Go?

[Neil S]

Thanks.

I'm still happy with the game. I've improved I think. :-)

[funkyj]

Originally Posted by Neil S

Thanks.

I'm still happy with the game. I've improved I think. :-)

Oh yeah, a much better opening than when you and I played. It looks like a stronger player ("dieter") added commentary to the last diagram.

[Harmonium]

Originally Posted by MalkasGambit

There's a park like 5 minutes away where hundreds of old guys gather every night and play intense Go (Wei Qi in Mandarin). I'd like to own them. Suggested methods for doing so within ... 2-3 months of studying/playing 2 hrs a day?

I'm 1800 ELO in chess if that would help.

LOL...sorry go ain't that easy.

[Neil S]

Originally Posted by MalkasGambit

There's a park like 5 minutes away where hundreds of old guys gather every night and play intense Go (Wei Qi in Mandarin). I'd like to own them. Suggested methods for doing so within ... 2-3 months of studying/playing 2 hrs a day?

I'm 1800 ELO in chess if that would help.

Originally Posted by Harmonium

LOL...sorry go ain't that easy.

I missed this post, heh.

Maybe a couple hours a day studying and playing, with regular coaching to supplement that, for a few years would catch you up to some of them.

[muzungu]

8.5 point win.

Here are a few comments. Please discuss and add your own comments.

Ok, lemme take a glance at this one- this is a good level for me to try and review. I'm only a couple stones stronger (just played my first live tournament, rated 7k), so obviously take any suggestions with a grain of salt.

45: E3- I dunno if you can jump out like this- after D3 D2, white can try E2. If black plays F2, then C2 and B2 kills- it's gote and black gets some thickness on the side, so maybe that's not so bad- but it's worth considering.

53-57: this sequence seems bad for you- you shouldn't play so heavy when you are trying to invade/reduce. I think if he had played around F6 instead of b8 you would have gotten into trouble. Maybe start out with something like F5 if you want to play in the area.

It gets complicated after that- offhand, I don't see any terribly obvious mistakes.

169: I think you should just connect with N3 here. You are ahead and you will be able to increase your territory in the lower right by attacking white's weak group. No need to complicate things. I think white might be able to play J3 and kill instead of M5 on move 174.

179: do you need to respond here? Even if he were able to kill your corner with one more move (which I'm not sure about, offhand), your attack on his group in the lower right is bigger- I'm certain you'd be able to kill him with 2 moves in a row here.

~206: Somewhere around here you should look at M8- you can reduce his eyespace in sente.

216: If white plays N11 or M10 here or on the next move, you are in trouble.

Ok, that's good for now. Lots of good fighting in this game- you can certainly be happy with your play here.

[funkyj]

Originally Posted by muzungu

Ok, lemme take a glance at this one- this is a good level for me to try and review. I'm only a couple stones stronger (just played my first live tournament, rated 7k), so obviously take any suggestions with a grain of salt.

Update the Sensei's library wikipage I made with your comments and then post a link here saying you have done. It really is not hard.

It is a lot easier for folks to follow along when looking at some diagrams. When you do comment on Sensei's Library you should begin your comment with your name or initials.

Dieter, a fairly strong SL member, has already commented. If folks comment on SL then there is more likely to be synergy from other SL folks.

[Neil S]

Cyberoro appears to be an international-friendly korean server. However it appears to require its own Windows-only software.

[Neil S]

Go Sensations appears to be an interesting site, recording top games played online at a variety of servers, including Tygem which apparently has the best opponent selection but is not practically accessible if you don't speak Korean and I think also only has an MS Windows-only client option.

[splashpot]

Everyone should watch the Japanese anime, Hikaru No Go. It's awesome and will make you want to play go even if you've never heard of the game before.

[icepick]

Originally Posted by splashpot

Everyone should watch the Japanese anime, Hikaru No Go. It's awesome and will make you want to play go even if you've never heard of the game before.

I'd suggest reading the manga instead.

[Neil S]

Ditto icepick.

Anyway I played another game today vs an 11k on IGS. I started off so well... got a huge kill.

Then I got over aggressive and he got a bigger kill. Bah.

I like what's happening with my game though. I really do. I just need not to let my newfound confidence cause me to try to run people over.

[splashpot]

Originally Posted by icepick

I'd suggest reading the manga instead.

Meh, I disagree. What does the manga offer that the anime doesn't? The story is pretty much exactly the same. Every scene is pretty much the same. It's not like books turned movies where they butcher the entire plot. Sure, the manga is great for the story beyond the anime, but the anime offers engaging music and color.

[Neil S]

I've never seen the television version, but there's no way that it can match the original in terms of pacing and detail.

[splashpot]

Originally Posted by Neil S

I've never seen the television version, but there's no way that it can match the original in terms of pacing and detail.

Even if that were true, and I don't think it is, the awesome music more than makes up for it. I recomemnd you try it even if you've already read the manga.

[Neil S]

Boy am I kicking myself right now. Gave a winning position away.

I spent several minutes thinking after this white group of mine got cut off from the middle, and I never think a long time. This deviation from my bad habits was paying off, and I set up this spot.

White to play and live:

Spoiler:

Pretty sure the answer is S13, making a crucial eye to live with his group (and threatening a ko to kill black here, thus taking the initiative to finish encircling the O7 group I just cut off).

Without thinking, I actually played P10. Thanks to all that thinking I was under time pressure for the first time in my go playing history, and I think I panicked a bit. He fistpumps and plays S13, and that's that. I lose the race by one move because he has an eye and I don't. sigh