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Quick Questions
  Difficulty: Introductory   Keywords: Question

Q: Jion?: Hi, this is my first time posting here, so apologies if I inadvertently mess something up. I was wondering if a slotted board is a board that is composed of two pieces, and fits together with slots, or is it a folding board that has slots on the side so it is more secure? Any recommendations on whether to get a slotted or folding board? Also, any major difference in Agathis or Katsura wood? I think I might get a folding board, but wanted to know what other people think first. TIA.


Alex Weldon: If you're in a defensive position, go for the White stones. The Black position allows potential for a White tesuji (c.f. strike at the waist of the keima) to cut, if there are White stones nearby to help.

Q: Neil: What shape is better connected of these two, white or black?

[Diagram]
Connection Question



A:Bob McGuigan: In isolation it is hard to say. Without supporting stones of the opposite color nearby both are strong shapes. However, a Black play at the point marked with a square creates a cutting point marked with a circle as in the following diagram:

[Diagram]



On the other hand if White tries to disconnect the black stones on the left as in:

[Diagram]



White can try to save W3 but then W1 will be captured unless there are nearby white stones to help.

Neil: Thank you.


Q: ColJac: I see the word "Igo" used to describe go in a Japanese context. One would assume that this was the Japanese word for go, but more often one reads that "Go" is a Japanese word. And what am I to make of "GoGoIgo!"? Can someone explain the difference?

A: John F. This may rank as the commonest question in go, and for the life of me I can't see (a) why it gives so much trouble and (b) why people care. Maybe someone could explain? As to the answer, one way of looking at it is like rugby and rugby football - an abbreviation has taken over for most purposes, but the full form is used often too. Rather like football, which can refer at least to soccer and US National League, go, or at least its ON form ki, can refer to a range of games. Context tells us which one is being referred to.

A: ChadMiller I don't know the significance of the "I" "grid" kanji in front of "Go", but the "Go-go Igo" is almost certainly a play on words from French. "a go-go". There's a famous night-club in LA called "Whiskey a Go-go". Remember "Go-go girls" from the '70s? No? Me either.

Jared Beck Chad, "Go Go Igo" is totally not a play on a French saying. The word "Go" in this case is the English verb, denoting movement. Why is it repeated? The Japanese repeat words to add emphasis.

Andrew Grant: The "I" kanji means "surround". It is used for greater precision when the context doesn't make it clear which game is being referred to (or sometimes, just for the sake of it). According to Nakayama in the "Treasure Chest Enigma", it is often used to distinguish go from go-moku (five-in-a-row).


Q: What's the Korean equivalent of kenkyuusei and haya go?

Q: How long do preliminary matches last in the Japanese Go scene? I mean title matches are given 8 hours or 7 or depending on the title. How about the qualifying games for these matches? And how about the Ooteai, how long were the games back then?

A: Kisei, Meijin, and Honinbo preliminary matches give 5 hours per player with five 1-minute byo-yomi.

Judan, Tengen, Oza, and Gosei preliminary matches give 4 hours per player with five 1-minute byo-yomi.

Kisei, Meijin, and Honinbo titles matches give 8 hours per player with ten 1-minute byo-yomi. (2 day affairs)

Judan title matches give 5 hours per player with ten 1-minute byo-yomi.

Oza title matches give 5 hours per player with five 1-minute byo-yomi.

Tengen and Gosei title matches give 4 hours per player with five 1-minute byo-yomi.


Q: Results of Go games are sometimes marked "B+R". Does that mean "Black won by resignation" or "Black resigned"? thanks in advance!

A: It means Black won by resignation


Q: alter Pedro: do you play with or against your opponent?

A: I'm still only playing against them, but I start to see playing with them is much more rewarding.


Q: Nico: I haven't be able to find a page explaining why the goban coordinates jump from H to J, missing I. Shame on me! I suspect some kind of historical reason. And I am pretty sure that this is explained somewhere on a wiki page...

A: Tamsin It's to avoid confusion between "i" and "j" in game records using algebraic notation (i.e., co-ordinates written in letters and numbers).

- I thought it was because "I" could be confused with "l" or "1".

Bill: Historically, Latin did not have both letters. I think some modern languages do not, either, but I'm not absolutely sure.

HolIgor: They had some difficulties with spelling LATIN, hadn't they?

Bill: LATJN? ;-)


Q: alter Pedro: how many 3-4 points are there on a go-ban? (8, 4, 1?)

[Diagram]
two 3-4 points?

If a is the (upper left) 3-4 point, I guess that makes b the 4-3 point. Does the order in which they are played change their names?

on a 19x19 board should the point a be called the 16-3 point?


A: Confused: When used in the context of corner patterns like joseki, the expression '3-4 point' should be interpreted as 'point 3 lines from one border and 4 lines from another border'. There are 8 such points on a goban. Usually the first play in the sequence that isn't on a diagonal decides the direction of numbering.


Q: alter Pedro: I've never played face to face go ... and I wonder ...

Do players keep records of their moves (like in chess)? all the pictures of boards I've seen don't have the coordinates on them which (in my humble opinion) makes it hard to know where the last stone was played (was that k15 or j15???)

A: StormCrow: It depends on the person. Most people I know rarely record casual games. I generally record games I play in a tournament using a program on my Palm Pilot. If games are recorded on paper, they are generally marked up on a grid, rather than as a list of points played.

alter Pedro: Thanks Storm :)

unkx80: Generally, the records kept look exactly the same as the diagrams you see in SL. =)

repp: I played someone recently who took down the game using a unique system. Counting from the center, each move was marked as xy, followed by an arrow representing the quadrant the move was made in. So, playing on the 4-4 point was marked as "66_|". Stones played next to the previous stone was marked "1^" or something similar. I'd never seen it before but it made for a fast and easy way to track the game.

Charles I believe this system was mentioned in a BGJ article, not long ago.


Q: A stronger player in a 9x9 teaching game recently told me that I shouldn't "hit below the shoulder" but should "hit above the shoulder". I am familiar with the concept of a shoulder hit but why is above better than below?

A: Stefan: turned this into BQM75.


Q: Can somebody give me a good definition of the term "life basis"? One person told me that it is room to make an eye, another told me it is potential to make two eyes. It seems to be an important term to consider in settling groups. Perhaps someone could start a discussion page about it?

A: Charles Matthews See base. A base for a group ought to be at least one eye, really; potential to make two eyes is 1.5 eyes, as we usually reckon it, and that's harder to have in fighting.


Q: Is there a word (other than invasion) to describe dropping a stone lightly inside an over-expansive moyo when it has a chance of either achieving sabaki or escaping? I've heard it described in English as a "Paratrooper invasion".


Q: Is there a word for a dragon that pokes its head through one of your walls, and runs amok reducing your territory?

A: Yes, it is called a finger. (See anatomical terms.)


Q: In Chinese there is a term that translates as 'virtuous warrior's advance' Virtuous (de) means powerful in this context. Though this term describes the dynamic action, rather than the static formation.

Jadelink.


Morten: Can people who copy & paste existing questions from other pages to this page please take care that the questions are 'quick questions' and are not obsolete or old, or taken out of their context?

Hikaru79: OK ;)


Q: Hikaru79: In Hikaru no Go, Touya Akira checks up on the status of the Pro Exam through the net, where the names of all the insei and their current standings in the exam were shown. I was just wondering if a site like this actually existed on the Nihon-Kiin's page, or if it was just the author taking some artistic liscence when it came to that. And even if there isn't, does anyone know when the pro exam starts? Thanks! =) (My own question taken from the "Insei" page.

A: [ext] http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/saiyo/index2003.htm has the info, but in Japanese only.


Q: Hikaru79: Is it possible to have RandomPage? (the feature listed on the front page of SL) as one of your "favorites" on your user bar. (The one that can be edited at UserPreferences). I have already tried random=1 but that doesn't work. Any suggestions? ^^

A: Hikaru79: Never mind, I've solved my own problem. It can't be done the normal way, but if you make it an external link ([ext] http://senseis.xmp.net/?random=1) then it'll work. I'd still be interested if there are other ways of doing this, though.

A2: TJ: RandomPage|phpwiki:?random=1


Q: Help! I've wiped out my browser cookies in a fit of housecleaning, and I've forgotten my SL password. Can it be mailed to me?


I've wondered...

I'm reminded how in poker, there are big tournaments, but also big-money side games as well. Do pro players play _only_ in tournaments, or are there leagues for them to play in? Or do pros just challenge each other? How would a system for this take place?

Thanks!

Answer: In Japan, at least, pros are paid to play "official" games. The money comes from sponsors of tournaments. Pros don't risk their own money. Challenge matches would be possible if sponsors could be found. In a sense Go Seigen's ten-game matches were of this sort.


Q:Dan Argent: I need a place to download the java stuff to run KGS on my second computer (it was already on my first). The CGoban site gives a link to the sun systems site, but for the life of me, I can't find the spot to just download the apropriot JRE. can anyone help with a link to a free download and/or a walk through of how to get it installed?

A: Yes, the page ([ext] http://java.sun.com) is confusing for non-programmers. Try [ext] http://www.java.com and tell us if this worked; you should be able to use the Download link at the top right.

A2: [ext] J2SE 1.4.2_02 downloads:. Take the offline installation JRE if you want to reuse it later. Walkthrough: start the installer. Press Next/OK. Done.

Q2:Dan Argent: Ok thanks, I got the download. that was easier than I thought. But now CGoban 2 still says that it canot find the java runtime environment. what now?

Dan Argent:I downloaded the wrong stuff. I solved it now thanks for those who helped, I am now using KGS on both of my computers.



This is a copy of the living page "Quick Questions" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.