wChen Blog
This is the irregularly updated blog of wChen.
11/23/2004:
- It's funny how things can turn around. Two months ago, my game was totally out of control, I could play completely solidly, and I would still feel like a loose cannon. Then at the fall tournament and since, I've felt in really good control of all the games I play (even against 4D at the club), although I still make an occassional blunder. Funny thing is, I've become super aggressive, attacking like crazy all the time, yet I feel more in control. I figure something just clicked into place. Possibly the fact that I often manage to not play things that just don't work. My endgame could probably use some help though....
- I've been following the suggestions on Benjamin Teuber's page and doing life and death without looking at the answers. It's quite refreshing, actually. I think I'll become stronger because of it. Of course, I'm still doing Maeda volume 2, which is for 3-5k. Those problems are amazingly hard if you try to look at all the possible variations. Well, they are for me anyways.
- Well, I hope that this good period of go lasts, but I know that soon I'll be struggling again. Still, it's nice to feel on top of the go world every now and then.
7/6/2004:
- Ok, I no longer feel so crazy. I took a little break from playing so seriously, just messing around and having fun. On the other hand, I still feel like I suck. Lately, I've been playing against people in the 4d and stronger range, and I get slaughtered every time. I feel that I have these major weaknesses (besides just not knowing what's going on): 1. Lack of composure, doing something silly at a critical juncture because I don't think I have enough, which is related to 2. Terrible o-yose, now that I've been playing with stronger players, I realize that I have no idea how to make territory. So I always feel like I'm behind. It's awfully difficult to attack stronger players.
- How do I rectify my perceived weaknesses? I guess I have to play more, review, and maybe look at some pro games. Exactly what I'd do anyways, I guess. My other weakness, which seems to be fighting (as compared to these stronger players) should also probably be rectified by playing against strong players and just seeing more situations and shapes. Unfortunately, I really dislike doing problems, otherwise I'd probably improve faster. And I do feel like I'm about ready to actively start improving again.
- I've also been taking an increasing interest in Korean and Chinese Go. I started out reading translated Japanese Go books, but there's always such exciting developments on Chinese and Korean games. I've always been a fan of playing the "You can't play that!" move, whether or not I actually can play that move.
- Funny thing is, now I don't know how strong I really am (perhaps playing all these strong people all of a sudden will induce a jump, because I will begin thinking about the game differently), but I sort of don't care. I'm just happy to be enjoying a hobby that I know I can never completely exhaust. Hmmm, speaking of thinking differently, perhaps I need to think more about making trades instead of stubbornly pursuing a losing line of play.
- Finally, a shoutout to BadukTV and the guy who brought it to SL. I was able to watch the finals of the Fujitsu Cup, and the experience of watching these players place the stones was quite exciting. Now watching the Honinbo on IGS is going to seem so pale in comparison. What do they think about for two days anyways?
4/9/2004:
- I think I'm regressing! Lately, I've been watching mostly pro games by Cho U, O Rissei, and the crazy Korean fighters. The upshot is that may games have started to reflect their styles, especially Cho U I think: grab territory and then be clever. Or play crazy moves like O Rissei. I feel so contrary when I play. I was feeling pretty good a couple weeks ago when I was watching Yamashita Keigo in the Kisei, I really enjoy his influence-oriented strategy, I think that's how I play best. I guess it'll be awhile before I really understand enough to develop my own style, and meanwhile I'm really impressionable. I'm also hoping that this is one of those times where I get worse before I get better. I have a lot of new stuff to input, from the problems binge and from the crazy games and "new" moves I've been seeing. The players nowadays make me believe that anything is possible on the board!
4/1/2004:
- I'm on a problems binge. For some reason, I avoided doing problems for a long time. I've made my way through the Korean Go Academy problems, but that was sort of half-hearted. I still have a little trouble with Maeda vol. 1, which is for 5-10k, even though I am 2D. I've done a little on Goproblems.com. I guess I read through Tesuji (Davies) and one of the beginner's problem books a long time ago. But I was never really interested. Actually, for the most part, I'm still not interested. But the other day I borrowed a couple books which have changed my outlook in a number of ways. I've read Yilun Yang's Rescuing and Connecting book (which turned out to be disappointingly easy :)) and The Art of Go: Connecting Stones, which I find fascinating at this point in time. I feel like I'm being shown the next level of "basic" shapes. Somehow, I had to learn all of the really really basic shapes before I could get interested in these higher-level problems. The part I like most is that these tesuji are more applicable to a game. To me, life-and-death books have never been very interesting because they are usually isolated problems where, if it's easy, the shape is recognizable, or else there is much hard reading ahead. Also, I think I've finally found that the point of doing problems is not to improve reading, but to improve intuition.
- I also recently read First Kyu. Besides making me a little sad, it also motivated me to play through more games. This also seems like a good idea since games with stronger players (3 stones or more) are harder to come by at the club. So I've rededicated myself to getting good shape back in my fingers by going through all of Shusaku's games in Invincible. Next, I'll probably choose between Wu and Takagawa and buy a "complete games" type set, and find some modern players to emulate. Although I've seen elsewhere that simplicity is better, I'm not too concerned about understanding the games I'm playing through. If I'm going to reach my goals, I'm going to have to try to understand both simple and complex styles of play.
- Best of all, I still feel like I'm getting stronger. The difference in strength between now and a month ago (when I played that game with the 5d) is palpable. I think I'm beginning to see shapes in a new light. But there are still many places I'm sort of fuzzy about (i.e. crosscuts!).
3/5/2004:
- I'm really addicted to the rush of playing go. How do I get that rush? It depends, depending on whatever I'm interested in. In tournaments, I just want to win. But at the club,most of my games are serious but not so single-minded. I think that this is because I am still very inexperienced, so I will often play out lines I think are fun just to see what happens. Maybe this is supreme self-confidence on my part; I feel like when I've seen it all, I'll settle down and just win. Anyways, right now, as long as I feel like I'm learning and as long as I get the rush (whether it be a dominating fuseki or fun tesuji or scrapping endgame), I'm happy with my go. I've seen the comment elsewhere that people my level are lucky to still be able to improve;i'm beginning to see the truth in that.
- I was able to play a 5d a couple of days ago, and that really brought me out of a funk in which I was unsatisfied with every move I made. Reading "Great Joseki Debates" may have helped also.... Playing this guy, I realized how many things I haven't seen, and will be unable to see unless I play against stronger players. They take things for granted that I can't find in any English go books. That game triggered some sort of aesthetic mania on my part; I am currently happy to play a move that looks beautiful, regardless of my reading. Enough rambling for now....
2/6/2004:
- I watched the kisei game and judan challenger game all night last night. They were so intense, I think that I got totally burned out. Today, when playing, i couldn't even be bothered to read ahead, leading to some pretty abysmal play. On the bright side, during said crappy games, I met somebody who'd been looking for a go club in boston for twenty years, from what i understand.
Time for a break.