 726017, rated]
DT[2012-04-10,2012-04-12]PC[DGS]PB[Boidhre]BR[20 K]PW[James (James_UK)]WR[17 K]
KM[-5.5]RE[W+Resign]MULTIGOGM[0]
;B[pe];W[dp];B[qp];W[dc];B[de];W[cd];B[ce]
(;W[oq]C[B. I felt he tenuki'd too early here but didn't know how to punish it without weakening my own stone in the bottom right, so I responded locally.

E. You can reply locally, no problem. But see also vars.]
(;B[po]C[No problem. See also var.];W[mp]
(;B[qj]LB[cn:A][fd:B][pc:C][ec:D]C[Boidhre. This was a mistake I think. I feel like A or B would have been better...

E. See earlier vars -- (B) is not the local follow-up. It is (D). See also var.]
;W[pc];B[nd];W[qd];B[qe];W[rd]
(;B[ci]C[See var.];W[hq];B[jc];W[gc];B[cn];W[dl]
(;B[cq]C[See var.];W[dq];B[cp];W[dn]
(;B[bn]C[See var.];W[qq];B[rq];W[rr]
(;B[rp]C[See var.]
(;W[pq]LB[sr:a]C[Wrong shape. Later, B (a) is sente. See var.];B[dr];W[er];B[cr]
;W[dj];B[di];W[ei];B[ej];W[dk];B[fj];W[eh]
(;B[ip]C[See var.];W[iq];B[jp];W[jq]
(;B[oj]C[See var.];W[nc];B[mc];W[od];B[md]C[Terrible. Biggest mistake so far. Understanding why this move is bad is worth this entire game.]
(;W[mb]C[See var.]
(;B[lb]C[See var.];W[nb];B[oe];W[nn];B[ol];W[ml];B[jl];W[mj];B[nh];W[jn];B[in];W[kn]
;B[im];W[hp];B[ho];W[go];B[hn];W[gn];B[gm];W[fm];B[gl];W[lh];B[li];W[mi];B[mh];W[ki]
;B[lj];W[kj];B[lk];W[kl];B[mk];W[kk];B[kh];W[lg];B[kg];W[nk];B[nj];W[ll];B[ni];W[fl]
;B[fk];W[ek];B[lf];W[jm];B[il];W[ij];B[hj];W[ik];B[hk];W[fi];B[gj];W[kp];B[gi];W[gh]
;B[hh];W[gg];B[hg];W[gf];B[bd];W[bc];B[dd];W[cc];B[be];W[ed];B[ee];W[fd];B[dg];W[dh]
;B[ch];W[eg];B[ef];W[ff];B[fe];W[ge];B[ie];W[hd];B[id];W[bl];B[cj];W[ck];B[bj];W[bk]
;B[mg];W[li];B[jf];W[sg];B[rh];W[rg];B[rf];W[re];B[qf];W[sf];B[qg];W[sh];B[si];W[se]
;B[ri];W[pn];B[qn];W[oo];B[pm];W[on];B[pp];W[ok];B[pk];W[nl];B[ji];W[ja];B[jb];W[ib]
;B[ka];W[ia];B[ic];W[hb];B[jj];W[jk];B[he];W[gd];B[hc];W[gb];B[ii];W[aj];B[ai];W[ak]
;B[op];W[np];B[jo];W[cg];B[bg];W[df];B[cf];W[bh];B[dg];W[ah];B[ag];W[ad];B[ae];W[ac]
;B[ko];W[lo];B[do];W[eo];B[io];W[co];B[bo];W[do];B[lc];W[om];B[pl];W[cm];B[bm];W[sq]
;B[sp];W[sr];B[es];W[fs];B[ds];W[fq];B[hf];W[pd];B[ma];W[na];B[la];W[am];B[an];W[bp]
;C[Result\: W+Resign]N[RESULT])
(;B[oe]C[Only move. End of notes.]))
(;W[oe]TR[nd][pe]SQ[oe][od]C[Only move for W. Broken (fractured) shape for B.]))
(;B[gi]))
(;B[gi]))
(;W[pr]LB[sr:a]C[Later, B (a) is much less severe than in the game.]))
(;B[pq]C[Atari first.];W[qr]LB[rp:a][pr:b]C[Now you still have a choice -- connect (a) in sente (then W atari (b)),
or push down at (b) and make a broken shape in W.]))
(;B[cm]C[Local, shared vital point.]))
(;B[en]LB[fp:a][bl:b][bp:c][cq:d][dl:e][ce:f]C[Jump out and split the W (e) stone. You want to use your (f) group. After you jump out, you have a few good local follow-ups -- a, b, c, d, etc.]))
(;B[ec]))
(;B[pq]C[Big.]))
(;B[ec]C[Locally, this is the follow-up for B when W tenuki.]))
(;W[fc];B[ci]C[One normal sequence.]))

[Boidhre]

Perfect Ed, thank you.

[Boidhre]

Oh one thing that's been bothering me a lot. Do I post too many games for review on here? I don't see other people doing it and I'm feeling a bit guilty for taking up so much of people's time. But equally I find the reviews very helpful for reinforcing what is not sinking in properly for me, i.e. broken shapes as Ed keeps having to point out to me, and potentially another beginner reading this might get some value out of it so I really don't know.

[EdLee]

...broken shapes... to point out to me

It takes different lengths of time for different people to digest things.
For the super lucky ones, one game, they understand the broken shapes forever.
For others, maybe 50 games. For still others, maybe 100 to 200+ games, or even more.
(For me, it was 2~3 years.)

[schultz]

Oh one thing that's been bothering me a lot. Do I post too many games for review on here? I don't see other people doing it and I'm feeling a bit guilty for taking up so much of people's time. But equally I find the reviews very helpful for reinforcing what is not sinking in properly for me, i.e. broken shapes as Ed keeps having to point out to me, and potentially another beginner reading this might get some value out of it so I really don't know.

Don't feel bad about posting the games you'd like to get reviewed. Nobody is forcing anyone to come in here and review your games! You'll know you've posted too many when you nobody comments on them.

Also, I always enjoy reading reviews of games (I should really post my own!), especially reviews from Ed.

[Bill Spight]

$$ Best local play?
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . X . . .
$$ . . O . O . .
$$ . . . X . . .
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$ Best local play?
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . X . . .
$$ . . O . O . .
$$ . . . X . . .
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . .[/go]

Easy but instructive.

[Bill Spight]

$$ Black to play
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . O . . . O . .
$$ . . . . X . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$ Black to play
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . O . . . O . .
$$ . . . . X . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . .[/go]

What is the best local play for Black? Similar point as previous problem.

[Bill Spight]

A few comments on the early play.

(;GM[1]SZ[19]CA[ISO8859-1]ST[2]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]FF[4]PW[James (James_UK)]C[Game ID\: 726017, rated

I've tried my best to review this. It was a serious game up until the major blunder in the midgame where a lot of the fight went out of me. I need to work on my psychological approach to the game, but I'm not sure a blunder of this magintude is ever not going to affect your confidence in a game.

]PC[Dragon Go Server\: http\://www.dragongoserver.net/]RE[W+Resign]FG[259:]RU[Japanese]PB[P·draig O'Sullivan (Boidhre)]WR[17 kyu]DT[2012-04-10,2012-04-12]GC[Game ID\: 726017, rated]OT[Japanese byoyomi\: 90 days + 1 day per move and 10 extra periods]PM[0]KM[-5.5]GN[James_UK-Boidhre-726017-20120412]BR[20 kyu]
;B[pe]
;W[dp]
;B[qp]
;W[dc]
;B[de]
;W[cd]
;B[ce]
;W[oq]C[I felt he tenuki'd too early here but didn't know how to punish it without weakening my own stone in the bottom right, so I responded locally. ]
(
;C[*** See variations.]B[po]
;W[mp]
;LB[cn:A][fd:B][pc:C]C[This was a mistake I think. I feel like A or B would have been better but I'm not sure. I wanted him to play C as I played 5,4 wanting outside influence however, I do wonder whether my overall strategy was unsound and whether a 4,4 play would have had better synergy with my 3,4 opening below. I'm trying switching to a 4,4 and 3,4 opening combination as black going forwards for a while. ]B[qj]
(
;W[pc]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[nd]
;W[qd]
;B[qe]
;W[rd]
;B[ci]
;W[hq]
(
;LB[fd:A]C[Why did I play here when I could have played at A instead?

*** See variation.]B[jc]
;W[gc]
;B[cn]
;W[dl]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[cq]
;W[dq]
;B[cp]
;W[dn]
(
;C[*** Joseki move, but this is not joseki. See variation.]B[bn]
;W[qq]
;B[rq]
;W[rr]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[rp]
;W[pq]
;B[dr]
;W[er]
;B[cr]
;W[dj]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[di]
;W[ei]
;C[*** Showing some fight!]B[ej]
;W[dk]
;B[fj]
;W[eh]
;B[ip]
;W[iq]
;B[jp]
;W[jq]
(
;C[*** What! See variation.]B[oj]
;W[nc]
(
;C[*** Overplay. See variation.]B[mc]
;W[od]
(
;C[*** Difficult. See variations.]B[md]
;W[mb]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[lb]
;W[nb]
;B[oe]
;W[nn]
;B[ol]
;W[ml]
;C[Risky. Perhaps a 2 space jump would have been better here.

*** No, this is OK. You should be thinking of sacrificing the stones on J-04 and K-04.]B[jl]
;W[mj]
(
;C[*** You should be thinking of your weak stones and White's weak stones. See variation. Next comment at B83.]B[nh]
;W[jn]
;B[in]
;W[kn]
;B[im]
;W[hp]
;B[ho]
;W[go]
;B[hn]
;W[gn]
;B[gm]
;W[fm]
;B[gl]
;W[lh]
;B[li]
;W[mi]
;B[mh]
;W[ki]
;B[lj]
;W[kj]
;B[lk]
;W[kl]
(
;C[*** Wrong way. See variation. Last comment.]B[mk]
;W[kk]
;B[kh]
;W[lg]
;C[This is the problem with turn based go, you can have a plan and there be a delay in the passage of play and you come back and utterly forget what you were doing. \:/ ]B[kg]
;W[nk]
;B[nj]
;W[ll]
;C[I've given him a really strong shape in the centre now. It's going to be a very hard game from here on. ]B[ni]
;W[fl]
;B[fk]
;W[ek]
;B[lf]
;W[jm]
;B[il]
;W[ij]
;B[hj]
;W[ik]
;B[hk]
;W[fi]
;B[gj]
;W[kp]
;B[gi]
;W[gh]
;B[hh]
;W[gg]
;B[hg]
;W[gf]
;B[bd]
;W[bc]
;B[dd]
;W[cc]
;B[be]
;W[ed]
;B[ee]
;W[fd]
;B[dg]
;W[dh]
;B[ch]
;W[eg]
;B[ef]
;W[ff]
;B[fe]
;W[ge]
;B[ie]
;W[hd]
;B[id]
;W[bl]
;B[cj]
;W[ck]
;B[bj]
;W[bk]
;B[mg]
;W[li]
;B[jf]
;W[sg]C[Ah. I knew I'd forgotten to do something... ]
;B[rh]
;W[rg]
;B[rf]
;W[re]
;B[qf]
;W[sf]
;B[qg]
;W[sh]
;B[si]
;W[se]
;B[ri]
;W[pn]
;B[qn]
;W[oo]
;B[pm]
;W[on]
;B[pp]
;W[ok]
;B[pk]
;W[nl]
;B[ji]
;W[ja]
;B[jb]
;W[ib]
;B[ka]
;W[ia]
;B[ic]
;W[hb]
;B[jj]
;W[jk]
;B[he]
;W[gd]
;B[hc]
;W[gb]
;B[ii]
;W[aj]
;B[ai]
;W[ak]
;B[op]
;W[np]
;B[jo]
;W[cg]C[Things like this teach me about the need to keep an eye on potential cuts. ]
;B[bg]
;W[df]
;B[cf]
;W[bh]C[And he gets greedy. ]
;B[dg]
;W[ah]
;B[ag]
;W[ad]
;B[ae]
;W[ac]
;B[ko]
;W[lo]
;C[I just simply wasn't paying attention when I made this move. ]B[do]
;W[eo]
;B[io]
;W[co]
;B[bo]
;W[do]
;B[lc]
;W[om]
;B[pl]
;W[cm]
;B[bm]
;W[sq]
;B[sp]
;W[sr]
;B[es]
;W[fs]
;B[ds]
;W[fq]
;B[hf]
;W[pd]
;B[ma]
;W[na]
;B[la]
;W[am]
;C[I fail to spot the danger. ]B[an]
;W[bp]
;C[Result\: W+Resign]N[RESULT]
)
(
;C[*** This probably would have won the game.]B[kk]
;W[jk]C[*** Does not work.]
;B[kh]
;W[lg]
;C[*** Ladder.]B[ji]
)

)
(
;C[*** Something like this, perhaps.]B[ji]
)

)
(
;C[*** Ed is right. This is big.]B[oe]
)

)
(
;C[*** First thought.]B[oe]
;W[md]
;B[ne]
;W[lc]
;B[mb]
;W[lb]
;B[nb]
(
;W[oc]C[*** Mistake.]
;B[ld]
;W[me]
;B[kc]
;W[le]
;B[kd]
;W[ob]
;B[kb]
)
(
;W[ob]
;C[*** Ko. ]B[oc]
)

)

(
;B[nb]
(
;W[oc]C[*** No ko.]
;B[oe]
;W[mb]
;B[lc]
;W[lb]
;B[kb]
;W[ob]
)
(
;W[oe]
;B[pg]
;W[oc]
;C[*** White has pushed through, but Black is OK. ]B[md]
)

)

)
(
;B[md]
)

)
(
;B[kp]
;W[lr]
;B[fp]
;W[do]
;B[em]
;W[dm]
;B[fd]
;W[fc]
;C[*** Somethingl like this, perhaps.]B[gh]
)

)
(
;B[dm]
;W[em]
;B[do]
;W[cm]
;B[eo]
;W[fp]
;B[fo]
;W[gp]
;B[di]
)

)
(
;B[pq]
;W[qr]
;B[pr]
;W[rp]
;B[ro]
;W[sq]C[*** Small life.]
;C[*** Attack!]B[kp]
;
)

)
(
;B[do]
;W[eo]
;B[co]
;W[en]
;B[dr]
;W[er]
;C[*** Now if White protects his weakness, the H-02 stone is too close to the White wall.]B[cr]
)

)
(
;C[*** Pretty much the only play. ]B[en]
;W[fp]C[*** If White protects here, . . .]
;B[fl]
)

)
(
;C[*** With the three space extension on the side, the knight's move is too lax. Besides being too close to the extension.]B[ec]
)

)
(
;B[qc]
;W[qb]
;B[qd]
;W[ob]
;B[md]
;W[nc]
;C[*** Good for Black, with the extension already on the right side.]B[nd]
)

)
(
;W[cn]
)

)
(
;B[ec]
;W[eb]
;B[fc]
)

(
;B[fd]
;W[fb]
)

)

Edit: Added a variation at move 83.

[Boidhre]

Excellent Bill, thank you.

[Boidhre]

So I'm introducing a new fun element to my routine. Playing 9x9 versus Champion Go. I suck at 9x9 which is indicative of my general suckiness at tactics so this is probably good training for me. I'm up to Level 4 on two stones and Level 2 on everything else (ignoring 4 stone handicap which is a doddle to get all the medals on).

Still though, yet another metric with which to measure progress. Time to go back and start reading basic books on tactics I guess.

[Boidhre]

Gah, I think I need to buy a real board and stones. Apart from the aesthetic appeal and pleasure of playing with physical stones, I just can't play anywhere close to my (weak) strength on a real board after having almost completely played online. Any advice on stone size etc? I'm totally lost.

[EdLee]

Boidhre, congrats. Getting your first set is fun!
Japanese glass stones: 10 mm is OK
Japanese slate & clam shell stones: Size 38 (10.7 mm) is very nice.
Japanese table board: 2 inches (5 cm) or thicker is quite nice.
Japanese wooden bowls: you want "extra large" size for 10+ mm stones.
There's a (steep? ) learning curve to anything related to Go, including the equipment. Enjoy!

[Boidhre]

Boidhre, congrats. Getting your first set is fun!
Japanese glass stones: 10 mm is OK
Japanese slate & clam shell stones: Size 38 (10.7 mm) is very nice.
Japanese table board: 2 inches (5 cm) or thicker is quite nice.
Japanese wooden bowls: you want "extra large" size for 10+ mm stones.
There's a (steep? ) learning curve to anything related to Go, including the equipment. Enjoy!

There's a steep pricing curve too if you happen to be in Europe!

The kind of set you're talking about with slate and shell stones would set me back around €600 with 8mm stones! My wife just might kill me if I spent that much on a set for a game that I'd been playing a month...

[EdLee]

Boidhre,

My wife just might kill me...

Indeed it's a personal value judgment call. Some people are OK with a €480 Prada small purse?!

€1,000 Go set / 40 years = €25/year = €0.07/day. (Even less, if you pass it on for generations.)
One Starbucks coffee (per day) is at least €3? That's 40x more expensive!
I also hear the iPad is about €380 every 2 years...? That's 7x more pricey!

I bought my 57 mm thick shin-kaya Japanese table board (shown in my current avatar) about 10 years ago
for about US$100 (€76 now), so that's €0.02/day, and hopefully it'll last for many more years.

Also, if you've ever tried to build a Go board "from scratch" with zero woodworking skills -- I did --
you'd quickly find out all the nice Japanese Go equipment, given the quality and craftsmanship, is quite a bargain.

...if I spent that much on a set for a game...

Did you know in Chinese, "game" is not the word used for Go and chess? I don't know the current market price for any decent piano or violin,
or for private piano or violin lessons...

(So one may be wise to work slowly up from a €20 Go set... )