In a Korean Baduk School/ Discussion

RobertJasiek: What exactly is meant here by "mindset of a professional", "creativity", "attacking"? What and how do you learn from a played tournament game there? What and how do you learn at the school that you could not learn at home? Do the professionals speak mainly about technique (variations, haengma, etc.) or can they also give more general advice in terms of principles? - About day 7: Who could agree more that there are no formal fuseki any longer and that fighting starts immediately? (I like to start at the 9-7.).

Benjamin: 9-7 is a fuseki-move ^^ fighting just starts when ... well, some weak groups cut each other and so on, you know.

Hu: Many thanks for your diary of the school. I found it informative, enjoyable, and inspirational. Best wishes.

Nathan: I think this page is great and I look forward to every update. I often stress to those who want to reach Shodan that fighting strength is key to improving so it's nice to see that Mr. Kwon agrees.

Dieter: My God, why are we still messing about in our clubs...

bitti?: Yeah, keep this wonderful diary going! But please try to not waste too much time on the net.

Some questions:

  • As I understand it there are two league systems, the "School League" and the "Yeonguseng League", right?
  • Who are the members of the school league? Just guests like you or yeonguseng aspirants mainly?
  • Do you have an idea of the strength difference between the first and last school league?
  • Are the age declarations in asian style (+1 year) or western style?

Hwan Kuk Kang: Dear David,

We intend to keep the diary going. The Yeonguseng League consists of the most talented young players in Korea. Not everyone can participate in it. I have already described how strong they are. At least I could not find much of a difference between a 3rd league and a 8th league player. I have seen 8th league players beating professionals as well.

The yeonguseng league is played in the building of the Hankuk Kiwon, and pupils from many Go schools are participating in it.

In the school Tournament there are about 25 Yeonguseng, the other 50 players are mostly small children (age 10-14 mainly)who are determined to get better in Go. There are also 5 guests participating - A professional from Japan, a professional from China, her friend, and we both.

Strength difference: The first three leagues consist of Yeonguseng. They are quite strong.

Benjamin plays in the 6th league. He takes 2-3 stones from the strong guys. I play in the 8th league, taking 2 stones from Benjamin. In the 9th (last) league there are also weaker player participating, but they are very young, therefore have a great potential.

Age: I have already eliminated the age difference - if I said somebody was 12, he is born in 1993.

Calvin: This is the best Go blog ever. I read it every day. Astonishing. Thanks!

Velobici: Would it be possible to show us some (or all) of the 20 life and death problems presented on [ext] 24 August 2005

Hwan Kuk Kang: No, this wouldn't be possible because the problems are treated like secrets. The Kwon school doesn't allow other schools have their self invented problems. The exam papers were destroyed immediately after the test.


Truc: Very interesting. Keep up the good work.

bitti?: At least this Photo ([ext] http://img.tygem.com/tnews/0508/050826-samsung2.jpg) makes your unbelievable storys a little bit more probable ;)

Hwan Kuk Kang: Well, we got special permission from Mr. Kwon to show our fans 1 or 2 of the special problems - this will be done on monday.


[Diagram]

My solution...

Black to play...

revo: Thanks a lot for your reports, it's very interesting. I tried a little with your tsumego and I think this B1 solves it.

[Diagram]

Continuation

If white does not capture with W4, black may have to capture the left part of white. Black must not capture at W4 himself, because white can recapture with the marked stone.

[Diagram]

Continuation - white is dead (a and b miai)

If black plays B5 at b, W5 makes life.

[Diagram]

Variation 1

Hwan Kuk Kang: Not bad!

maruseru: I got the same solution as revo. Being 9k (EGF), I thought this was rather easy. So the other tsumego (which you got as tests) were much harder?

[Diagram]

Variation 2: Why is B1 wrong?

Benjamin: Yes, I think they were much harder - maybe we can show you one from our test next time... By the way, did you understand why this move (B1 in variation 2) is wrong?

maruseru: Because of the continuation shown in these three diagrams, which only leads to ko?

Hmmm... at second thought, maybe this isn't a ko. White takes, and Black connects to the right of 9, leaving White with a false eye. Must think some more.

revo: I think you're right, it is ko. If black connects to the right of 9, white captures black 5 and lives.

[Diagram]

Variation 2, continuation 1

[Diagram]

Variation 2, continuation 2

[Diagram]

Variation 2, continuation 3



bitti?: So when you come back and not at least one stone stronger resp. I will be quite disappointed ;).

Hwan Kuk Kang: You won't be disappointed. :) You know we had about 300 hours studying Go. It's about 1200 hours compared to Europe. Usually we don't spend 1200 hours in 1-2 YEAR for studying Go. Therefore there is no reason that we shouldn't be 1 stone stronger.

maruseru: Thank you for this journal - it was a fascinating insight into the korean Baduk education system. I'm a little bit worried by Mr Kwon's statement that one month isn't enough to teach the basics, considering Benjamin is 6d (or now 7d?) - so does that mean that a european 6d still hasn't got the basics right? Then what about us lowly kyu players? :)

Bob McGuigan: I think it is a matter of refinement and subtlety. Some kyu players confuse heaviness with thickness. Nine dan pros sometimes misjudge the value of an opponent's thickness. That is they both have work to do on the basic concept of thickness, just at different levels of sophistication. :)

nachtrabe: Grandmaster Hampton, 8d in Taekwon Do and 7d in Hapkido (among his other martial art experience) has told me repeatedly that there are still things he is working on in form 1 (the very first and most basic form you learn) for Taekwon Do. Misty May, one the two young women who won gold in beach volleyball, shocked the media when she said that there were still things in her passing that she did not like and is working to improve.


dnerra: Thanks to both of you for your daily reporting, it was fun to follow!


This is a copy of the living page "In a Korean Baduk School/ Discussion" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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