Life In 19x19

It would be impossible for me to be newer at this. I don't quite understand how it happened. I was riding with Paul and we were talking about games, which I no longer play, and I thought about Go. Remembered it, actually, because I'd come across it years ago, never played it, and then forgotten about it. But the sun was setting over the desert and the desolate road unwound to infinity and something about that brought it back to me and, just like that, I resolved to play Go. I knew nothing. Not one single rule. And yet the decision had been made.

Since then (just a few weeks ago), I've been gathering books. I've been reading and thinking not just about theories of play, but about the meaning underneath. Is Go really about "how to live a better life"? I wonder if Takemitsu played Go?

Music and Go. There's a relationship there; I can feel it. (I'm not the only one.)

A few days after I determined to play Go I saw that Radiohead was releasing a new songbook and I suddenly also knew that I wanted to give a live performance of a reduced version of A Moon Shaped Pool within a year. Somehow the two, learning Go and interpreting Radiohead, were related. I'm not sure how, but I was reminded of John Cage's story about how Schoenberg made him provide several solutions to a counterpoint problem and when Cage finally announced that there were no more solutions Schoenberg asked, “What is the principle underlying all of the solutions?” What is the principle underlying Radiohead or, more generally, any great music, and Go? I don't know, but I am eager to immerse myself in both.

So, I don't know how study journals are supposed to go, but this one is mine and this is how it begins.

Hi Toulousio,

Welcome.

@EdLee, thank you! It's great to be here.

That there is but little justice in the world is amply proved by the fact that, somehow, I was able to win this game on time. As you can see, my opponent destroyed me, capturing an astonishing 96 of my stones. We got in to a pitched battle in upper right starting at move 9, which I lost in part because I completely misread a ladder vortex-of-death thing starting at move 13. Then I let the same thing happen to me again later on in the bottom center starting at move 227.

There is not much for me to be proud of in this game other than the fact that it's my first 19x19 game.

I am very grateful to this opponent for agreeing to play me.

Welcome to go!

, , : As a general rule of thumb, start in the corners, then the sides, then the middle. This is in order of how easy it is to make territory and create live groups.

: Congratulations, you have discovered ladders! That's what it's called when you are captured diagonally like this, never being able to get more than two liberties, which your opponent immediately reduces to one, until you reach the end of the board (tricky things can happen if you reach other stones first). Once you see that it is going to happen, it is best not to play the whole thing out, as you just get more stones captured. Soon you will learn about "ladder-breakers", but one thing at a time

: But Black didn't finish you off! at S13 and now you have three liberties and have time to escape! Black could play at S12 but you still have two liberties, and have time to double atari, for example at P14.

@dfan, thanks so much for looking at my game. I didn't see at S13, but I wish that I had. I won't miss it next time!