XCMeijin's Laws

I'm naming it like so according to Asimov's Laws on the behaviour of robots. If you want to know what they are, just go to google and search.

Here are the principles that i've cultivated so far:

Joban/Opening moves

1/ Play on the corners, then the sides, then the centre.

2/ Look out for big points on the goban. The sides are your best bet after taking the corners.

3/ Choose joseki appropriate to the whole board position

Chuban/ Middle-game

1/ Keep the aim of the game in your mind ie. MAKING territory is your first priority, not killing stones and destroying moyo.

2/ Watch your connections.

3/ Watch your liberties.

4/ Look out for vital/key/big points.

5/ Scan the board for tesujis to play/prevent

6/ Play sequences that take into account the whole board position.

Shuban/ Endgame moves

1/ Watch your liberties and connections

2/ Look primarily for sente yose moves. If none are available, look for large gote yose.

In general

1/ Relax. In reality there are four different pieces on the goban, black, white and the two players. Though the stones are individually equal in rank, the players are the generals that direct the stones. If the general is not relax and in good form, the game suffers.

2/ Use time wisely. I have seen too many people rush and make mistakes in the Shuban when they've still got half an hour left, plenty of time (in my opinion) to think things through enough.

3/ Keep your mind open. Never think for a moment that anything on the goban is definite. Constantly be on the lookout for anything that can trigger an RLE (resignation-level event). Stones aren't dead until they're removed; they aren't alive until two eyes are 250% guarenteed. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS NO SUCH THING!

As with Asimov's Laws, im sure that people will find some errors they might like to point out. Feel free to do so.

XCMeijin