Level indicators
Progress means making fewer mistakes. Some typical mistakes disappear at a certain level. A player of lower rank might get it right, of course, but a player of higher rank never gets it wrong [1].
For example, I noticed that IGS 6k* (3k* at present) quite often make the following error.
At some point of the game White decides to save . But
is a mistake. White cannot play hanetsugi a now: Black has hane b that leaves White with a ridiculous shape.
At IGS 5k* (2k*) level this error did not occur anymore.
is the correct way to save
.
Charles Or at a: White at a means that Black at b is less of a forcing move. But it claims one point less.
Andre Engels I think the difference is considerably less than a point, since after white has played the hane and connection at c, d will be black's sente, taking away that point again. I personally always play a, never .
Charles Me too. I could find just one pro example of precisely this position. It seems that Yu Ch'ang-hyeok disagrees with us.
jwaytogo As I recall, my former go teacher, who is 6p, also reccommends "a".
An IGS 1k* indicator that I noticed:
The correct reply is sagari at a. The difference is very small, but giving the opponnent a chance for a point without strong reason is bad.
Knowing these moves does not make anyone a 1k* or 2k* player. Progress to this level includes many such small points but if anyone misses the correct answer here, he or she is weaker for certain.
[1] Bildstein: I'm 1k* on IGS, and a local 3 dan at my club, who is stronger than me, thinks is correct. I recently heard him explain it to a weaker player, explaining that it could conceivably lose a point, but it leaves the opponent with fewer ko threats than the sagari. This is a counter-example to the "a player of higher rank never gets it wrong" statement. It looks like strength is still an elusive beast.
Please, bring and post here some other level indicators.
The idea of a level indicator for me applies in games against an unranked player on the net. How strong would this guy/girl be ?
In the opening you don't see much of an indicator. 2d or 9k, we all imitate pro play in the opening. But suddenly you see something like this:
Aha ! The cursed angle play. Now I definitely know my opponent is of the kind that remembers certain shapes, regardless of the opponent's stones. He can't be stronger than 6k. I'll win this one ...
--Dieter
Reading the angle play link, I'm not sure WHY this play is a bad one. Can you please explain why in this situation, angle play was 'cursed' ?
--Anonymous Beginner
The reason they call it a "cursed" angle play is because here it makes the same shape as if you had ignored a shoulder hit.
--Mef
This might deserve a mention at common mistakes in fuseki. --Charles
And it is dangerous, some players have what I call an "Internet style" : a lack of theoretical knowledge, but many games played and some fighting strength, mainly in fast games. How irritating to lose against someone who plays such angle plays!
There is no black stone around a. Then and
are bad moves, but some beginners feel the need to protect the corner this way. (See clumsy double contact.)
No idea exactly what kind of level indicator is this, but I don't think this is seen in the single digit kyus.
--unkx80
Klaus: I have seen an 6 kyu player playing the contact at quite often. (without a stone at a of course, ande he still plays like that even thou some players tried to explain the mistake to him...) So I guess it is not an idicator for a double digit kyu.
Paul Clarke: I regularly see both and
from players of around British 5kyu strength.
BobMcGuigan: I wonder how well a person's over-the-board strength can be characterized by presence or absence of characteristic moves. Phenomene has mentioned internet players who make theoretically bad moves but win a lot of games because they are good fighters and can handle fast games well. I used to play a lot with a Korean man whose office was down the hall from mine. He had a 3-gup ranking (which he had earned 50 years ago) but had never studied seriously or had formal lessons. He made a lot of bad moves but he was a ferocious fighter and won a lot of games despite the bad moves. I had to respect his brute force strength but I often wondered how much stronger he would be if he knew more about good style.
BlueWyvern: There's one I try not to do, but still do sometimes so I'm not sure what level it disappears at. I've noticed a lot players at my level tend to to play forcing moves that are better left unplayed, either for tactical reasons, or just to save a ko threat. Here is an example....
Black wants to play : just play it, don't make the
exchange. (See One-Two-Three.)
unkx80: Or consider to get ahead, usually better than a.
Alternatively, tenuki and leave the possibility of , which aims at the placement at a.
Charles See also related analysis at aji keshi.
kokiri This last example is something that I have been presented with a few times and really only come completely to terms with recently as a British 4kyu or so. Another lesson that I think marks a similar sort of standard is:
Here Black fixes White's shape and is Gote, whereas
In the 2nd diagram, Black's 5 leaves white to decide, play at a and give up Sente, or leave the potential ladder at b.