Life In 19x19

It has taken a while to organise my play, hoping for better quality games.
This is short game, but situations like the one at move 82 aren't easy, so I put it up in spite of that.
(added some notes)

If you play atari you should have a good plan for if your opponent extends.

A couple of comments.



Main focus: Play more solidly.

Thanks for the comments! It seems I'm not searching for calmer, solid moves enough. You're right about 84, it was a complete concentration lapse (one silently exclaims after clicking the mouse!)

A rather interesting thing happened in this game. I hadn't played in a small while, and just played two games, this is the second one:



This once happened in a game when I was ddk, before I learned the importance of counting. My opponent had to point it out after I resigned!

Today an interesting position came up, it now becoming one of the few times I remember having to play a reducing move-- Usually it's the other way around.

/rant alert/

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Position 1, against a 3kyu (OGS). Black has just played at the circled point.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

At this point in the game, it appears to be the case that white must play a move to counter the black moyou. However, I can't decide exactly which move is best, even up untill now. It feels as if there are many options for white.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B Position 2 How to Reduce/Invade?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . X X O |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . X . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O W . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In the actuall game, I did something unforgivable on the right side ! And if that wasn't enough, white took gote for seven points! On the bright side, another interesting position arose.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B Position 2 How to Reduce/Invade?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . X X O |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . a . . . z . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . X . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O W . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In the post-mortem I considered a and b as possibly being miai or complementary, but in the actual game I touched down upon z (!) worried that my previous plays had allowed black to take back 1-2 handicap stones, which ended in disasater when white made an overplay on the upper side.

/end of unnecessary rant about mistakes/

So, where would you consider playing? Hopefully I can pick up some of the wisdom relatin to Positional Judgment

I am weaker than you, but for the first diagram I would play somewhere around tengen, as it would have to direction to connect with a strong white group, and then you may be able to aim at further reduction once you don't have to worry about life anymore.

On the second, z will likely have trouble living, as there's absolutely no aji to be found in black's wall. a can aim at a further invasion on the bottom side, but b would likely induce less damage to white's own position on the left.

Alternatively, I think an invasion of the bottom may be possible, as you can threaten to connect with the bottom right white group, and there seems to be a few forcing moves against the bottom left black group. Then simply expend into the centre from the top and the left and this should be enough to win.

Bki wrote:I am weaker than you, but for the first diagram I would play somewhere around tengen, as it would have to direction to connect with a strong white group, and then you may be able to aim at further reduction once you don't have to worry about life anymore.

On the second, z will likely have trouble living, as there's absolutely no aji to be found in black's wall. a can aim at a further invasion on the bottom side, but b would likely induce less damage to white's own position on the left.

Alternatively, I think an invasion of the bottom may be possible, as you can threaten to connect with the bottom right white group, and there seems to be a few forcing moves against the bottom left black group. Then simply expend into the centre from the top and the left and this should be enough to win.

Thanks for your notes! Yes, z was in all probability an overplay, as far as I'm currently able to tell. It seems very difficult to find a way to invade on the bottom directly, but playing near a first seems to make it possible. It seems that if all of the centre became black, black would win by approximately 20 points, so a feels playable.

For the first diagram, it does seem that one could play in the centre, as black's lead doesn't seem too large

Elom wrote:

$$W Position 1, against a 3kyu (OGS). Black has just played at the circled point.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . a . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . b . . . . . . . X p . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . q . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Position 1, against a 3kyu (OGS). Black has just played at the circled point.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . a . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . b . . . . . . . X p . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . q . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

At this point in the game, it appears to be the case that white must play a move to counter the black moyou. However, I can't decide exactly which move is best, even up untill now. It feels as if there are many options for white.

Indeed. But it is not a straightforward "reduction problem" issue, quite.

White appears to have conventional plays like ''a'', ''b'' and ''c''. Black has options on ''p'' (gote), and ''q'' (very likely sente, i.e. kikashi). The virtue of ''a'', which I would look at first, is that it stops Black pushing along for further influence, and even an attack against the upper side group.

A straight reduction play around ''b'' is kind of the textbook thing, but the position is sensitive to other things. Besides, what is the score right now?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Variation 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . 2 . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . 3 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The trouble with this position, to me, is that this sequence looks winning for Black. Black having 10+ in the top left, needs only to aim for 25+ on the lower side, 20+ in the top right, to win. In other words here may be open ended, but not enough so.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Variation 2
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . 5 . O . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . 4 X . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X q . |
$$ | . . . O . . . 6 . 3 . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . p . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This might be about what White can do, but it will be a hard struggle in the centre, and Black likely gets to play the ''p''+''q'' combination on the right side for territory there.

Well, anyway, my judgement is that White doesn't have enough territory to play calmly.

To second what Charles says:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W White to play
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . B . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Remember the saying that the second line is the line of defeat? Black has played 3 stones on the second line, 1 on the first; White has played 12, count'em, 12 stones on the second line. In addition is very well placed. In short, White is playing catch up against an opponent with few chinks in his armor.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Normal reduction
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . a . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 1 . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

A center reduction at or around is fairly normal play, as is "a", as Charles indicates. But things are more desperate.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Overplay
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

is an overplay, but normal play is a loser.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Bluff
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

A play like may evoke a passive response. Things are desperate.

Bill Spight wrote:To second what Charles says:

$$W Bluff
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Bluff
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . . , . X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

A play like may evoke a passive response. Things are desperate.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Ultrabluff
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . 9 7 6 X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . 3 5 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X 4 . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Here (shape) probably can be criticised ... even if Black intends to fight at the top.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Ultrabluff (2)
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . 1 X . 2 . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . O . . O O O X . X O . . |
$$ | X O . X . X . . O O X X X . . X . . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . 3 X . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . X X . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . X . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . X X O X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White has at least got into a different game here.

I think that at your level, aiming to become 5 dan by December is a critical mistake in your training programme. The correct level which you should be aiming for is 1 dan, after which, you can decide whether you want to spend any more time seriously improving. If you made 1 dan, then you can understand that you actually have some talent for the game. You can then consider making 2 dan ( rakish) 3 dan ( shabby ) , 4 dan ( frumos baby ) or 5 dan ( satisfactory )

<Harsh reality>

Was 5 dan by December serious? It seemed pretty ludicrous to me. I mean this thread started in August 2014 and Elom was 4k KGS back then. That gives 16 months to improve 8 stones, so 1 stone every 2 months if we assume linear improvement (actually improvement gets slower as you get stronger), so he should be at least 1d by now already. But the reality is what? Still 4k? Maybe 2k by Christmas is more appropriate?

</Harsh reality>

Thank you very much Matthews and Spight for your analysis! It does seem very hard for white to move at this point (it was a four-stone handicap game), thinking that playing in the center would be okay is clearly wrong when I re-counted thanks for your suggestions, I had some new insights from those. 12 stones on the second line is something to definitely watch out for .

Javaness2 wrote:I think that at your level, aiming to become 5 dan by December is a critical mistake in your training programme. The correct level which you should be aiming for is 1 dan, after which, you can decide whether you want to spend any more time seriously improving. If you made 1 dan, then you can understand that you actually have some talent for the game. You can then consider making 2 dan ( rakish) 3 dan ( shabby ) , 4 dan ( frumos baby ) or 5 dan ( satisfactory )

Thanks for your post, I think your absolutely correct (I'm grateful for you just saying it's a critical mistake, it's probably a bit worse than that ). As I said, it was extremely unlikely for me to get close to that level by December, (although I'm sure some may still have cringed as soon as they read 5d (!) ), but it seemed that it would be fun to try seeing how it turns out, and what I might learn, definitely not because I believed I had some kind special ability or anything along those lines (the reverse is far more likely ) (many people have improved from 3k to 5d at a much faster rate than 12 months, as well).

Yes Uberdude, although I should be a lot stronger than 1d by now . Actually, I have to play many more games, because I have no idea of precisely where my current level is, as it seems quite erratic. For example, I have lost to a 1 or 2 8k+ players recently with bad mistakes (albeit when quite tired) yet I have also been winning against 3k players on the same server and in the same time frame, (I've rarely played against stronger players). The Pandanet tournament is about 5 months away, so I guess I could use it as a gauge to see whether I've improved at all, hopefully with a bit more respect than last time

But now I realise I should work harder to at least match the annoyingly chest-thumping, overzealous language I have sometimes used effort-wise, so I must try even more now to chase these wild aims .

Elom wrote:Thank you very much Matthews and Spight for your analysis! It does seem very hard for white to move at this point (it was a four-stone handicap game)

Oops, I should have counted the stones. In a four stone game things are not desperate. It is too bad that Black is so solid, but White has chances. OC, with normal play Black will win, but there are reasons that he is taking four stones. Probably he will not attack well, and may let himself get pushed around in the center.