Janice Kim's Guidelines For Better Play

Part of: Kirk/WhatILearnedAtJaniceKimsWorkshop

Play moves you understand

Janice: "Sensei, is this move good or bad?"

Sensei: "Did you think about it?"

Janice: "Yes."

Sensei: "Then it is a good move."

The point is, a move cannot be good or bad in isolation. The value of the move does not exist apart from us as players. We are intentional beings. It is better to have a reasonable plan you understand than to play moves that are presumably "good" (because you remember seeing them as good examples, in books or pro games, for example). If you don't understand the reasons why the move is good, you will not realize its value. It may even go the other way...

Break out of your comfort zone

If you keep playing the way you have been playing, you are not likely to improve. We have to try new things or we can't break out of our current level of play. But we will get worse in the short run.

Memorizing

Studies have shown (so I'm told), that the most effective schedule to memorize something is to study it, then review it the next day, then review it after 10, 30, and 60 days. At that point it should be well stuck in your mind.

Janice studies joseki reversing the color, and even playing the sequence with a single color!

Also, try this on the site http://dailyjoseki.com