Played my first game as White

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tynan
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Played my first game as White

Post by tynan »

At my local Go club, there was someone there who was much newer to the game than I am now. He was more comfortable playing on a 13x13, and to be Black. I said I might as well start teaching with White at some point :).
Since this was my first game (ever) as White, I decided not to give him any handicap. Perhaps if the board were larger I may have given him 2 stones, but whatever. The early end-game result was I was able to take 3 out of 4 corners and most of the edge territory, as well as provide commentary on the trapping nets I set for him in the corners/edge (like forcing an empty triangle on two occasions).
Once our territories had been established, his mostly in the lower center portion extending from lower left corner, and mine everywhere else, I asked if he would like to call it a game, and in the middle of saying this, he played the 3-3 point in one of my corners (the corner with only a single 4-4 stone).
I was shocked and had not expected him to have the guts to try something like that after the pounding I just gave him. And then I made a very bad mistake: I played without thinking, because I was certain I could kill him in my own home turf. Boy was I wrong: he ended up making 3 or 4 eyes worth of area on my side of the board.
Territory-wise, I still won by about 8 points, including prisoners and komi, but it would have been as high as 15 to 20 if I actually performed at my level and not let him get away with attacking me like that.
The lesson I learned: my pride defeated me, while my opponent, though less skilled, had no such weakness. I let him know that the best territory he made was not from the easy spaces he grabbed in the beginning, but from the spaces he made from invading White, even though that space was smaller.
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otenki
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Re: Played my first game as White

Post by otenki »

tynan wrote:At my local Go club, there was someone there who was much newer to the game than I am now. He was more comfortable playing on a 13x13, and to be Black. I said I might as well start teaching with White at some point :).
Since this was my first game (ever) as White, I decided not to give him any handicap. Perhaps if the board were larger I may have given him 2 stones, but whatever. The early end-game result was I was able to take 3 out of 4 corners and most of the edge territory, as well as provide commentary on the trapping nets I set for him in the corners/edge (like forcing an empty triangle on two occasions).
Once our territories had been established, his mostly in the lower center portion extending from lower left corner, and mine everywhere else, I asked if he would like to call it a game, and in the middle of saying this, he played the 3-3 point in one of my corners (the corner with only a single 4-4 stone).
I was shocked and had not expected him to have the guts to try something like that after the pounding I just gave him. And then I made a very bad mistake: I played without thinking, because I was certain I could kill him in my own home turf. Boy was I wrong: he ended up making 3 or 4 eyes worth of area on my side of the board.
Territory-wise, I still won by about 8 points, including prisoners and komi, but it would have been as high as 15 to 20 if I actually performed at my level and not let him get away with attacking me like that.
The lesson I learned: my pride defeated me, while my opponent, though less skilled, had no such weakness. I let him know that the best territory he made was not from the easy spaces he grabbed in the beginning, but from the spaces he made from invading White, even though that space was smaller.
I think the actual lesson to be learned is to never think about your opponent as being weaker or stronger. Just imagine your opponent is just the same as you. Not weaker, not stronger.

Because in one case you might start overplaying and in the other case you might start being overdefensive. In order to win you have to live right there on the edge, no matter who is your opponent.

Good luck and congratz on the first win with white ;-)

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cyclops
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Re: Played my first game as White

Post by cyclops »

tynan, you are a tyran ;)
I think I am so I think I am.
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Tim C Koppang
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Re: Played my first game as White

Post by Tim C Koppang »

I had a similar experience a few months back. It's amazing what a new player can accomplish! Thank you for sharing.
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