Schattenstern
Schattenstern? Who’s Schattenstern? Well, just a girl that had started to play Go after watching to many episodes of Hikaru no Go. In fact my first comment after the first episode was "I want to plaaayyy!"
However, I'm from Germany, I’m 20 years old and I’m not very good at Go - I don’t even know my rating. Well, I used to play at the KGS as "Moonlil" (Schattenstern was a few letters too long -.-), but I didn't play many rated games (It said I was around 24 kyu) Oh, and my real name is Sabrina, but I don't really like it.
I started to watch Hikaru no Go at the end of 2002 and played a bit of Go against my computer and at KGS, but about half a year later, I stopped playing because of a lack of both time and interest. However, now (May 2005) that my final exams at school are finaly over, I hope to be able to play some more.
What else do I have to say? Oh, yes, for those who don’t understand German, and that will be most of you: "Schattenstern" is German and means "Star of Shadow" - it’s my internet-name for several years now and I simply love it ^^
{Written sometime in 2003}
So... just some more problems on my way. I've read a book with a lot of Go-problems now (and solved most of them) and feel a bit more confident, but still I don't really know what to to next. Of course I'm playing some games - online, with a friend and against my computer - but I'm a bit, let's say, confused. If anyone has an idea what I could do next I'd be happy to hear it ^_^
AndreasTeckentrup: Just play lots of games against other beginners AND against stronger players, and maybe let stronger players comment them. Maybe read some commented games from the go teaching ladder. Start reading other go books when youre about 15 kyu, i especially recommend teachings in the fundamentals of go by kageyama.
If solving Go problems makes you more confident, then go to www.goproblems.com to get a lot more of them. However, there are other good ways to learn other than playing. Reading up on SL, (of course ;)), studying from www.gobase.org, and reading strategy guides from http://home.san.rr.com/rafgo/go.html . ^_^ Hope that helps, good luck!
Schattenstern: Both of you, thank you very much! I'm allready playing both, stronger and weaker players (yes, they are some ^^), as well as players around my own rank. Doing this (and solving more problems) can't be wrong ^.~