Actually I wanted to name it "SoDesuNe takes the big yellow taxi to drive to Shodan paradise to see that it has been paved to put up a parking lot to get hold of all the aspirants". I figured it would be too ponderously.
So here I'm sitting again at the afternoon before my last oral exam which is going to end this semester for me and I'm planing how to move on with my ambitious pursuit. Because of the experience I got over the last month, I think I found the right mixture to start paving my way to the mountains. I might crumble on the way when the terrain changes but I am going to think of something when the time comes, maybe earlier when I find a trail from roman legionaries, who walked this path before me (non-metaphorical speaking: I greatly appreciate any ideas of anyone wanting to distribute something).
What there is left to say... right! I know that I will most likely run out of books and problems before reaching the end of the year. I plan on re-doing problems books then. As for theory books I will try to assess my game then to get a feeling which part needs the most attention. Furthermore I have some ideas left, where I thought it would become too much if I try to fit them in here. Like replaying pro games, which I don't feel as useful as solving Tsumegos (includes purchasing a "Go World" subscription, respective "Go Game World") or doing problem books such as "Get Strong at the Opening/Joseki/Invading/Attacking". Maybe I'm going to change my mind on them but for the moment I think my way suits me best. Last but not least, I decided to follow fwiffo in taking off two days a week, when I want to. I don't feel like burning out, but you'll never know. Anyway, I think this break will only affect my reading of theory books and playing games online for the most part, I just love doing Tsumego.
Alright goal is set (yes!), eyes are burning (no.), everyone's trembling with excitement (maybe)... here it comes!
Go Study Plan: 4k-5k to Shodan (KGS) in six months 01.07.2010, Thursday → 31.12.2010, Friday
Tsumego
154 Tsumegos from “Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 4” // ~20 a day (~8 days) | moderately difficult
-> 1001 Tsumegos from “1001 Life-and-Death Problems“ // ~50-20 a day (~20 - 50 days) | easy to moderately difficult
-> Working through “Intermediate Level Problems”
501 Tesujis from “501 Tesuji Problems” // ~12 a day (~38 days) | moderately to very difficult
-> Working through “Rescue and Capture”
-> Working through “Making Good Shape”
Theory
10 Chapters from “Tesuji“ (104 p.) // one chapter every two days | easy to moderately difficult
One time read of “Reducing Territorial Frameworks” | moderately difficult
3 ½ Chapters (Forcing Moves, Inducing Moves, Reducing and Invading large Frameworks, Invasions into three-space-extensions) from “Attack and Defense“ (less than 88 p.) | moderately difficult
-> One time read of “Direction of Play”
Games
At least five serious games per week (average: KGS [>25 min], Wbaduk [>25 min], Go club and private)
Special: (Stage 1 - “research when taking Black”)
First 10 games with San-Ren-Sei
Then 10 games with Low-Chinese
Then 10 games with Mini-Chinese (if not possible, it does not count)
(Stage 2 – “what fits best”)
each game alternating between Orthodox, double Komoku and best fitting opening from the three above
(As White alternating between double Hoshi and Hoshi and Komoku)
Reviewing each game and finding three to five bad moves or things, which could have been better.
Showing as many games as possible to stronger players
Off we go with this marathon!
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:25 am
by SoDesuNe
So, the first bits of an update.
"Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 4" is quite challenging on Level 4, so 20 problems a day is more than sufficient, but on the other hand it's always a good feeling to finally be able to solve a problem.
"501 Tesuji Problems" is hard, sometimes extremely hard. With quite a few problems I'm sure I know the direction or the idea, but I'm just unable to solve it with the right sequence. But well, most of the problems I just get plain wrong ^^ That's why I'm thinking if I should change the order of the Tesuji problem books. But "Rescue and Capture" / "Making Good Shape" won't be at hand until 12th of July. I'm just afraid that I'm spoiling "501 Tesuji Problems" when I start digging through it with mere looking at the answer than being able to solve it by myself. It's such a great book for a higher level, I think.
Sooo, hmm. I think I'll replace "501 Tesuji Problems" with "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" and go for the reading power boost. At least a Dan player told me today, Tsumegos are for reading power and Tesujis for knowing which moves to read =D Kind of like this idea. I shortly thought about going through "Get Strong at Tesuji" again but that would be boring.
As for games, I already played five the last two days. Only handicap and one teaching game though, but nothing bad with this, I think. I try to stabilze a 4 Kyu ranking the next time since KGS put me down to 5 Kyu again ^^ Unfortunately I feel like I got weaker over the tournament, I trained for so hard. Mostly direction of play flaws and stupid mistakes, where I didn't read through the important sequences... Need to find my calm again, I guess.
So much for now!
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:34 pm
by kokomi
I love the how to run marathon video!
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:34 pm
by Shaddy
SoDesuNe wrote:So, the first bits of an update.
"Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 4" is quite challenging on Level 4, so 20 problems a day is more than sufficient, but on the other hand it's always a good feeling to finally be able to solve a problem.
"501 Tesuji Problems" is hard, sometimes extremely hard. With quite a few problems I'm sure I know the direction or the idea, but I'm just unable to solve it with the right sequence. But well, most of the problems I just get plain wrong ^^ That's why I'm thinking if I should change the order of the Tesuji problem books. But "Rescue and Capture" / "Making Good Shape" won't be at hand until 12th of July. I'm just afraid that I'm spoiling "501 Tesuji Problems" when I start digging through it with mere looking at the answer than being able to solve it by myself. It's such a great book for a higher level, I think.
Sooo, hmm. I think I'll replace "501 Tesuji Problems" with "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" and go for the reading power boost. At least a Dan player told me today, Tsumegos are for reading power and Tesujis for knowing which moves to read =D Kind of like this idea. I shortly thought about going through "Get Strong at Tesuji" again but that would be boring.
As for games, I already played five the last two days. Only handicap and one teaching game though, but nothing bad with this, I think. I try to stabilze a 4 Kyu ranking the next time since KGS put me down to 5 Kyu again ^^ Unfortunately I feel like I got weaker over the tournament, I trained for so hard. Mostly direction of play flaws and stupid mistakes, where I didn't read through the important sequences... Need to find my calm again, I guess.
So much for now!
I think it might be better simply to go through 501 Tesuji Problems, give them a shot, and look at the answer if you can't get it reasonably quickly. The important thing with tesuji problems, like that dan said, is not reading practice, but being able to see the right move instantly.
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:50 pm
by Hushfield
I really like the concept of using life and death as power training for your reading ability (science), while tesuji are for spotting the right move instinctively (art). That allows for some nice complementary training and it's more proof for how complete go is as a game. I don't think it's allowed to marry a board game, but I would if I could.
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 5:07 am
by SoDesuNe
Shaddy Hm, I don't know, that way it's a bit demoralizing and not much fun. Although I heard that when going through "Making Good Shape" one should aim on being able to spot the shape move instantly and thus repeat the book over and over again. Then again, "Making Good Shape" is some sort of prerequisite to "501 Tesuji Problems", I heard ^^
I think, I won't do "501 Tesuji Problems" now. "Rescue and Capture" is a very small book, so I don't think I will need much time going through it. So, maybe I could enjoy "501 Tesuji Problems" a month from now.
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:43 am
by SoDesuNe
I'm going to reduce "Graded Go Problems For Beginners Volume 4" to around 10 problems a day. 20 is too much for the last dozens (~60 left). Started "1001 Life-and-Death Problems", they are pretty easy going. Nice change ^^ I've been through the first 90 so far.
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:39 am
by SoDesuNe
I managed to acquire an additional victory due to endgame today ^^ Slowly I really believe this is the strongest part in my game. My greatest weakness, hm, playing urgent moves, I guess. And I need to experiment with invasions =D
As for playing games: I stopped playing San-Ren-Sei, I don't like it at all. I will play Mini-Chinese, Orthodox and double Komoku from now on.
Move #15 needs to be at B18. I don't now about #17 maybe it's too slow, maybe not. I thought since I left out B18, I need to undermine his base somehow. #47 is obviously both too small and not urgent. Approaching his Hoshi would be more balanced. #49 is questionable. It gives White a huge framework, because he has walls on both sides. I think R6 or S5 would be more active, but I don't know the variations, so I decided, well, well, I can reduce ^^ #69: Giving up K7 might have not been the best decision, but I couldn't figure out a better sequence. This way my top became much bigger. Sadly his bottom, too =D #85 at R12 is bigger endgame. #151: Monkey-jumping is bigger endgame.
[admin]SGF tags changed so that it displays properly. -JB [/admin]
Personally I'd play the marked Black stone high, but thats open to dispute
Lets start with move 15: As you have already mentioned move 1 in the diagram (in the game it was move 15) should be at 'a' because your aim with the minichinese is to take away whites eyespace. With B18 played and your minichinese stone (c11) in place, White cant establish a base and needs to run outside - this should be the point where you are able to catch a nice amount of territory while you chase white around.
In the game you continued with the second-line kosumi at B12 (diagram 3), this looks like an endgame move, an error in the stage of the game! White should've jumped to d13 to get out. now white jumps a move faster because you played the kosumi
Well in the actual game White chose to tenuki... I think this is an overplay! I really like to replay Honinbo Jowas games, I think he would play something like this now (dont know about the continuation after 5):
I end my comments here because I'm short on time right now Reply if you've any questions
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:36 pm
by SoDesuNe
Thanks Jonas!
in your third diagram looks really powerful, but I would be afraid of the attachment/cut at F15. Maybe if I had read this out, I would play this move =D
I have two specific questions, if you don't mind: How should I have handled the lower right, when White played his Ogeima? And is there a better/easier reducing sequence than what I did after invading San-San?
There are some news about my study plan, too. I will drop "Graded Go Problems Volume 4" for the moment because I don't like elaborating on one problem for ten minutes(+), I follow the approach of doing more easier problems in that time. So focus is now on "1001 Life-and-Death Problems", with 20 to 50 problems a day. Second, I hope I will receive "Making Good Shape" and a few other books on Monday next week, so that I have a bit of a change. Sadly I was informed that "Rescue and Capture" is temporarily not available, so I will get it in five week perhaps. Still need to play more even games. I had a lot of 4-stones handicap games in the last days... and lost all. A friend of mine, who is maybe one stone weaker than me plays the same opponent on the same handicap and has a serious chance of winning. I figured I need to play more aggressively. Should maybe read "Attack and Defense" again, but I'm not into textbooks right now ^^ As long as I do well against 3k/4k (for now) I'm satisfied ; )
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:45 am
by SoDesuNe
I only did "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" in the last time: 248 so far. I will re-start "501 Tesuji Problems" today.
Sadly I overestimated my free-time and enthusiasm for my studies, now I voluntarily have to learn for an exam in less than a month. It's like playing Go, some moves really need more thought... ^^
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:58 am
by Jonas
Sry for the late response!
Hmmm after the ogeima White has formed a huge moyo and after your san-san invasion he got two walls each faceing in a very good direction for him...guess the result isn't that great for black
Instead of sansan I would play something like M4 shoulderhit or attach at R4 to make it a little bit more complicated. Hmmm maybe S5 is also possible? I think it is very imporant that you have the shouldhit in mind and dont get locked inside the corner.
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:05 pm
by SoDesuNe
Thanks Jonas!
Need to pause this till August the 5th. I would have to make a tight schedule to make my Go studies fit in besides my university studies and this really annoys me in a time, which is supposed to be leisure-time. So something has to be sacrificed, although I just received "Making Good Shape" : /
21st Century New Openings korean book has some interesting moves to offer for the mini-chinese. I personally like it alot, although, my opponents never know the sequences so I can't just use memorized stuff and have to read myself
White doesn't like the first 2 diagrams, so he can try other things, like in dia 3
Too bad you have to take a break Better luck in August then?
Re: SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan
Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:14 am
by SoDesuNe
So... back in business - part of at least.
First of all, thank you Mike for the new input on the Low-Chinese, I'll be sure to use this sometime : )
All right, new schedule! I will be on vacation now, so I can't play and I don't plan on reading a lot of theory books as I have many fictional text books in line. So it will be just "Making Good Shape" and "1001 Life-and-Death Problems" to take me back in the game and maybe get me back on the route to Shodan.
I played two games since 16th of July and I noticed a slight down in reading (lack of calmness) and direction but a nice up in trying refreshing moves, which I like very much. That's why I chose "Making Good Shape" and "1001 Life-and-Death Problems". Both are fairly simple to intermediate so nothing which will immediately tackle me down, second both deal with fundamentals (vital points) so that I can sharpen my eye and regain my calmness by finding the right move. I haven't planned further, yet. If I come back, I'll start playing again and I 'm going to see how it goes. Then I will decide how I am going to move on.
September is sadly going to be crowded with work again.
Reply if you've any questions
in your third diagram looks really powerful, but I would be afraid of the attachment/cut at F15. Maybe if I had read this out, I would play this move =D
Better luck in August then?