Go?

[Neil S]

Play 9x9.

Do problems.

I recommend playing 9x9 because I know if you don't get to play you won't have fun, but doing problems is what you need to learn life and death.

Also, learn about the basic eye shapes. A three space eye is conditionally alive: It lives if the defender plays first, dies if the attacker plays first. Four space eyes tend to be either unconditionally alive or conditionally depending on the shape they have. Then move up to the 5 space eyes. Also learn the killable sixes. Learn the vital points for all the basic eye shapes, which are the points which played on will make life or death for the group.

Once you know those, in life/death situations you know what you're aiming for. As defender you want to make a living eye shape and play the vital points. As attacker you want to force a dead eye shape and play the vital points.

[wait what]

Originally Posted by RoundTower

why not start by playing some 9x9 against other weak players and take it from there?

I don't understand why anyone would set out to learn a game they don't know. Play first, then if you like it you can think about how to get better.

thats just how i am, i dont like playing games if i dont know any of the strategy of it, or if im jus going to always lose. ive played a bit of it tho and i enjoy it

Originally Posted by Neil S

Play 9x9.

Do problems.

I recommend playing 9x9 because I know if you don't get to play you won't have fun, but doing problems is what you need to learn life and death.

Also, learn about the basic eye shapes. A three space eye is conditionally alive: It lives if the defender plays first, dies if the attacker plays first. Four space eyes tend to be either unconditionally alive or conditionally depending on the shape they have. Then move up to the 5 space eyes. Also learn the killable sixes. Learn the vital points for all the basic eye shapes, which are the points which played on will make life or death for the group.

Once you know those, in life/death situations you know what you're aiming for. As defender you want to make a living eye shape and play the vital points. As attacker you want to force a dead eye shape and play the vital points.

basically what i was doing last night:

d/led igowin and played some of that, though i know that really aint realistic

went thru interactive way to go (http://playgo.to/interactive/)

found goproblems.com and worked some that though i dunno if thats a good source or not. its also where i kinda realized i dont know why im making the moves they say to. kinda like i have difficulty applying what i see into game scenarios

ive thrown around the ideas of ordering the "graded go problems for beginners" vol 1/2, but ive seen other recommendations in the topic so not entirely sure about that. also might download KGS/IGS or something soon, but itd prob create new kyu's to house my lack-of-skill level

but ty for help so far

[Vincen7]

I seriously played Go for about 4 years. Went to level 5kyu on KGS. I read dozens of books and studied fuseki, joseki and tsumego problems.

I gave up because of the level of complexity and the fact that to be really good at Go you would have to start the education as a kid (like the Insei in Japan).

Recenly I sold all my Go books and switched to Poker - much more entertaining and thrilling when cash is on the table

[icepick]

Originally Posted by wait what

ive thrown around the ideas of ordering the "graded go problems for beginners" vol 1/2

Don't bother at this point. Goproblems.com is just as good at your level. If you don't understand a problem, I'd suggest Senseis Library. Look up what you don't understand.

But really, you just need to play more.

[wait what]

Originally Posted by icepick

Don't bother at this point. Goproblems.com is just as good at your level. If you don't understand a problem, I'd suggest Senseis Library. Look up what you don't understand.

But really, you just need to play more.

alright thatll go on the shelf then

been reading sensei's library about life and death and eyes mostly, along with goproblems. somehow been getting better at that even tho i still dont know what im doing too much. also downloaded IGS but mostly observing right now

[funkyj]

Originally Posted by wait what

alright thatll go on the shelf then

been reading sensei's library about life and death and eyes mostly, along with goproblems. somehow been getting better at that even tho i still dont know what im doing too much. also downloaded IGS but mostly observing right now

I prefer KGS but IGS is good. KGS seems a far better environment for game reviews and lessons.

For tsumego the Korean Go Academy problems are da bomb! Just do level 1 over and over until these problems bore you to tear, then move up.

[wait what]

Originally Posted by funkyj

I prefer KGS but IGS is good. KGS seems a far better environment for game reviews and lessons.

For tsumego the Korean Go Academy problems are da bomb! Just do level 1 over and over until these problems bore you to tear, then move up.

ty but you cant get past the first 10 w/o an account and it says you have to donate at least 20 euros to get one.

also signed up for KGS as well. why not have both

[KillerDucky]

So did a kgs 2+2 room ever get made permanent? I didn't see it but the category system there is annoying to search through.

I'm yoyoma on kgs.

[SinK]

I would love to learn to play this properly. If there were a 2+2 tournament I set up I'm in. Especially if there is a handicap system in use.

[Neil S]

How much have you played before? To be able to play in a handicap tournament you still need to be comfortable on a 19x19 board.

[SinK]

Not much... I am not entirely sure of the scoring system yet but I'm a fast learner. So by the time something like this is set up I expect I will be able to play, even if I'm not particularly competitive in the tournament. Now that I've said I will play I've kinda given myself a good reason to get into the game and at least get comfortable with the rules so it is as much about motivating myself to learn this as anything else.

[Neil S]

I see. Well I hope the resources listed in this thread are a help! Have fun!

[SinK]

I'm sure I will.

[pyjama_warrior]

Got my hands on Graded Go Problems for Beginners by Kano Yoshinori.

I'm getting most of the solutions but some are really tough.

Finding it much more of a challenge to learn the basics than checkers/chess/reversi. Enjoying it though and that's what matters

[kokiri]

Originally Posted by pyjama_warrior

Got my hands on Graded Go Problems for Beginners by Kano Yoshinori.

I'm getting most of the solutions but some are really tough.

Finding it much more of a challenge to learn the basics than checkers/chess/reversi. Enjoying it though and that's what matters

The first steps are tough, i think. But once you get beyond them it's a very deep and interesting game. There's a lot of room for creativity.