musai's Study Journal

[musai]

I decided to start my own journal here. Hopefully, it will help me to organize my studying and to improve (sometimes just putting things on paper helps a lot).

So, in the past I peaked at 6k KGS before taking a long break from go. Now, since my comeback about a month ago I really struggle to even win somebody at 8-9k. I think this is mostly due to my reading, which goes from bad to worse, and also a bit due to some rustiness. Also, even if I am capable of reading a local situation I am very frequently just too lazy to do so and I end up playing a bad move that just 'feels' right (and what I 'feel right' is usually wrong).

My current goal is to eliminate these obvious mistakes from my game. I mean mistakes, which are obvious even to myself. I believe there are two aspects - poor reading ability, and 'lazyness'. I think, on the way to reaching this goal I will also improve back to 6-7k (unless KGS rating shifted this or that way in the last couple of years).

I currently don't have much time to invest in go. Typically about 2x30min a day while commuting to work. Sometimes an hour or so in the evening for a game, and occasionally I can play a half-serious game during my lunch break at work. Weekends can be better or can be worse time-wise, depends.

My current plan (please advise if something is missing):
- tsumego/tesuji problems while commuting. I am currently working through the Elementary volume of Cho Chikun Encyclopedy of L&D (without the solutions). Some problems are challenging, maybe this is because I don't have solutions and need to read through all the variations (which is good for training reading).
- Play on ASR League, trying to do so at least 2-3 times a week. + reviewing the games afterwards.
- The games, which I will find more interesting, I will post here to get your opinion.
- Watch some pro/high dan games whenever possible (or whenever I am online, but don't feel like playing)

Good luck to me, I will try to update this thread regularly.

P.S. And yes, I will try to get to my local go club, at least occasionally, but it seems unlikely at the moment.

[oren]

- tsumego/tesuji problems while commuting. I am currently working through the Elementary volume of Cho Chikun Encyclopedy of L&D (without the solutions). Some problems are challenging, maybe this is because I don't have solutions and need to read through all the variations (which is good for training reading).

I would suggest finding life and death problems with solutions. There may be much you are missing trying to solve by yourself.

[musai]

I would suggest finding life and death problems with solutions. There may be much you are missing trying to solve by yourself.

Yes, I agree. Thank you for pointing that. I think of buying the Graded Go Problems. Meanwhile I also use the problem set from WBaduk - it is a large one and with answers (no variations though).
Btw, are the solutions for the Cho Chikun's encyclopedia available anywhere? I think it is an old software, right? Is anybody still selling it (software or a hardcopy?)