Still alive

Still alive and thriving, but not having much time to play go or blog. Happily did play a game today on Mother's Day. Mostly posting so the blog doesn't self destruct :p

ALMOST Daily Tsumego

Well, the daily tsumego settled into a 'few times a week' frequency. But it's better than No Tsumego, so I'll take it. I have been playing some games in the ASR League so I am not doing badly go-wise, I just wish there were more time in the day.

 

Will follow up on that trick move soon, today I have to bake banana bread and such because fruit flies are taking over the kitchen. Priorities , right?

Tsuke Nobi Trick Play

Today I encountered a trick play I hadn't seen before. It is in the tsuke nobi joseki off hoshi. You know, the one which is to be avoided by black unless black is a high dan. It makes white strong and has many complicated variations.

 

So the new move I noticed is 3, which is a trick play. Interesting.

 

What do you think is the correct response for black?

 

Getting Back in the Groove

So it's summer vacation (no 7am school bus, YAY!) and even although it will be harder to play with all the kids commitments, I should be able to get at least a decent amount of go problems studying in. I have to admit that go problems had been one of those balls I had dropped and I could feel it in my games. "What atari three moves from now?" "How do you mean dead?"

 

So I decided that I should do a bunch of go problems every day. No excuses. I started yesterday and have kept it up so far (yeah, I know, two days isn't very impressive but we are talking baby steps here)

I realize that reading non-go books had totally taken over my go problems study, so this vacation I'll read less books and do more study instead. I can dream, right?

Still Alive

Good day, friends! Yes, I am still alive, just have been way too busy with that life thing. I have been playing some go, but not much and I haven't been doing many studying either. Let's hope this summer will be better!

The good news is that I did go to a go work shop, so at least I got to play there. And I plan on doing go problems every day again because my reading is just... not perfect yet ^^

Anyway, hope I still have readers and will try posting content again.

Intermezzo: Lucky Ladder

Will post the other two Boston games soon, but wanted to share my lucky game of the day.
It started 'boring' although I don't see that one space high pincer much.

 

I am black. I expected him to jump from his hoshi stone, but he tenuki'ed.
Since he didn't play at A, I decided to play there and see what happened.

 

I expected his next move.

 

But then he surprised me again, and I made many mistakes answering his moves.

 

Anyway, the game went on, and eventually we came to this position. It is black turn, so I knew that I could live with one of my groups at least.

 

Those two stones were going to be my second eye.

 

He replied at A. I immediately recognized the present he gave me and realized I just got super lucky.

 

He resigned... Yes, I realize it was just luck, but I still enjoyed it ^^
Here is the game.

 

Four Handi but STILL Lost!

Sigh, four handicap stones and I STILL lost...
Here is the game with review by sendol.

Here is my first mistake. White played A, and I played a simple one point jump instead of being more aggressive.

 

This would have been a much better way to play. Not only do I make white painful, but I made a base for black.

 

Go is so easy in hindsight!!!