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A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 12:46 pm
by Gomoto
The plan is to improve my reading. I will collect the positions from my games, where I missed the correct move. (Bad reading or not reading at all ;-).) For example in the diagram I let white seperate the two black stones, because I did not read at all. The two stones are easily connected with the correct next move.

[Update: The plan is to improve my intuition, pattern knowledge, sense of direction and reading.]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ Black to connect the two stones
$$ - . . . . . . .
$$ - . . O . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . .
$$ | . O . , . . .
$$ | . O . . O . .
$$ | . X O . . . .
$$ | . X . X . . .
$$ | . . X . X . .
$$ | . . O X O O .
$$ | . . O , . . .
$$ | . . . O . O .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 4:02 pm
by DrStraw
Reading is one thing. But did you even consider the move below? The first move I looked at was trying to connect underneath and induce a shortage of liberties but I instantly dismissed it. The second was this.
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ Black to connect the two stones
$$ - . . . . . . .
$$ - . . O . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . .
$$ | . O . , . . .
$$ | . O . 1 O . .
$$ | . X O . . . .
$$ | . X . X . . .
$$ | . . X . X . .
$$ | . . O X O O .
$$ | . . O , . . .
$$ | . . . O . O .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 4:06 pm
by EdLee
Hi Gomoto, Thanks.
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . O . . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X . . . , . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O . . X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . O . . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X . 1 . , . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O . . X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B var 1 Miai cut at (a), (b)
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . b O . . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X 2 1 3 . . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O a . X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B var 2
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . 5 O . . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X 4 1 3 . . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O 2 . X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B var 3 Miai (c), (d)
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . O . . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X d 1 2 , . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O c 3 X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B var 4 Miai (e), (f)
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . O f . . . . .
$$ | . O . X . X e 1 3 4 . . . .
$$ | . . O O X . O 5 2 X . O . .
$$ | . . . . . X X O O X . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ ------------------------------[/go]
The two stones are easily connected
But "easily" is relative.

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:06 pm
by dfan
I spent a few minutes vainly looking for a way for Black to connect and then realized that the position was on the left side of the board, not the right :)

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:01 pm
by Gomoto
DrStraw, your move is the "obvious" one I was talking about. :-)

EdLee, thanks for the diagrams. :-)

Easily: The two candidate moves to consider first are the two cutting points of the keima.
I missed the move anyways and played another not cutting move, easily is relative indeed. ;-)

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:34 am
by Gomoto
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ Black to connect the lower right stones reasonable
$$ . . X X X X X X . X O . . |
$$ O O O O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ . X X . . O X X O . . . . |
$$ X . X . X . O O O . O . . |
$$ X O . . . X . . . . X O . |
$$ O O . X X . X . O . X O . |
$$ . . X X O O X . . X X O . |
$$ O O O X O . X . O X O O . |
$$ . . . O O . X O . . X O . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 4:21 am
by EdLee
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ var 1.
$$ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? |
$$ ? . . X X X X X X . X O . . |
$$ ? O O O O 0 . . . X . O . . |
$$ ? . X X . 9 O X X O . . . . |
$$ ? X . X . X 8 O O O . O . . |
$$ ? X O . . . X 7 . . . X O . |
$$ ? O O . X X 6 X . O . X O . |
$$ ? . . X X O O X . 4 X X O . |
$$ ? O O O X O . X 5 O X O O . |
$$ ? . . . O O . X O 1 3 X O . |
$$ ? . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$-----------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bm11 var 1 (cont). Locally, B seems not alive.
$$ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? |
$$ ? . . X X X X X X . X O . . |
$$ ? O O O O O . . . X . O . . |
$$ ? . X X 1 X O X X O . . . . |
$$ ? X . X . X O O O O . O . . |
$$ ? X O 3 2 4 X X . . . X O . |
$$ ? O O . X X O X . O . X O . |
$$ ? . . X X O O X . O X X O . |
$$ ? O O O X O . X X O X O O . |
$$ ? . . . O O . X O X X X O . |
$$ ? . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$-----------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ var 2. Locally, B still not alive...
$$ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? |
$$ ? . . X X X X X X . X O . . |
$$ ? O O O O 8 . . . X . O . . |
$$ ? . X X 7 6 O X X O . . . . |
$$ ? X . X . X 5 O O O . O . . |
$$ ? X O 9 0 . X . . . . X O . |
$$ ? O O . X X . X . O . X O . |
$$ ? . . X X O O X . 1 X X O . |
$$ ? O O O X O . X 3 O X O O . |
$$ ? . . . O O . X O 4 2 X O . |
$$ ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------------[/go]

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 6:03 am
by Fedya
In Variation 1, doesn't Black have one eye on the bottom and one in the center?

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:29 am
by dfan
:w14: made the eye false.

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:22 pm
by Gomoto
I was interested in the local points difference and wanted to focus on the lower right. There my mistake happened. Should have made this clear in the diagram or the text. Thanks for your posts.

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 4:35 am
by Gomoto
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$c White to make a move at the bottom
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O X . O O X X X X . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , X X O O . X O O O O X , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . X . . . . O O X . . |
$$ | . . . O X . O . . . X X O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . O X X O . O O O . O . |
$$ | . . O X . O . . . X O O . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . X O . O O O . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O O . . X O . O X X O . . . |
$$ | . . X X . X X . . . X O X . X O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . X . X X X X O O O . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . O X X O . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . O X X O X . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . . . O O O X X O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Hint:
Connect the stone at M3

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:56 am
by Gomoto
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc White to move. Which move is better? a or b?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . O O . . . . O O X . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . X O X X X . X X O . . . |
$$ | . X O O X X . X O O X . X O X O . . . |
$$ | . O O , O X . X O , . . O . O , O . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . O . O O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O . X . O . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O X . . . . . . . . O . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . O . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Answer:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc The white group is under heavy pressure
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . O O . . . . O O X . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . X O X X X . X X O . . . |
$$ | . X O O X X . X O O X . X O X O . . . |
$$ | . O O , O X . X O , . . O . O , O . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . O . O O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O . X . O . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O X . . . . . . . 3 O . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . 5 4 2 X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . O . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc This is much better (one possible continuation).
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . O O . . . . O O X . X . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . X O X X X . X X O . . . |
$$ | . X O O X X . X O O X . X O X O . . . |
$$ | . O O , O X . X O , . . O . O , O . . |
$$ | . X . . . . . . . . O . O O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O . X . O . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . 6 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O X . . . . . . 7 4 O . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 3 2 X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . O . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
The white group on the right is strong and the white thickness at the top is used effectivly. Move b is better.

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 1:04 pm
by Fedya
You need to point out in your diagram that it's White to move. I was getting confused by the latter diagrams because I was trying to find the better move for Black. :oops:

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 1:53 pm
by Gomoto
Thank you Fedya!

Re: A way to improve reading skills

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 2:40 pm
by Gomoto
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ How to react to the counter hane (staircase formation) at the top?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . X W . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . X O . . . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . X X X . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . X X O O X O . . . X . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . X O O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Answer:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ This is a possible way to play.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . 3 X O . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . X O 2 . . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . 1 . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . 5 . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . |
$$ | . . . X X X . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . X X O O X O . . . X . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . X O O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]