New Study Method

This week, I have been trying out a new way of studying, recommended by my teacher minue. I have been playing all my lessons / reviews on a real goban instead of just on the computer. I had been doing some replaying pro games on goban and a tiny bit of studying, but not that much. My usual studying is either from books, or at the computer. Click, click, click, click. He told me how important it was to replay all those lesson sequences with my own hand.

I got out my beautiful new goban, and have been using it all week long, almost all day (well, in between life). It is interesting. Going through a lesson or review takes me a lot longer, but it feels like the learning is deeper. Maybe because all senses are involved? I don't know what it is, but I feel that I am retaining more.

Not to mention that it is an enjoyable activity to sit outdoors, at my picnic table, and play go. The feel of the stones, the sun in the sky, the daffodills blooming, the chickadees singing, the kids screaming... I am sold.

It does take a lot more time to study this way, but I believe it's worth it. I have been staring at my tournament games so many times now, that my mistakes have been etched into my permanent memory, as never to be made again.

I talked to a dan player at club about this, and he said that he always reviews all his games on a real goban, even his on line games. Interesting. I think it does beat the 'click click click' of computer reviews for sure.