Life In 19x19

So I've been toying with this idea for a long time but now I'm becoming pretty adamant about it. I feel like anytime I win a game by more than 1 moku, I actually should count it down as a loss simply because my play was clearly inferior. Not inferior to my opponents, inferior to Christ's. I picture Jesus playing Go and as the ultimate player (given that he did invent the game and everything) I strive to play just like him. I don't believe that Jesus would ever beat someone by more than a 1 point moku. Jesus understands that beating your opponent by more than this means that you overplayed and would've been bested if playing against a stronger player. I strive to always play like water. This means to always take the path of least resistance and to always be flexible. Water is actually invincible. You can't destroy it. No matter what you do to it, it just adapts to it's environment, changes forms if need be and continues on. As in Go, the player with the most flexible plan will always win. You need to control 181 points of the board to win without komi and from now on, every game I play, my goal will be just that: to control 181 points, no more no less. Anything else is a loss in my book.

Not sure I understand. So if the game is even, and your opponent makes a mistake that lets you capture 10 stones, what do you do?

I thought of such things. The goal is to win by 1 moku but you can't help if you're opponent doesn't know how to sustain his own infrastructure. What this does mean is that there may be times when I could kill an opponents group but choose not to because that would be over-play. It's a game of coexistence.

What is a moku? Is it a coffee maker or something? No word like that in English.

gowan wrote:What is a moku? Is it a coffee maker or something? No word like that in English.

Maybe that is what Jesus called a point? Anyone here speak Aramaic? I don't think that go had reached the middle east 2000 years ago so my speculation is probably wrong.

Doesn't make any sense to me.

Hi Joel,

• Please read (again) forum rules, note 2, in particular.
• I agree with you -- you lose. Happy now ?

Jesus? What? What's going on?

Thanks for the reminder Ed, however, I most certainly did not intend to begin a religious debate by any means. The point about Jesus being my ultimate Go mentor was just mentioned to help understand my point. I always strive to play perfect. That's it. You don't have to know Jesus from Adam's house cat to understand what I mean.

Joelnelsonb wrote:Thanks for the reminder Ed, however, I most certainly did not intend to begin a religious debate by any means. The point about Jesus being my ultimate Go mentor was just mentioned to help understand my point. I always strive to play perfect. That's it. You don't have to know Jesus from Adam's house cat to understand what I mean.

If you strive to play perfect, and your opponent makes mistake that is bigger than a 1 point loss, what do you do?

It depends, if he makes it earlier in the game than I fall back and play far more passively in order to better achieve a balance outcome. If it happens later then little can be done; your opponent has just spoiled a brilliant game...

If your goal is to play perfect Go, you should be striving to win by more than 300 points against other DDKs.

Joelnelsonb wrote:It depends, if he makes it earlier in the game than I fall back and play far more passively in order to better achieve a balance outcome. If it happens later then little can be done; your opponent has just spoiled a brilliant game...

Hmm, I don't agree, but I guess that's OK!

I hope people disagree. That just means there's that many different ways to approach the game making the game that much more awesome! As for my new mantra, I play like water.

Shaddy wrote:If your goal is to play perfect Go, you should be striving to win by more than 300 points against other DDKs.

On the contrary, I've gone back to playing against smartgo (a very weak app) and I attempt to beat it by only 1 point every time. This is true balance, in my opinion. You are entirely missing the point. One exercise I do is to play against myself and try to get black to control exactly 181 points every time.