velobici
Table of contents |
Introduction
Velobici plays on KGS (mostly) and IGS (sometimes), when work and children allow him the time. Although, he learned the rules many years ago (back in the days of Unix V5, not SystemV), he has not progressed as well as one might expect. His greatest Go worry these days is staying ahead of his son, whom he taught to play about six months ago (late fall 2001). Unfortunately, he made the error of contacting Mr Yang Yi-lun 7 dan regarding lessons for his son. The probability of continuing to play even games between Velobici and his son does not look good. (2002-08-27)
The situation is getting grimmer for Velobici. His son is improving at the rate of one rank a month, going from 13k to 8k in five months. How long will this continue? I have promised him his own goban and stones when he reaches 1k-1D. (2002-10-03)
Uh Oh, he is now at the midway point between 1k and 1D on KGS. Better order the board, stones and bowls now. (2003-06-01)
He is solidly a 1D on KGS now. Placed his reward, the bowls and stones, on top of his Goban in the living room. Now you might think that at least one of the four kids would notice this change immediately. Took them almost an hour to notice. (2003-08-31).
US Go Congress and Open results look to put the boy at 3D (2004-08-05)
Being the stubborn cuss that he is Velobici has taught his third daughter to play as well. She occasionally joins Velobici and his son at go club on Sunday nights. We will have to see where. this leads. To make matters worse, the youngest child, aged 19 months, is learning to play. We are currently concentrating on the concept of alternating colors. Black. White. Black. White. Doesn't so much matter who plays which color, so long as only one stone is played at a time and the colors alternate. (2005-05-15)
Reading is Everything
It is the basis for all play. The best strategic play, not backed up by good reading will be ripped apart once the other person figures out that one cant read well. So, I am currently working though 1001 Life and Death Problems and will move that to other life and death books, occasionally looking at other material. For too long I have been to weak at reading. That will change, NOW. Interestingly, there is a rare out of print life and death book for professionals by Segoe Kensaku that Kobayashi Koichi has worked through 20 times (as of Go World 37, Autumn 1984). Even still he finds some of the problems difficult after having solved them 19 times previously. Incentive to study life and death daily, read deeper, gain strength.
In the same issue of Go World, it mentions that Kobayashi Koichi worked through all of Shusaku's games 10 times as of the same date. That's 400+ games every 18 months, close to one a day. Surely, after that much study, the methods and patterns of Shusaku's play must become familiar enough that one could try to imagine how Shusaku would play in a given position. (Shades of Hikaru no Go and Fujiwara no Sai ?) I have heard that T Mark Hall, of GoGoD gained two stones in strength by entering all of Go Seigen's games into SGF files. (2003-06-01)
Bill: Sakata pointed out the reading involves not only the calculation of variations, but judgement of the resulting positions. In general he considered judgement to be the more important aspect.
Direction of Play is Everything
One outclassed in reading, has to give way, play conservatively, and hope that one's better direction of play will provide a margin of victory. One outclassing in direction of play will win every skirmish but find no room to maneuver, having been outpositioned throughout the board. One has to be strong in both. The Japanese used to characterize Chinese play as very deep but narrow...deep reading but not as good a sense of direction of play. Thoughts?
Charles: I do at least understand the Japanese attitude. It says 'balance is strength'. A strong amateur told me that if you play in a balanced way, you are ready for promotion. For amateur 5 dan in Europe (i.e. top 100 Europeans, basically) you do need good reading - but, it seems, something more in the way of positional judgement/direction of play. Therefore the good coaches often point out things other than reading mistakes, as keys to improvement. No paradox, in fact.
dnerra: I think it is worth pointing out, however, that Korean go teaching focusses a LOT on life-and-death reading. On the surface, this is clear support for the Reading is Everything school. But on the other hand, life-and-death reading is the one most relevant for strategic decisions, it is essential to judge the weakness of groups. Whereas, say, studying complicated geta problems seems a purely tactical training to me.
Bill: I disagree with the idea that the player who is outclassed in reading but has a better sense of the direction of play has to play conservatively, at least conservatively overall. A typical pattern when the players are evenly matched is for the player with the better sense of the direction of play to take the lead early, and later to play conservatively to try to protect that lead.
Shusaku Number
My Shusaku number is 6 through several paths:
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Shusai - Iwamoto Kaoru - James Kerwin - Yilun Yang - Velobici.
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Kita Fumiko - Shiratori Sumiko - Michael Redmond - Yang Yilun - Velobici.
Shusaku - Shuho - Kita Fumiko - Shiratori Sumiko - Michael Redmond - Yang Yilun - Velobici.
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Shusai - Takagawa Kaku - Takemiya Masaki - Keith Arnold - Velobici.
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Shusai - Go Seigen - Takemiya Masaki - Keith Arnold - Velobici.
And 7 through others
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Shusai - Go Seigen - Ohira Shuzo - Jimmy Cha - Yilun Yang - Velobici.
Shusaku - Shuei - Karigane Jun'ichi - Go Seigen - Ohira Shuzo - Jimmy Cha - Yilun Yang - Velobici.
Shusaku - Iwasaki Kenzo - Shusai - Kitani Minoru - Ohira Shuzo - Jimmy Cha - Yilun Yang - Velobici.
Shusaku - Shuei - Karigane Jun'ichi - Kitani Minoru - Ohira Shuzo - Jimmy Cha - Yilun Yang - Velobici.
My tartrate number is 5: tartrate - Zerokun - JVD - yugidragon - Icepick - Velobici.
Quasi-Blog
(20070115) Very impressed at the quality of the problems in Graded Go Problems for Beginners. Volume 3 is full of 1 and 3 move problems that are surprisingly difficult...after all its only three moves, yet the sequences are not trivial or obvious, it seems. Halfway through volume 3.
(20070107) Stalled at the start of the second section of the second part of Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems. In the meantime, revisited Graded Go Problems for Beginners. Interestingly, some of the problems are noticeably harder than others. This may indicate areas that I need to work on. Did volume 1 in a single day. Volume 2 in two days.
(20061113) Completed the first 200 problems from Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems. Played yesterday in the UMBC Go Club 2006 Fall Tournament. Had to leave with my son after 3 rounds so that he could go to high school basketball practice. Entered at a 7 kyu via self-promotion. Results: 3-0. Shame I couldn't play that in the last round. ;( But one result is that the sigma of my rating widened to 0.966 from 0.289.
(20061029) Completed the second pass through Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems and began working on Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems. The plan is to do 100 problems a week or twenty each weekday. The second pass through Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems was noticeably easier than the first. Seemed as if I remembered a significant number of the problems, or more likely remembered the pattern upon which the problem is based.
(20061024) Sunday night at go club played black against a quickly rising KGS-3 and AGA 3 kyu. Game ended with black up by one point on the board. Strangely, I didn't feel severely attacked or too busy during the game, rather it seemed to flow. Received a serious compliment from my teacher on Monday night: You did so many good moves in this game! and You are improved. Heady stuff...now I have to keep it up and keep improving. Perhaps I have unlearned nearly all my bad habits and can now start learning the game properly. If so, then I have reached the end of the backtracking. Now, its time for the beginning!
(20060823) Evidently, improving at Go is just a matter of effortful study. See The Expert Mind by Philip E. Ross in
Scientific American. This supports the idea of doing numerous problems to build the pattern memory required to analyze positions and prune the game tree of unpromising continuations.
(20060821) Returned from the 22nd US Go Congress with at score of 4-2 in the US Open. Wonderfully time. Looking forward to next year's congress in Lancaster, Pennslyvania. Lessons learned (hopefully) from the two losses. 1. No one will resign. Obtained a very good lead in the second game of the Open and then pushed too hard when the opponent didnt resign. Ended up making two mistakes that cost me the game. 2. Beware of the very end of the game. In the second loss, my opponent played a few silly moves and then in a different area was able to catch me in a shortage of liberties due to my inattentiveness following the silly moves. In the last game, played against a player from my own club. Usually give him 4 stones...the final score difference was more than 40 points in our even game. Couple items done well: warmed up for each day's Open game by doing problems in Step Up to a Higher Level; counted the games several times and formed my games based upon the count; punished a number of weak groups, some died, some lived very small; over the board was able to play the one space high pincer to the low approach against a star point stone joseki without having seen it before. These results changed my AGA rating from -10.06845 to -9.89384 by dropped the sigma from 0.31799 to 0.28694.
(20060807) Last night at club, played an AGA 2 kyu even with Black. Made two silly mistakes...yet lost by one point on the board 50-49. Not bad.
(20060731) Last night at club, we had more dan level than kyu level players...that's unusual. Played Black against a 4 kyu again...won by resignation...a comfortable game. The score difference was great enough that the 4 kyu resorted to some unusual play in an attempt to recover the game.
(20060626) Last night at club, played Black against a person stated to be 4kyu. Held a better position after the opening, despite questionable moves we both played. Took territory, played solidly and then broke into his center. In the end, lost the game due two mistakes in the endgame. Still it remains an indication that I am playing better.
(20060530) 33rd Maryland Open hosted by the Baltimore Go Club. Once again the Empty Sky Go Club brought the most players to the tournament and so were awarded the Greg Lefler ( http://www.emptysky.org/images/photos/greg.jpg) Prize.
Played two even games on Sunday against opponents assigned by the AGA pairing program, won both. My AGA rating changed from -10.09 to -10.06845 with a sigma of 0.31799. Paul Matthews is the AGA's rating statistician. There is an article that explains the way the AGA rating system works. What can I say :) Best thing is that by move 100 I felt that I had a promising game and I was able to simply and bring the games to a conclusion without making a huge mistake. That is progress. (p.s. the article is 16 years old.)
(20060514) Finished Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems. I should return to this book and do all the problems again....very good practice for me. Started the first volume of Weiqi Gaoji Jieti Xunlian. These problems are less decisive than the other two sets of three volumes...more Black to play and gain advantage as opposed to Black to play and kill or Black to play and live.
(20060305) Have not been playing enough. Have not continued with working through all of Life and Death. Have been working on Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems. Nearly half way through. Transcribing the problems for GoGrinder has fallen behind...only the first 270 transcribed so far. But Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems is helping my play and my reading...more solid, better shape, more confident. I am killing or gaining from the threat to kill to a much greater extent than in the past. I recommend this book to everyone. Hopefully the day will soon come where I can do 100 problems in 10 minutes (6 seconds per problem). They are all common shapes or common themes. If you know the theme of the problem, you recognize it immediately and reading becomes confirmation and verification that this is not a special case where the intuitive (learned) response does not apply.
(20060125) Been concentrating on life and death and tesuji problems. As a result, I have become bloodthirsty, seeking to attack and play games that turn violent. This is not good. This is unbalanced. Need to balance this out with some other type of study.
(20060116) Life and Death contains information that is basic. Its an embarassment that I have not mastered all these positions to the point of solving them on sight. Janice Kim wrote Pros study 10 kyu problems all the time, the point is to get to the point where you can just see stones instantly in your mind's eye.... Well, who am I to disagree. The problems in this book should make good GoGrinder material. Left a note for TimK, the author of GoGrinder, for guidance in how to create the appropriate SGF files for the book's Status style problems. Finished all three volumes of Cho Hun-hyeon Weiqi Sucheng.
(20051207) My progress through Gokyo Shumyo stalled due to lack of effort. Doing those problems is taxing...just got lazy. Meanwhile I have continued working on Cho Hun-hyeon Weiqi Sucheng each day; its an easier book. Started looking at Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems...a very nice good. To solve those 800 problems quickly, at a glance even, would make a person quite dangerous.
(20051104) Yesterday and today, played even games as Black against an AGA 2 kyu (-2.34) and AGA 4 kyu (-4.88), in both games hard unexpected success losing by 18 points to the 2 kyu and obtaining a resignation after 89 moves from the 4 kyu. Could be that I am actually learning something about this game. I have been doing problems from Gokyo Shumyo and Cho Hun-hyeon Weiqi Sucheng on a daily basis.
(20050930) Last night during play I "discovered" a joseki. Played a kakari against a komoku stone and thus began the 34Point LowApproach TwoSpaceHighPincer Kosumi joseki. After the kosumi, my partner/opponent played the footsweep. First time I have had to deal with this move. I "discovered" the joseki line that begins with a strike at the waist of the keima...even found the forcing moves in the joseki line. This is new. This is good. I like this game!
(20050822) Spent last week at the beach. No work. No worries. Sun. Sand. Water. Thursday played a game with my teacher on KGS. A great game in his estimation. Just goes to show what relaxation can do for one's level of play. Couple errors in the opening, but black did very strongly in the middle game!
(20050731) A 6-dan professional visiting go club played 9 simultaneous games. The handicaps may have been a tad generous to the amatuers (9 stones for everyone below 3kyu). Played to keep white split while working to guarantee that black had no weak groups. It felt like white played honte throughout the game. Black won by resignation, was corrected on one corner situation (late in the game white was able to connect two groups and isolate a living black group in a corner), and received a compliment on a tesuji that captured five white stones. Surely, he saw the possibility and white decided to allow the possibility of the capture. Black was very happy to have found the tesuji. It is inconceiveable that Black could have killed the white group.
(20050617) During a game last night, when the first joseki started, while considering my response to White's one space low pincer of a one space low approach, I saw in my mind's eye digrams/positions that would result from each response rather than seeing sequences of moves. Hopefully, this is the start of a major improvement in my play.
(20050530) Played Sunday only in the Maryland Open Go Tournament as a 10 kyu, my AGA rating. In both games, I had White against a 9 kyu Black player. (Gotta love that pairing program. ;) Won both games. Throughout the games, I was not surprised by my opponents moves; rather they were possible outcomes that I had anticipated. Perhaps work with life and death, tesuji and Making Good Shape is making me stronger. During the week before the tournament, I worked through Life and Death Intermediate Level Problems.
Two weekends before the tournament, I had played through and partially memorized a game between Yamashiro Hiroshi vs Hasegawa Sunao in the first round of the 20th Gosei. Perhaps, I should repeatedly play and thereby memorize a professional game as a part of my regular study.
(20050515) Got bogged down at about problem 150 in Making Good Shape. Just not getting enough of the problems correct. Will have to start again from the beginning. In the meantime, I have returned to Life and Death Intermediate Level Problems, enjoying these more this time around. Reading/Studying A Dictionary of Modern Fuseki The Korean Style from the beginning...starts with the san ren sei. I am working it from White's point of view. The study won me a game today.
(20050508) Shape, while reading is everything. Shape leads you in the right direction when the position is one that is beyond your reading ability. Trying to learn shape. Guo Juan stressed the importance of shape in today's Ing Goe Internet Class lecture. Been working my way through Making Good Shape, getting only about half the problems right. A number of the problems involve sacrifices of various sizes (up to five stones, it seems) to create good shape when no other method is available. Hence, it would seem that good shape can be easily worth 10 points. A number of the problems involve playing in order to seal the other person in the corner, solid life in the corner but without any additional influence on the game.
(20050403) Last night at go club played black against an AGA 3k by 22 points. Played a good opening and did not make a single major (20+ point) error. Started looking at and trying to learn shape. Tried to consider shape throughout the game. The making shape section of LiChangHo Jingjiang Weiqi Shoujin volume 5 has me convinced that shape is one of my weaknesses. If this game is the result of considering shape, then once again I think that perhaps I am learning something about this game.
(20050307) Just last night at go club, a person(4k) that used to beat me reguarly played into a ladder that I had already read out. THEN started to read the ladder which extended three-quarters of the way across the board. One could see his head nodding move by move...in shock I exclaimed "now you start reading the ladder!" This is not the first time this has happened this year. Beat a different 4k the same way several months ago. Note to self: Read ladders till they are so easy, you dont hesitate to do so. Ever. See Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go by Kageyama.
(20050124) One step forward. Two steps back. Perhaps I have entered a learning period of incorporating new ideas and till that process plays out my results will be unsatisfactory. Though I did lose a game to an AGA 6 kyu at move 261 by playing a single slack move and allowing a opponent group to live...typical kyu level error. AGA 6 kyu is 4 ranks above my usual play. Had Black of course. Been playing a lot with White lately, trying to make my play more severe.
(20050103) Good results at the Baltimore Go Club?. Playing against KGS and AGA 4 kyus and holding my own. Will have to see if this lasts. A jump of 4 or more kyu ranks at my age is very unusual. I just noticed that Step Up to a Higher Level is designed to help one reach the 5-6 kyu level. I read this book just last month. Found it rather easy. Coincidence ? Cause and effect ?
(20041217) Have not been playing much online, but have been playing more in person. Getting good results. Still doing problems, specifically: Step Up to a Higher Level and volume three of LiChang Ho Jingjiang Weiqi Sihuo. Second time through the Chinese book.
(20041107) Played even and won against an AGA 4k. Now that's a first! Seems that the reading practice (problem books) and training is starting is starting to sink in. Exercised patience, for the most part, preferring sente and oba moves to ones that are gote and just points. Perhaps I will improve at this game; that would be nice. Guess that I will find out what is really going on at the 16th Mid-Atlantic Regional Go Championship
(20041101) Black played tengen! First time this has ever happened. Very interesting. Won by 20 points, including komi. Managed not to fall asleep and make a stupid 30 kyu mistake this game. That's two games in a row (one at the Baltimore Go Club? Sunday night) that I have avoided my greatest weakness. LiChangHo Jingjiang Weiqi Sihuo and LiChangHo Jingjiang Weiqi Shoujin (volumes 1-3 so far) are helping me play better! Gotta do more problems. Gotta get more problem books. Practice. Practice. Practice.
(20040924) Still suffering from my greatest weakness...making at least one clearly obvious serious (20point+), silly (clearly wrong, just silly) mistake per game. I am game this week playing white against a KGS 8k, I lost by 17 points after two of these mistakes. Seems like I am ready to improve, just need to remove this one bad habit to rise to a new level of play.
(20040824) Obtained a copy of Go Grinder. This is fabulous software. Exactly what I have been procratinating writting. Very highly recommended.
(20040822) Finally won a couple games, devestatingly even. managed not to flub it up with a stupid mistake in play. very nice to say goodbye (hopefully) to that losing streak.
(20040818) just did it again! winning a game by nearly 40 points and I manage to throw away a group because, like the games over, and well, guess i have to move, so....like...oh just play here. whoops. ;/
(20040818) Since returing from the Congress and during one game at the Congress, I have started to lose interest in a game in progress...when I believe that the result is clear. Then I fail to protect or neglect to read and make a silly error or three. ;(
(20040805) Today is the last day for me at the AGA US Go Congress, after arriving Sunday afternoon. As a result played only 3 games in the US Open with a 2-1 record. In Wednesday's Die Hard Tournament, won the first game and then threw away the second from boredom...had the game won on the board by over 50 points. Lost interest as my opponent used 90 minutes. I played a move without even looking at what he had done...no good, ignoring that atari. One more large mistake (30 points) sealed my fate with a 9 point loss. After that left the Die Hard for Niagara Falls!
(20040719) Played a 2k on KGS, free even game. Lost by thirty points after a mistake at move 164. Made three serious mistakes. The bad defense at 164. Played too fast at 110 therefore failed to kill a corner. Failed to move out two cutting stones at 99. Getting closer. Been reading Michael Redmond's ABC's of Attack and Defense. Tried to apply it to this game...worked well!
(20040711) 3-0 in the Lancaster Pennslyvania Self-Paired Tournament...all this life and death practice must be paying off. Caught a 5k in a nice snapback of 6 stones, killing his corner. Caught a 10k in a large snapback of 11 stones that would turn into a capture of 14 stones if he defended a different way.
(20040530) Played in the 31st Annual Maryland Open. Lost both games. The first by not pushing hard enough on my opponent. (3.5points). The second due to two stupid errors...just lost concentration what with the crowd gathered around the game. Result that after losing 30 points in the two errors I lost to a 9k by 1.5 points. What a backhand compliment! Lessons learned: dont lose concentration; push hard on the opponent, give them reasons to make errors that can be exploited.
(20040419) In preparation for a tournament, I decided to do a number of go problems fast. Chose the Graded Go Problems for Beginners series of books and started working through them quickly, doing up to fifty problems before getting the feeling that I should check the solutions. Many of the problems in Volume One focus on snapback. As a result(?), during the tournament I was seeing different ways to create snapback situations everywhere! One game, a massive fighting game, I won by resignation due to a snapback. By problem 100 in Volume Two, I was finding problems that I was no longer solving on sight with out need to verify. But rather felt I knew the answer or limited the answer to only a two moves, but needed to read to verify the result. Perhaps, I need to blitz all four volumes repeatedly.
(20040410) Been a long time. Now playing as 8k on KGS. Still doing Life and Death problems. Concentrating on Korean Problem Academy part 3. This work is helping my game. Clearly saw that a group could live even as a 6k (KGS) tried to kill it...lived in seki...but lived, allowing me to take sente and reap a larger gain elsewhere on the board.
(20040301) Played an even game last night against a solid 6k on KGS. Should have won but for becoming fixated on a ko fight and not even seeing (what you don't see, you don't ignore...ignoring something requires that you recognize its existence first ;) an atari. The result was the loss of over 15 stones and losing the game by 15 points. <sigh>. Other than that, played fairly well, flexibly, patiently, yet with some severity.
(20040203) All this Life and Death must be affecting my play...its getting so tight and territorial. Must supplement with study of fuseki...and to think that the big picture used to be my forte! This is truly frightening...dont know if I will be able to recover that skill.
(20040109) My play is improving. I am starting to move around the board picking up important and/or big moves, rather than staying local. In studying attacking, I have slacked off in Life and Death. My reading has suffered as a result. Must return to doing Life and Death problems each day...at least a dozen, at least.
(20040103) Getting better at attacking. Being more patient. Still not good enough at it to make it work for me to the extent that I need to. Lost two groups while trying to attack and kill. Need to learn to attack and let live small.
(20031229) Must learn to attack and to make territory while attacking rather than trying to kill and failing to do so. Played four games last night, trying to learn this. In the last one got a half-pointer with a 9k.
(20031207) Still bouncing around at the 10 kyu level. There must be some fundamental that I am missing that causes me to be stuck at this level. I have been doing a lot of life and death problems lately, so my reading has improved. Have started my second run through 1001 Life and Death Problems in the car at stoplights on the way to work in the morning. Perhaps, I dont place the stones to support each other, at they are working at cross-purposes. Started studying Whole Board Thinking in Joseki in an attempt to address is possible issue. I seem to have gotten the idea of playing from my own weaker stones in contact with the other player's strong stones, strengthening both them and myself further, perhaps even causing the other person's stones to become overconcentrated.
(20031130) Played a lot over the Thanksgiving Holiday. 5 games one day and three another. Did not play well at first, losing a number of games, some to go blindness. But I am starting to see patterns on the board rather than series of moves, along the lines of a one-space jump here will allow the long-knight's move from both of these stones resulting in a shoulder hit on that stone, which leads to this picture at the end. This is new, we'll have to see if it holds or is just a temporary hallucination.
(20031115) My style of play has changed to be territorial and strength based, building several easily defended positions that tend to be low. This requires a lot of patience, as it seems that I am behind in territory throughout the game. I don't know if I win in the endgame or am too generous in counting the other player's territory. My recent concentration on tsume-go is contributing to this style of play, I suspect. One nice result is that I make fewer moves that I regret having played.
(20031110) Been a long time since I added to this. Have continued doing problems from 1001 Life and Death Problems, starting from the beginning once again in quasi-force feeding mode, but diligently enough to be called force feeding. Nonetheless, it does help.
Played at go club last night, a game I should have won very handily, yet for two reading three reading errors I won by komi. Black was a KGS 5k. Perhaps he just find me a difficult opponent as my rating on KGS is currently 9k.
(20031001) Finally finished 1001 Life and Death Problems. As a result my play has developed some sharpness. I can read much better than before. Now its time to go back through it book several more times while moving on to study something else, perhaps Making Good Shape. I have got to stop this pattern of playing, not playing for a little while, playing, stopping, playing. I keep bouncing up and down over a couple of ranks as I do this. Its down right silly!
(20030924) Still working on 1001 Life and Death Problems, now at problem 970. I think that I am procrasting finishing the book because doing the problems have been so good to me. For example, Sunday night at the Baltimore Go Club I played a game with White against a player that has been giving me trouble lately. The game was a very good one, tense, and demanding the whole way through. Managed to do at least two things right: 1. played patiently, creating thickness and groups that could live easily via miai without overdeveloping the groups, 2. read well, I was able to kill an invasion that should have succeeded(?) as well as restrict the potential of a group by playing on both sides of it successfully. The group lived till an error late in the game resulted in it dying. Reading is Everything.
(20030912) Nearly completed 1001 Life and Death Problems. The last two hundred problems, five-move problems -- Black to kill, are going slowly. Nonetheless the working is rewarding, I am becoming more deadly on the go board. Unfortunately, as this happens, my strategic play is weakening. Just too much blood lust from doing all these problems. Now I need to balance better my local reading with the global, whole board situation. Most importantly, my reading is improving, as we know reading is everything ;) Nonetheless, I am still bouncing around between 11k and 9k on KGS. Must play more often.
(20030824) Played a game last night at the Baltimore Go Club which felt as if I had played the game before, at least for the first 20 moves. Misread one tactical situation, failing to kill (perhaps they were not killable) a group of 6 stones. But I played in a solid, controlled manner, always feeling as if the game favored me. Forced a resignation within 100 moves by surrounding and cutting off a group of 12 stones without eyes. Felt as if I had the direction of play well in hand. This is against a 9k AGA. Perhaps I am starting to improve?
(20030731) Endgame...understanding which moves are endgame and which are not.
(20030724) Avoiding serious errors. Finally played a game in which I did not make any serious errors. Hopefully, this is the start of something new. At my current level, games are often decided by the last serious error.
Developable areas. I need to understand better when a side is developable.
Squeezing. Squeezing a group from the outside yields significant benefit. The group becomes smaller and may be subject to attack. Ones outside position is greatly strenghtened. Trying to attack/kill before squeezing may result in the group breaking out or one's outside being needless thin.
(20030714) Connection...watching each group or string of stones and making sure that it will connect to a live group recently has become a constant consideration in my play. This is particularly true as the remaining liberties begin to fill. It not actually a worry, but rather a present consideration.
(20030713) At 11k KGS, the board is starting to come together. I find myself considering much more often how play in one area will affect possible play in other areas of the board. Perhaps, the simplest example being looking for/at ladders that can arise during play in one corner and how the rest of the board will affect those ladders.
(20030710) Finally coming to understand the harm ones does by touching weak stones.
(20030601) Double Ko. You can live via a double ko. At KGS 11k this is new to me. Never realized it until now.
What I Want
* More Chinese weiqi problem books:http://www.godiscussions.com/forum/showthread.php?p=13541#post13541 * A protective cover for my son's good board:
http://www.ymimports.com/Items/US-XH001-A? -- need to check the size. * Hankuk Kiwon Guide Book * 200 Tesuji Problems (Slate and Shell) * 200 Endgame Problems (Slate and Shell) * Pure and Simple Takao's Astute Use of Brute Force * Get Strong At The Opening * Get Strong At Handicap Go * PTBDS-L Dictionary of Life & Death by Cho Chikun 2 volumes (Yutopian) * 21世纪围棋教室 ** 从业余初段到业余二段的跃进:围棋石室藏机--21世纪围棋教室 ** 从业余二段到业余三段的跃进:围棋不传之道--21世纪围棋教室 * Maeda Nobuaki's three volume set of life and death * To be a much stronger player.
* 10号差込式 (10 units? insert style (slotted board)) 碁盤裏13路 (go board reverse side 13 lines)
Chinese Language Go Books
* Cho Hun-hyeon Weiqi Sucheng 曹薰铉围棋速成 3 volumes * Fujisawa Shuko Next Move Problems? 围棋下一手 * FaYang Lun 《围棋发阳论》新解,程晓流解说 * Heading for Shodan -- Fundamental Problem Collection 迈向初段 基本问题集 3 volumes * Improve Your Fighting Strength? 围棋提高你的战斗力 * LiChangHo Jingjiang Weiqi Sihuo 李昌镐精讲围棋死活 6 volumes * LiChangHo Jingjiang Weiqi Shoujin 李昌镐精讲围棋手筋 6 volumes * Shoujin de Miaoyong 手筋的妙用 (死活篇) * QiJingZhongMiao 棋经众妙 (Japanese: 碁経衆妙 Gokyo Shumyo) * Weiqi Introductory Problem Collection 围棋育苗工程通迅 围棋入门习题集 * Weiqi Technique Encyclopedia (Guanzi Pu) 围棋技巧大全 (官子谱); March 1998 edition * Weiqi Ji - Duan Wei Ceshi 围棋级段位测试 * Weiqi Duan Wei Ceshi 围棋段位测试 * Weiqi Chuji Jieti Xunlian 围棋初级解题训练. 3 volumes * Weiqi Zhongji Jieti Xunlian 围棋中级解题训练 3 volumes * Weiqi Gaoji Jieti Xunlian 围棋高级解题训练 3 volumes * Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems 围棋死活1000题 * Weiqi Rapid Drill 800 Problems 围棋快速练习800题 * Weiqi Education Practice Workbook 围棋教学习题册 * Wu Qingyuan's Collected Games (actually my son's books) * Xuanxuan Qijing 玄玄棋經 -- 珍珑棋局破解 from a set entitled 围棋圣经
English Language Go Books
* The 1971 Honinbo Tournament * The 3-3 Point * 38 Basic Joseki * 400 Years of Go in Japan * The ABCs of Attack and Defense * All About Joseki * All About Life and Death Volume 1 and 2 * All About Thickness * Appreciating Famous Games * Art of Capturing Stones * Art of Connecting Stones * Attack and Defense * Basic Techniques of Go * The Basics of Go Strategy * Beauty and the Beast * The Best Play In-depth Game Analyses * Beyond Forcing Moves * The Breakthrough to Shodan * The Chinese Opening * Cho Hun-hyeon's Lectures on Go Techniques * Cho Hun-hyun's Lectures on the Opening, Volume 1 * Cho Hun-hyun Life and Master Games with CDrom * A Compendium of Trick Plays * Cross-cut Workshop * Dictionary of Basic Fuseki Volumes 1 and 2 * Dictionary of Basic Joseki Volumes 1, 2 and 3 * Dictionary of Basic Tesuji Volumes 1 and 2 * A Dictionary of Modern Fuseki The Korean Style * Direction of Play * Dramatic Moments on the Go Board * Enclosure Josekis * The Endgame * Essential Joseki * Five Hundred and One Tesuji Problems * Five Hundred and One Opening Problems * Fujisawa Tesuji Dictionary Volume 1 * Fundamental Principles of Go * The Game of Go * Get Strong at Attacking * Get Strong at the Endgame * Get Strong at Invading * Get Strong at Joseki Volumes 1, 2, and 3 * Get Strong at Life and Death * Get Strong at Tesuji * Go and Gomoku * Go as Communication * Go for Beginners * The Go Players Almanac 2001 * A Go Primer? by Gilbert W Rosenthal? * Go Proverbs Illustrated * Go, The World's Most Fascinating Game * Go World Magazine Individual issues: 18, 22, 24 - 53, 55 - current (110) Library bound issues: 5 - 16, 23 - 30 * Graded Go Problems for Beginners Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 * The Great Joseki Debates * Handicap Go * Hikaru no Go Volumes 1 - 6 * How to Destroy and Preserve * How to Play Go by Takagawa Shukaku, Sabaki Go Club reprint * Improve your Intuition Volumes 1, 2 and 3 * In the Beginning * Ingenious Life and Death Puzzles Volumes 1 and 2 * Intermediate Level Power Builder Volumes 1 and 2 * Invincible: The Games of Shusaku * Japanese Game of Go * Jungsuk in Our Time: 3-4 Point Jungsuk * Kages Secret Chronicles of Handicap Go * Katos Attack and Kill * Keshi and Uchikomi * Killer of Go * Korean Style of Baduk Volume 1 * Learn to Play Go Series Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 * Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go * Life and Death * Life and Death Intermediate Level Problems by Maeda Nobuaki * Liping Huangs Problem Series Volume 1 * Making Good Shape * Mathematical Go * The Middle Game of Go * Modern Joseki and Fuseki, Volumes 1 and 2 * Monkey Jump Workshop * On the Rules of Go * One Thousand and One Life and Death Problems * Opening Theory Made Easy * Positional Judgement * The Power of the Star Point * The Protracted Game: a wei-ch'i interpretation of maoist revolutionary strategy * Punishing and Correcting Joseki Mistakes * Reducing Territorial Frameworks * Rescue and Capture * Sabaki * The Second Book of Go * Step Up to a Higher Level * Steppingstones to Go?http://gobooks.info/step.html * Strategic Concepts of Go * Strategic Fundamentals in Go * Test your Go Strength * Tesuji * Tesuji and Antisuji of Go * Think Like a Pro Haengma * Think Like a Pro Pae * Train Like a Pro Volumes 1, 2 and answer booklet * The Theory & Practice of Go * Tournament Go 1992 * The Treasure Chest Enigma * Tricks in Joseki * Yilun Yangs Go Puzzles Volumes 1 and 2 * Understanding How to Play Go * Vital Points and Skillful Finesse for Sabaki * Vital Points of Go by Takagawa Shukaku, Sabaki Go Club reprint * A Way of Play for the 21st Century * Whole Board Thinking in Joseki Volumes 1 and 2 * Winning a Won Game * The Workshop Lectures Volumes 1 and 2 * The World of Chinese Go
Japanese Language Go Books
* The Book to Increase Your Fighting Strength at Go Volumes 1 and 2 by Segoe Kensaku * Cho U's Tsumego by Cho U (Actually for my son.) * Hikaru no Go Volume 1 * Practical Life and Death Training Drill by Aragaki Takeshi, an NHK Lecture Series book. * Segoe Tesuji Dictionary Volumes 1, 2 and 3 (Actually my son's books.) * Tsugi no Itte, a series of 4 problem books.
Korean Language Go Books
* New Haengma Dictionary
Fiction with a Go theme
* The Girl who Played Go * The Master of Go
Sensei's Library 'Projects'
- Chinese, Japanese and Korean Go Terms
- 20050605 finished all the Japanese Go Terms as of version 229 (October 28, 2005 - 00:01)
- 20050919 finished all the Chinese Go Terms as of version 167 (November 11, 2005 - 09:13)
- Add Chinese/Japanese/Korean boxes to each go term page
- Convert the pages using non-English names to English names when the English is reasonably well known. (SL is an English web site, rather than a Japanese-English site)
- Maintain the other language pages as aliases to the English page
- Make all the referring pages use the "content page" rather than the alias.
- Missing data:
- Amai missing the Chinese, Korean and the Kanji.
- pole connection missing the Chinese and the Korean
- joban is there a Chinese or Korean equivalent?
nachtrabe: my guess is that the Korean equivalent to joban is 초반 (Cho-ban), which translates literally to "opening." - kikasare missing Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
- jubango, kadoban, josen, tagai-sen, sen-ai-sen, sen-ni-sen, nerai, niken biraki, sangen biraki, nurui, kyuuba, omoshiroi in Chinese and Korean.
Began a WME of the Kanazawa Tesuji Series. These problems are part of Gokyo Shumyo. After WME of all the existing pages, the plan is to add the problems that are currently missing and complete the book. The answers are to be developed by the "staff" of Sensei's Library. The text World Weiqi Masterpieces of Life and Death is the reference being used for this work.
Some Terms in Asian Languages
Chinese: 布局 (b�j�)
Japanese: 布石 (fuseki)
Japanese: 序盤 (joban)
Korean: 포석 (p�osŏk = poseok)
unkx80: 貼目 is komi. I think 让子 and 授子 are the same, i.e. both mean handicap.
Question: In Chinese go terms, I found the following:
悔棋 hui3 qi2 - take back.
Is this correct, take back as in retracting a move, or does it mean take back as in Sending Three Returning One?
unkx80: It is retracting a move. FYI, 悔, as in 后悔, means regret. You may want to see 悔棋 as regretting playing a move, and proceeds to to retract it.
Question: All of these 缓 (huan3); 缓慢 (huan3 man4); 缓手 (huan3 shou3); 慢 (man4) are listed as slow. Do they have different connotations? Are the four really the same?
unkx80: In the content of Go, all are more or less the same. 慢 may be slightly negative compared to 缓 though, but not much.
Question: What is the Chinese for slide? Its seems to be missing. ;(Japanese: すべり (suberi)
unkx80: I don't think it is given a special name. Instead, it is usually referred to as 飞 (fei1, knight's move).
Request
In RTG Problem 36 you mention that the problem comes from "a Korean book". Could you add the ISBN number and the name of the book to that page? Thank you. Velobici
tderz: How did you find it during my editing?
I always kept it on minor changes I thought.
It got two: ISBN 89-7186-580-6 ISBN 89-7186-007-3
BTW, good projects on the Asian language Go Terms, I would like to make a general clean-up, or one-in-all document (EN-JP-CN-KR) perhaps as excle sheet which you could put in an order you like, but miss the time for it.
nachtrabe: Something like
this? I'd like to add Chinese terms to it, but haven't had the time (yet).
tderz Whow! Thanks Nachtrabe! This is an incredible table.
I was looking for something like this.
In the next 4 days I might have some time in the evening: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (20-24 May 2005)
With Chinese you just mean the characters, in case they differ from Japanese,
or do you also want to have pinyin added?
I just ask, because I am afraid the list the might become unhandy, big.
Perhaps fiddling with the fond size might work,
but most of the space is lost by blanks in more columns.nachtrabe: I was thinking of adding the language, not just the characters. Right now I am debating whether I want it all in the same document, using separate documents, or if I want to rotate the page to accommodate the extra language. I'm not really sure yet, though ideas are welcome.
tderz: when I print the PDF, the/some English letters are shoven into each other, others are completely missing (ff in difficulty, 6th line). I am not a PDF expert, do you - as author - have to add the font (which is on your computer, but perhaps not on mine?) into the PDF?
nachtrabe: Hmmm, can you give me more details about your system config? (post on my homepage here on SL so we can avoid cluttering Velobici's blog). I have a suspicion as to why the display is strange, but I need more information to confirm it.
tderz] Nachtrabe, it worked fine at home (and I don't know the other settings).
Velobici: The PDF table is wonderful. A great tool for understanding the go terms of various languages. Unfortunately, I cant cut and paste from the table into Sensei's Library. So I would have to look up the characters in some web directory to obtain the &#xxxxx; HTML codes that are needed here. :(
nachtrabe: Hope you find it useful and let me know if you see any corrections/additions. You might try
http://www.garethrees.org/htmlify.cgi to look up the HTML codes.
That's pretty cool. I can cut 手 from a web site paste it in and get the code 手 ;. Unfortunately, AcroRead? does not let me CUT from PDF. So I cant use the tool :(
All right, let's do this the old fashion way ^.^ See if you can get anything out of
the XeLaTeX file (it may take a few minutes to show up, since I am waiting for my system to sync). Not as pretty, but assuming you have a korean font installed you should be able to copy from it.
Guestbook
messages here
Wildclaw's
Recommendation on Creating SGF Problem Collections
The main feature of Drago is its ability to create starting positions by painting. By holding down the mouse button and dragging the mouse, you can paint stones onto the board. As long as you hold the mouse button, stones will appear where ever you move the mouse cursor. This is much better than having to click on each and every intersection.
Using the other mouse button simply uses the other color. If you drag the mouse over a square that already already contains a stone of the same color it will disappear, and if there is a stone of the opposite color it will change.
In the newest alpha, it is possible to create your own keyboard shortcuts, which decrease the need to use the toolbar buttons. Finally, the biggest new feature in the alpha is the ability to open a complete folder. I have a folder that contains 100 empty sgf files. I simply copy it and open it using the open folder command. After that I can simply use the Next game command to continue with the next file instead of having to open it manually.
This is pretty much the most efficent way I can think of when it comes to creating an SGF file using an editor.
TimK's
comments on creating SGF problem collections
I've entered ~20000 problems for GoGrinder, and the best way I've found is to use Drago. It has a few key features that make it the best: You can drag to add multiple stones, left-click for White and right-click for black, and the keyboard focus stays in the comment area, even after you've made moves or added stones. You can also associate keyboard commands with the different editing tools.
Guidelines for reaching 20k
- urgent moves before big moves. examples of urgent are forming eye space, creating a base, moving into the center, liberties in a [liberty fight, cutting to split opponent into two weak groups.
- when your stone is touched, extend to get stronger (more liberties)
- beware of lack of liberties, 50% gone but always one stone lost one liberty
- hanes gives forcing moves, but Hane at the Head of Two Stones and Hane at the head of three stones
- cutting stones that separate the opponent into weak groups are important, strive to save them.
- let go of small stones? (cutting stones between to strong groups for instance), take a bigger move
- avoid empty triangles
- create tiger's mouth shapes.
HKA on AGA Rules
AGA rules are in fact used in AGA tournaments. You have not been to many lately.
The pass stone rule is strange, and it is the only real "sticking point" in the AGA rules. I do not particularly care for it, but it serves a purpose, and it does little harm.
While 7.5 komi (the latest change) has seeped down into club play, passed stones are rarely seen in non tournament games.
And now I will sacrifice my morning trying to explain why the pass stone will NOT change the winner in an odd komi game. (Deep Breath) Ok, IF white is asked to make the last move, then an odd number of stones have been played. That means there is an even number of open spaces left on the board in japanese counting, since the prisoners would have all gone back in. Therefore, with an even total number of points, it can only be divided by two even numbers, or two odd numbers - therefore the score, pre komi is either tied or an even difference So, without the pass stone, the relevant scores on the board would be black leading by 6 or 8. A komi of 7 results in white winning the 6 pt game by 1 - and if he must pass a stone - then he still wins by .5 - therefore no change. If the score is 8, he loses by .5, and passing a stone simply makes it 1.5.
Funny Things
Someone wrote: Oriental should not be used for people. Oriental essentially means Eastern as Occidental means Western. At best the term is Eurocentric - defining folks not by who they are, but by where they come from in relation to Europe. I am not a big pc person, but this seems grammatically, if not intentionally, compelling.
Based upon this statement, we are lead to the following:
- Oriental means Eastern in relation to Europe.
- Occidental means Western in relation to Europe.
- So Americans are Occidentals.
- Europeans are not Occidentals.
- Perhaps Europeans are Medial.
George Caplan I am the "Someone" referenced above. Not sure what is so funny. We don't hear the term Occidental very often. Not sure what the center point is here - we reference Western Europe and Eastern Europe - never heard the term "Medial" Oriental appears in the Racial Slurs internet database and is referenced as being supplanted by "Asian" on Wikipedia. We don't call Americans Occidentals, nor do we call Europeans Medials or Occidentals - we call them Americans, or Europeans. Seems like it is reasonable to call Asians Asians.
Dont be silly! Of course Americans and even Europeans are referred to as Occidentals. Its not Euro-centric; its Urals-centric. From
Merriam-Webster Main Entry: Occidental, Function: noun: a member of one of the occidental peoples; especially : a person of European ancestry See also:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 or some portion of the 700+ books about Occidentals on
Amazon. Beware Wikipedia...relying on it causes people to say silly things at times. Wikipedia is at its best regarding those matters upon which everyone agrees. On controversial matters, Wikipedia is subject to aberrations.
Bill: Sorry to butt in. I'll just make one comment. The Racial Slurs Database claims that oriental is a slur because it usually refers to inanimate objects. That's absurd, even if true. Just because we talk about French fries, French kisses, French twists, and French toast does not make French a slur when referring to a person.
George Caplan It is hardly worth mentioning that the French don't find the term French insulting. Similarly, Chinese do not find the term Chinese insulting, Japanese do not term the word Japanese insulting. Some/Many do find the term Oriental insulting. As I said in my original post, I am as anti pc as the next person - but I have some sympathy for this complaint.
Bill: Well, I said I was only going to make one comment. However, after reading the Wikipedia entry, I have another. It seems that the opposition to the word, oriental, as a racial slur, centers in the United States. The Chinese and Japanese, with possibly some exceptions, do not object to it. That makes perfect sense. If someone calls a woman born in San Francisco whose grandparents came from China an Oriental, that is not only inaccurate (She's occidental.), but likely to be a racial slur. Similarly, calling someone born in Omaha whose grandparents were German a European is probably a racial slur, as well. Context matters.
Dieter: An awfully long time ago, I met an American guy in Prague. Faithful to our age we started debating politics and came to the logic of our map's distribution. I said it was logical or at least understandable to put oneself in the centre, he said it was more logical to put America in the centre, because that way the vast continent of Eurasia was cut in half ... Anyway, he was so kind to send me a map made in Singapore, having Asia central, Europe left and America to the right.
In my opinion our society, influenced by some strong currents in the United States, is so busy avoiding offence, that we forget what kindness and justice are for. Recently the word "neger" was banned from the Dutch dictionary for being offensive. It reminded me of the rebellion against France in the 19th century. The French called the rebel army "des gueux" (peasants). "Geus" now still means "free thinker, rebel" in Dutch.
Poetry
I've come back home.
There is no friend to play Go with.
That place far away
where an axe handle turned to dust -
how dear to me it has become!
-- Ki no Tomonori, Japan, year 900 --
山僧對棋坐,(The monks from the mountain temple sit playing go.) (Shān sēng du q zu,)
局上竹陰清。(On the board the bamboo shadows stand in bold relief,) (J shng zh yn qīng.)
映竹無人見,(While the reflecting leaves prevent others from seeing.) (Yng zh w rn jin,)
時聞下子聲。(Occasionally is heard the sound of a stone being played.) (Sh wn xi zi shēng.)
by Bai Juyi (772-846) From: Mind Sports Worldwide and
Go Discussions
Mottos
"Don't count your liberties before they're filled." --- Overheard at the Baltimore Go Club
Teacher: So, what do you think?
"Student: Scary, all those cutting points.
Teacher: Scary? Scary that's okay. Go game always scary. Check, read, it's okay. -- Yang Yilun at a 2005 Go Workshop
Group Book Order
- Cho U's Tsumego on
Amazon ¥ 1,890, 8 copies: mdobbins, DrStraw (23.93), cuetzpalin, funkyj, toast, Velobici, Secret 5 dan (23.93), NannyOgg
- Practical Life and Death Training Drill on
Amazon ¥ 1,050, 6 copies: mdobbins, cuetzpalin, funkyj, Velobici, toast, NannyOgg
- OK How To Breakout of Beginning Kyu Levels Introductory Part on
Amazon ¥ 1,020, 1 copy: toast
- OK How to Breakout of Beginning Kyu Levels Practical Part on
Amazon ¥ 1,020, 1 copy: toast
- How to Break Out of Beginning Kyu Levels, Immediate Results on
Amazon ¥ 1,050, 1 copy: toast
- The Book to Increase Your Fighting Strength at Go both
volumes on Amazon ¥ 2,100 each, 3 sets: toast, Velobici, NannyOgg
Exchange rates between Yen and USD
Running this through Amazon comes out to be ¥ 26,400 plus ¥ 6,000 for International Economy shipping which takes 3-4 weeks. Internation Express shipping for this order costs ¥ 7,500 and takes 2-5 days. We are eight, so that less than ¥200 each for the faster shipping . Certainly seems worthwhile to me :)
(20061128 8:30AM EST) The order has been placed:
Shipping estimate for these items: 2006/12/21 - 2007/1/4
Delivery estimate: 2006/12/22 - 2007/1/8
Hopefully these dates are quite conservative and the items will arrive at my house for trans-shipment a good bit sooner than this estimate indicates.
(20061203 8:15AM EST)
Order Date: 2006/11/28
Order #: 250-6103981-9434643
Items not yet shipped
Delivery estimate: 2006/12/22 - 2007/1/8
(20061218 10:00PM EST) The books have arrived at my house and been shipped out to all but one person.
(20061221 12:35PM EST)
DrStraw, mdobbins, funkyj, and NannyOgg have received their shipments.
HKA and toast yet to receive their or report that it arrived.
(20061230) toast reports that his book has arrived.
jfc: thanks for doing this velobici! The books are great (jfc aka funkyj)!
How to Send Money Using
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jfc: I'm in but can you simply state how much to pay you for each book (in USD)? If you are not charging a handling fee of your own I plan to give you a small tip for your trouble ...
Velobici, I think we're in agreement on BQM 328. Personally, I'd transpose to the 5-4 joseki, but as you say, white has other choices too. --Andy Other note: I didn't (deliberately) edit your terms in Asian languages above. Might be a "feature" of either Sensei's or the Safari browser I'm using. :( I hope I didn't mess it up.