DieterVerhofstadt/PlayingUpToYourLevelOfUnderstanding

One of the hardest questions in Go is "what's the optimal training program". The game is so rich in aspects and heuristics that it's not easy to translate them into clear building blocks for training purposes. In Chess, you can start with the endgame: how to checkmate a king with pieces x,y,z? In Go there is no equivalent: you can't enforce a victory on the next move.

However, you can enforce a loss: by resigning for example, or by running out of time, or - with some delay - by losing track of your liberties towards the end of the game. With that in mind, these are three countermeasures, which can even be trained on every move, leading to your playing a game at your level of understanding.

1. Be aware of your emotions. If you are disappointed by a bad move, or the game is not going your way, realize how you are feeling and then check what's actually going on on the board. This will avoid resigning out of sudden disappointment or disgust.
2. Be aware of the time. Use your time wisely and use the opponent's thinking time. User overtimes in difficult situations. Keep at least one overtime in reserve for the last stage of the game.
3. Keep your concentration until the end of the game. Play under proper conditions.
   • Not drinking is important.
   • Not playing while half asleep is too.
   • Not playing while doing something else is too.
   • Check your network connection and make sure you're playing during a stable period.