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Stubborn Play
Path: BadHabits   · Prev: SpeculativeInvasion   · Next: SocksAside
   

There is a certain class of go players who are stubborn and persistent beyond belief in continuing a futile line of play. You've all seen them, they are the ones who try and pull off completely ludicrous suicide invasions into solid territory, hoping by some outside chance that you might screw up. This is annoying on two fronts. One it wastes your time and takes enjoyment out of the game. This is not the same as wasting time in a lost game, because often, the game still isn't lost for either opponent. Secondly, it is insulting because your opponent is choosing a line of play that relies not on his skill, but on your lack of skill. Sometimes they actually succeed when you get frustrated and ticked off enough.

This style of play doesn't just piss off your opponent, it doesn't help you improve at all.


The worst part about this style of play is that when you do fall asleep and your opponent does capture some huge group, they think it's their skill that won the game and they don't get any better. In their defense however, most of the time this bad habit arises from a failure to correctly read the situation.

--Snappy


Could it be that we have a new proverb? "Know (and avoid) the time-wasting tesuji"? :-) If this happens in the club, I don't mind asking somebody to already start another game on another board. And be it in tournament or club games, children, we should thank the opponent for training us in that most precious of go skills: patience! Especially if he rips us off, because then the lesson will be really effective.

--Stefan



Path: BadHabits   · Prev: SpeculativeInvasion   · Next: SocksAside
This is a copy of the living page "Stubborn Play" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.