Practice

Practice is the only way to get better at anything. This is true for basketball, algebra, needlecraft, scuba diving, playing the violin, and boxing. Playing go is no different. A frustrated beginner may be tempted, to look for a short-cut or silver bullet that would make you a better player without taking the long way around. But they don't exist.

As Sakata Eio says, "Naturally, this (looking for a short-cut) is only a joke, and it cannot be expected that one will get strong without actually playing."

Fortunately, the same virtuous cycle that helps beginners become passionate about any new activity also operates in Go. The more you practice, the better you play. The more more you play, the more fun you have. The more fun you have, the more amazed you are by high-level play. The more amazed you are by high-level play, the more you want to practice.

Relevant proverbs:

• "Lose your first hundred games quickly"
• "A thousand games to shodan"