Interesting Question and Answers Series

A friend forwarded those questions and answers to me, very interesting. It's a serie on pandanet, in which female professions answer questions about go. Some examples:

• Hello, Ms. Kobayashi. When there’s a game that you absolutely want to win, you tense up. My question is: what do top professionals, including yourself, do to calm yourselves. If there’s any special technique, please tell me.
  
  
• I’ve been playing go for 50 years. My level at present on PandaNet is 3-dan, but I find myself unable to improve. I have ups and downs and about once every month I find myself losing ten games in a row, so I get demoted. Please tell me what one should do at times like this.
  
  
• I’ve been playing on PandaNet recently, and I’m really convinced that go is an artistic mind sport. The creative and intuitive side of go is what creates your go style and your individuality as a player. I’m convinced that go is an art.
  I’ve heard that you are knowledgeable about pottery. Do you believe that it has something in common with the artistic side of go? Please tell me if pottery has been a plus for you in your go playing.
  
  
• I’m a beginner who became a subscriber to PandaNet three months ago. Since it’s so easy to play on the Net, I sometimes play more than ten games a day, but if I play too much, my go gets careless and sloppy. Do you think it’s important to play a lot of games to get better? Which is the shortcut for a beginner: to play only games in which you really concentrate hard or to play as many games as you can? I would be grateful for your opinion.
  
  
• Hello, Ms. Nakajima. On weekdays I play on PandaNet, at weekends I go to go clubs, and on Sunday I watch the NHK games. I really enjoy go, but as I grow older my memory gets worse, and I feel that my go has declined. I’m worried that if things go on like this I won’t be able to play go anymore. Do you have any advice for older players like myself as to what to do on a daily basis? I would be grateful for any help you can give me.
  
  
• Hello. At present I play as a 1-kyu. My games are rarely counted – usually either my opponent or I resign. I myself realize that I have a tendency to make overplays, but I can’t do anything about this when I’m actually playing. I really want to play long games. Do you have any advice for me?
  
  
• When my opponent plays a good move during a game, I get upset and go to pieces. I want to change this bad habit, but am having no success. How can one cope with this kind of situation?
  
  
• I am 63 years old. I play as a 5-dan at go clubs. When I joined PandaNet, I hoped that I would get a little stronger, but it’s just not turning out that way. When I review my games later, I find I’m playing really poor moves. If I noticed during the game, I’d be a stone stronger. Is there any way to ensure that one plays one’s best? And is there any way to cut out one’s outright blunders?

Good questions and answers, giving food for thought. There is lots more, here is the top page. Enjoy!