Life is Good

This morning I had my first lesson with sendol after many months of too much life and not enough chocolate. It feels good to be studying more seriously again.

 

He reviewed two of my games which is great timing since I will go to go club this afternoon. I can share some of the lesson with my friends there.

Overplay? III

In my game white gave up one of his stones, but in review it turned out that white was just fine as long as he resists with W4.

 

Whatever black plays now, white is fine and white H4 actually was close enough to be helpful. Who would've thunk!?

Overplay? II : Whole Board Position

Thanks all for the feedback. Here is the whole board position. I did 'punish' by playing b3, he answered b4, and I cut at e4. Little did I know. You are right David, the hane is playable in this position which was news to both of us. I will post more tomorrow.

 

Welcome back David and I am looking forward to visiting Go Game Guru.

Overplay?

My second game of the summer supplied an interesting situation. Look at the following diagram. White 7 usually is an overplay so I was all ready to punish it.

 

But there is this extra white stone. Does that change White 7 from an overplay into a good move? Or does it not?

 

During the game I looked at it and said 'Nah, that stone is too far away, I will just punish.' Was that the right decision? Let me know what y'all think.

Back to Baduk and Studying

This summer vacation has been totally insane, no time for baduk at all. I spent 48 % of my time driving my children around town, 29 % of my time from preventing my house to become too much of a disaster zone and 31 % of my time feeding the hungry hordes, which leaves me not much time for baduk.

I decided to give up on sleeping, freeing up 2 % of my time for baduk studies, yay!

 

For the last two weeks I have been studying life and death, haengma and even a recent pro game. Not only that but I managed to visit go club and hope to get there again this week. And I am looking forward to September when the children will be back into school and I will be able to PLAY!

The Joys of Losing Many Games

I have been playing on wbaduk and have yet again discovered what a mind game go is. I can win if I actually focus on the game. But if I have to play in a hurry or am distracted or annoyed by my opponent's unreasonable play, I do make stupid mistakes.

 

As in misreading something obvious or messing up a joseki I know well enough. Or suiciding while trying to kill my opponent. Very frustrating. And very clear that calmness of the mind has a huge influence on my go game. As it does on my life, but that is another story.

Wbaduk Game

I promised Jeff I would post this game. Finally getting around to doing so, which is the first time I am using eidogo after a long time so I hope it works. I am white.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[0.00]
PW[NannyOgg]DT[2010-03-25]PC[The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/]B[pd]
;W[dp]
;B[qp]
;W[dc]
;B[cn]
;W[fq]
;B[bp]
;W[cq]
;B[ck]
(;W[op]
;B[oq]
;W[nq]
;B[pq]
(;W[mp]
(;B[jq]TR[jq]C[sendol [-\]: overplay
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]
(;W[qo]
(;B[ro]
;W[pp]
(;B[rp]
;W[qn]
;B[rn]
;W[qm]C[sendol [-\]: now w successful
]
;B[nc]
;W[jo]TR[jo]C[sendol [-\]: good
]
;B[hp]
(;W[go]
;B[gp]
;W[fp]
;B[ho]
(;W[gn]
;B[hn]
;W[gm]
(;B[bq]TR[bq]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ok
sendol [-\]: greedy
]
(;W[br]TR[br]C[sendol [-\]: passive
]
;B[cp]
;W[dq]
;B[do]
(;W[eo]
;B[en]TR[en]C[sendol [-\]: wrong direction
sendol [-\]: big mistake
]
(;W[hm]
;B[jn]C[NannyOgg [-\]: yeah :(
]
(;W[ko]C[NannyOgg [-\]: very cool
]
;B[im]TR[im][jn]C[sendol [-\]: b good shape
sendol [-\]: w failed
]
;W[il]
;B[jl]
(;W[ik]C[NannyOgg [-\]: i see
]
(;B[em]
;W[jk]
;B[kl]
;W[hr]C[sendol [-\]: finally^^
]
;B[ir]
;W[hq]
;B[ip]
(;W[cf]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ^^
]
;B[ch]
(;W[jd]
;B[fc]
;W[de]
;B[ic]
;W[jc]
;B[id]
;W[ie]
;B[ib]
(;W[jb]
;B[he]
;W[hf]TR[hf]C[sendol [-\]: dangerous move
]
(;B[ge]
;W[if]
;B[qh]
;W[gf]
;B[fe]
;W[qd]
;B[qc]
(;W[rc]
(;B[qb]TR[qb]C[sendol [-\]: too passive
]
;W[qe]
;B[pe]
;W[qf]
;B[pf]
;W[qg]
;B[pg]
;W[rh]
;B[qi]
;W[ri]
;B[qj]
(;W[rj]
(;B[rb]
(;W[sd]TR[sd]C[sendol [-\]: too small
]
;B[kn]
;W[ln]
;B[lm]
;W[mn]
(;B[gk]TR[gk]C[sendol [-\]: wrong direction
]
(;W[gl]TR[gl]C[sendol [-\]: too passive
]
;B[fk]C[NannyOgg [-\]: :(
]
(;W[ff]TR[ff]C[sendol [-\]: wrong
]
;B[eb]
;W[db]
;B[da]
;W[ec]
;B[fb]
;W[ca]
;B[ea]
;W[bb]
;B[ke]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]
;W[je]
;B[kg]TR[ke][ff][kg]C[sendol [-\]: almost liberty
sendol [-\]: no b can counterattack
]
;W[qk]
(;B[pk]
;W[pl]
;B[ok]
;W[lc]
;B[ld]
;W[bg]C[sendol [-\]: good
]
;B[bh]
;W[nr]
(;B[or]
;W[os]
(;B[pr]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ^^
]
(;W[ps]
;B[qs]
;W[ns]
;B[rr]
;W[iq]
;B[jp]
;W[jr]
;B[kr]
;W[is]
;B[lq]
;W[ah]
;B[ai]
;W[ag]
;B[bj]
;W[md]
(;B[le]TR[ld][ke][le]C[NannyOgg [-\]: funny shape ^^
sendol [-\]: inefficient shape
]
;W[mc]
;B[me]
;W[nd]
(;B[ne]
;W[oc]
;B[pc]C[sendol [-\]: b loss
]
;W[li]
;B[kj]
;W[kk]
;B[lk]
;W[lj]
;B[ki]
(;W[kh]
;B[jh]
;W[lh]
;B[ji]
;W[mk]
;B[ll]
;W[nk]
;B[nl]
;W[ol]
;B[ml]
;W[oj]
;B[nj]
(;W[pj]
;B[mj]
;W[ok]
(;B[ni]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ^^
]
;W[nh]
;B[oi]
;W[oh]C[sendol [-\]: nice
]
;B[ph]
;W[pi]
;B[jg]
;W[lp]
;B[cg]
;W[bf]
;B[ef]
;W[df]
;B[dg]
;W[ee]
;B[eg]
;W[nb]
;B[ob]
;W[oa]
;B[pa]
;W[pb]
;B[gq]
;W[gr]
;B[ob]
;W[na]
;B[od]
;W[pb]
;B[hk]
;W[hl]
;B[ob]
;W[hd]
;B[hc]
;W[pb]
;B[fn]
;W[fo]
;B[ob]
;W[nc]
;B[kb]
;W[kc]
;B[ja]
;W[ka]
;B[la]
;W[lb]
;B[ka]
;W[ma]
;B[ia]
;W[hi]
;B[hh]
;W[gh]
;B[hg]
;W[fh]
;B[gi]
;W[gj]
;B[fi]
;W[ei]
;B[fj]
;W[ij]
;B[eh]
;W[lg]
;B[kf]
;W[fl]
;B[ek]
;W[el]
;B[dk]
;W[rm]
;B[ii]
;W[dl]
;B[cl]
;W[dm]
;B[dn]
;W[cm]
;B[bm]
;W[aq]
;B[ap]
;W[ar]
;B[sb]
;W[fd]
;B[gd]
;W[ed]
;B[hj]
;W[sn]
;B[so]
;W[sm]
;B[sc]
;W[rd]
;B[ng]
;W[mg]
;B[og]
;W[mi]
;B[mf]
;W[fm]
;B[bn]
;W[pb]
;B[qa])
(;B[mh]
;W[lg]
(;B[mg]
(;W[kf]
;B[jg]C[sendol [-\]: w dead
NannyOgg [-\]: ouch
])
(;W[jg]
;B[kf])
(;W[fi])
(;W[ph]C[sendol [-\]: but w enough
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
sendol [-\]: next game?
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]))
(;B[jg]C[sendol [-\]: next w?
NannyOgg [-\]: o12
]
;W[nh])))
(;W[mj]
;B[pj]
;W[ni]
;B[ph]
;W[jg]
;B[hi]
;W[oi]
;B[mh]C[sendol [-\]: hi
]
;W[mg]
(;B[lg]
;W[ng]C[sendol [-\]: over
NannyOgg [-\]: nice
])
(;B[nh]
;W[kf])))
(;W[kp]
;B[kq]
;W[mk]
;B[ll]
;W[kh]
;B[jh]
;W[lh]
;B[ji]
;W[jg]
(;B[hi]
;W[lg]
;B[kf]
(;W[nk])
(;W[nl]
;B[mj]
;W[nj]
;B[mi]
;W[nh]
;B[nk]
;W[ml]
;B[ni]
;W[oi]
;B[oj]
;W[mh]
;B[nj]
(;W[ol]
;B[pj]
;W[ph]C[NannyOgg [-\]: sweet
sendol [-\]: over
])
(;W[ph])))
(;B[mj])
(;B[nl]TR[jh][ji][ki][kj]C[sendol [-\]: next w?
NannyOgg [-\]: hmmmm, not sure o9?
sendol [-\]: how to kill?
NannyOgg [-\]: j12
]
(;W[ih]
;B[ii]
;W[hi]
;B[hh]C[NannyOgg [-\]: j10
]
(;W[ig]
;B[hj]
;W[gi]
;B[ij]C[NannyOgg [-\]: oh
])
(;W[hj]
;B[ig]
;W[jf]
;B[gh]
;W[fi]
;B[fh]
;W[eh]
;B[ei]
;W[fj]
;B[eg]
;W[dh]C[NannyOgg [-\]: not good
]
;B[dg]
;W[di]
;B[ej]))
(;W[ii]
;B[ih]
;W[hh]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
sendol [-\]: not difficult
sendol [-\]: so, dont miss this variation
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]
(;B[ij]
;W[hi]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]
;B[hj]
;W[jj])
(;B[hi]
;W[ij]
;B[hg]
;W[gh]
;B[ig]
;W[jf]C[sendol [-\]: net
])))))
(;B[oc]C[sendol [-\]: naturally
]))
(;B[me]
;W[mc]
;B[nd]C[sendol [-\]: naturally
]))
(;W[rr]C[NannyOgg [-\]: oh
NannyOgg [-\]: didn't even read that
NannyOgg [-\]: interesting
sendol [-\]: bad aji
])
(;W[qq]
;B[qr]
;W[rr]
(;B[rs]
;W[qs]
;B[rq]
;W[ss]C[sendol [-\]: b traped
NannyOgg [-\]: sweet!
])
(;B[rq]
;W[qs])
(;B[qs]TR[qs]C[sendol [-\]: correct answer
]
(;W[rq]
;B[rs]
(;W[sr]
;B[sp]
;W[rm]
;B[sq]C[sendol [-\]: b safety
])
(;W[sq]
;B[sp]C[sendol [-\]: nothing
]))
(;W[rs])))
(;W[qs]
(;B[rr]
;W[ps]
(;B[rs]C[sendol [-\]: normal now
])
(;B[lq]
;W[qr]
;B[qq]
;W[rs]
;B[sr]
;W[rm]
;B[sn]C[sendol [-\]: b painful
]))
(;B[qr]
;W[rr]C[sendol [-\]: b trapped
])))
(;B[qr]))
(;B[pr]C[sendol [-\]: or
])
(;B[qr]C[sendol [-\]: correct
]))
(;B[bg]
;W[bf]
;B[lq]
;W[mr]
;B[kr]TR[bg][lq][kr]C[sendol [-\]: b had better follow this way
]))
(;W[eb]C[sendol [-\]: big yose
]
;B[fb]
(;W[qk])
(;W[bg]
;B[bh]
;W[qk]LB[qk:A]TR[eb][bg]C[sendol [-\]: big yose
sendol [-\]: A is also big points
])))
(;W[eb]
;B[fb]
;W[qk]TR[qk]C[sendol [-\]: connection
]
;B[hl]
;W[gj]
;B[gl]
;W[hj]TR[gj][hj][ik][jk]C[sendol [-\]: b gained nothing
sendol [-\]: instaed w take some profit
]))
(;B[lj]C[sendol [-\]: natuarlly
]))
(;W[qk]C[sendol [-\]: connect
sendol [-\]: is much better
]))
(;B[kn]C[sendol [-\]: settle
]))
(;W[ml]TR[ml]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
sendol [-\]: now w also need to take care
sendol [-\]: take care as wellas attack
])
(;W[lk]
;B[kn]
;W[lo]
;B[mm]
;W[nl]C[NannyOgg [-\]: yeah ^^
sendol [-\]: slightly w thin
]))
(;B[qe]
;W[rd]
;B[pc]
;W[re]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]
;B[qf]
;W[qb]
;B[pb]
;W[qa]
;B[rf]
;W[sb]
;B[kn]C[sendol [-\]: if b settled this weak group, b hopeful
]))
(;W[qe]
;B[rc]
;W[pe]
;B[od]
;W[oe]
;B[ne]
;W[nf]
(;B[me]
;W[lk]
;B[kn]
;W[lo]
;B[mm]
;W[nl]
;B[]
;W[qj]TR[qh]C[sendol [-\]: at least wcan take this b
])
(;B[of]
;W[me]
;B[nd]
;W[og]
;B[pf]
;W[pg]
;B[qf]
;W[qg]
;B[rf]
;W[rg]
;B[re]
;W[lk]TR[lk]C[sendol [-\]: b gained small
sendol [-\]: vital point
])))
(;B[je]
;W[if]
;B[ke]
;W[ld]
;B[le]
;W[md]
;B[nf]C[sendol [-\]: complicated
]))
(;W[jf]
;B[jb]
;W[lk]
;B[kn]
;W[lo]
;B[mm]
;W[nl]C[sendol [-\]: even if b alive,
]
;B[]
;W[pg]TR[pg]C[sendol [-\]: if w can extend, w much ahead
]
;B[]))
(;W[lk]C[sendol [-\]: still
]))
(;W[lk]C[sendol [-\]: since w very thick
sendol [-\]: w can attack severely
]
;B[kn]
;W[lo]
;B[mm]
;W[nl]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
NannyOgg [-\]: i felt my attack wasn't very good
sendol [-\]: evem if b alive, w very successful
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]))
(;B[gr]C[sendol [-\]: or
])
(;B[jk]C[sendol [-\]: run
]))
(;W[jk]C[sendol [-\]: kiai
]
;B[]
;W[hr]C[sendol [-\]: besides base
]
;B[hq]
;W[ir]
;B[jr]
;W[in]
(;B[io]
;W[iq]
;B[ip]
;W[jp]C[sendol [-\]: cut
]
;B[gr]
;W[gq])
(;B[iq]
;W[jm]
;B[lq]
;W[or]
;B[pr]
;W[mr]
;B[gr]
;W[fr]
;B[is]
;W[ks]
(;B[kr])
(;B[io]
;W[kn]
;B[jp]
;W[cf]C[sendol [-\]: alive but too poor
]))))
(;W[jp]LB[im:A][iq:B]C[sendol [-\]: miai
]
(;B[im]
;W[iq]
(;B[ip]
(;W[hr])
(;W[hq]C[sendol [-\]: big cash
]))
(;B[hr]
;W[ir]
;B[gr]
;W[dm]
;B[dn]
;W[cf]C[sendol [-\]: also w satgisfied
]))
(;B[ip]
;W[in]C[sendol [-\]: w can cut
]
;B[io]
;W[im]
(;B[ko]
;W[kp]
;B[lp]
;W[kq]
;B[kr]
;W[lq]C[NannyOgg [-\]: cool!
sendol [-\]: no ladder
])
(;B[kp]
;W[ko]
;B[lo]
;W[kn]
;B[ln]
;W[km]
;B[lp]
;W[qq]
;B[qr]
;W[iq]
;B[ir]
(;W[hq]
;B[hr]
;W[gq]
;B[kr]C[NannyOgg [-\]: sweet
]
;W[qk]C[sendol [-\]: w enough
])
(;W[kq]
;B[hq]
;W[kr]
;B[jr]
(;W[lq])
(;W[nr]
;B[gr]
;W[ml]C[sendol [-\]: big profit
]))))))
(;W[jm]C[sendol [-\]: still
]))
(;W[jm]C[sendol [-\]: still
]))
(;W[dn]
;B[cm]
;W[jm]TR[jm]C[sendol [-\]: w can surround
sendol [-\]: key move
NannyOgg [-\]: ic
sendol [-\]: even if b alive, w can take thick wall and take sente
]
(;B[lq]
;W[or]
;B[pr]
;W[kp]
;B[mr]
;W[kq]
;B[kr]
;W[iq]
(;B[ip]
;W[jr]
;B[jp]
;W[hr]C[sendol [-\]: b trapped
]
;B[nr]
;W[ko])
(;B[ir]
;W[jp]
;B[jr]
;W[hq]
(;B[gq]
;W[hr]
;B[gr]
;W[ip]
;B[hs]
;W[nr]C[sendol [-\]: deasd
])
(;B[nr]
;W[hr]C[sendol [-\]: w big profit
])))
(;B[hm]
;W[hl]
;B[il]
;W[im]
;B[gl]
;W[hk]
;B[fo]
;W[fl]C[sendol [-\]: nothing
])))
(;B[hm]
;W[gl]
;B[jm]C[sendol [-\]: should escape
]))
(;W[hr]C[sendol [-\]: base
]
;B[jp]
;W[ko]
;B[hm]
;W[dn]
;B[cm]
;W[ph]C[sendol [-\]: w enough
]))
(;W[dn]TR[dn]C[sendol [-\]: probe
]
;B[cm]
;W[go]
(;B[in]
;W[io]
;B[ho]
;W[hn]
;B[gn]
;W[hm]
;B[gp]
;W[fo]
;B[fp]
;W[ep]C[sendol [-\]: b in deep trouble
])
(;B[lq]
;W[or]
;B[pr]
;W[kp]
;B[mr]
;W[nr]
;B[gq]
;W[fr]
;B[kq]
;W[hr]
;B[ir]
;W[hq]
;B[iq]
;W[gp]
;B[kr]C[sendol [-\]: b can live but w getting very thick
]
;W[ph]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]))
(;W[hq]
;B[ip]
;W[dn]
(;B[cm]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
]
;W[hn]C[sendol [-\]: also good attack strategy
])
(;B[dm]
;W[en]
;B[hn]
;W[co]
;B[bn]
;W[em]
;B[dl]
;W[el]
;B[hl]
;W[bo]
;B[ao]
;W[dk]
;B[dj]
;W[ek]
(;B[cl]
;W[ch]C[sendol [-\]: w thick
])
(;B[cj]
;W[cl]
;B[cm]
;W[bl]
;B[bk]
;W[am]
;B[an]
;W[aq]
;B[bq]
;W[br]
;B[ak]
;W[cp]
;B[al]
;W[ap]
;B[bm]
;W[ce]TR[ce][ap][cp][aq][cq]C[sendol [-\]: w satisifed
sendol [-\]: w big profit
sendol [-\]: w take 2 big points
]))))
(;B[qq]
;W[qn]
;B[rn]
;W[qm]C[sendol [-\]: normal
]))
(;B[pp]
;W[po]
;B[oo]
;W[np]
;B[on]
;W[ro]
;B[rp]
;W[ql]
;B[mn]
;W[kp]
;B[gp]C[sendol [-\]: complicated fight
NannyOgg [-\]: messy ^^
sendol [-\]: so
]))
(;W[pn]TR[pn]C[sendol [-\]: solid
sendol [-\]: this is better
NannyOgg [-\]: ok
]))
(;B[qn]C[sendol [-\]: next w?
NannyOgg [-\]: c14
sendol [-\]: lower side?
NannyOgg [-\]: j3
]
(;W[cf]
;B[jp]
;W[nm])
(;W[iq])
(;W[jp]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
])))
(;W[cf]
;B[np]
;W[mq]
;B[no]
;W[jp]C[sendol [-\]: or
])
(;W[np]
;B[qn]
(;W[cf]C[sendol [-\]: positive idea
]
;B[jp]
;W[nm]C[NannyOgg [-\]: i see
])
(;W[jp]C[sendol [-\]: normal
sendol [-\]: slightly better
]
;B[ce]
;W[ed]
;B[jc]
;W[qf]C[sendol [-\]: flat opening
sendol [-\]: w insufficient
])))
(;W[cf]C[NannyOgg [-\]: ah
sendol [-\]: had better shimari
]))

This is a review by my teacher sendol

Thanks to Go for Life who put up a great explanation how to use eidogo for blogger.

Team Tournament

Last Saturday, three members of our go club drove down to Boston to play in a team tournament.

 

This was the first time I played in a team tournament.

 

We did not do particularly well (one win, three losses) but we had fun.

 

And I enjoyed the experience of playing go in a team, it was a different kind of energy.

 

When Ahead, Relax and Get Killed...

Once upon a time there was a go player who recently had started playing on cyberoro. Interesting playing style over there and she found herself losing a LOT more than winning. Mind you, she would like to pretend it was all because of the opponent needlessly complicating the game, not because of her lousy moves. But when she was honest with herself, she did realize that her own moves were just as much to blame as her opponent's moves.

Anyway, today, after many months of lost games, she logged on to cyberoro again to lose yet another game, figuring that the more games lost, the better the learning potential. Hmmmm, things weren't going so well till she killed a big group of her opponent. FINALLY! She got out the wine and cheese and crackers and started celebrating.

 

She was flying high on the wings of victory and laughed out loud when her opponent tried to complicate and kill something 'Ha! No way I am going to be killed! No way I need to play the thick (chicken?) move and connect my groups. I killed you, buster, I rock!'

Only of course I didn't. And I did get killed. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth and a vague memory of sayings like 'When ahead, play thickly.' and a sense of maybe ignoring that saying was not the right decision.

Gah.

So much for that victory dance.

I actually ended up winning the game anyway, even after losing that group, but I was very much not pleased with the way I almost managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Die and learn, indeed.

Studying Go in Korea

Even although I cannot go myself at the present time, I found myself drooling over the new web site from Baduk World. Some day I will visit and meet my teacher sendol in person!

For now I manage to get myself killed on cyberoro much more often than I would like to admit.

Montreal Tournament

I might not be playing as much as I should, but at least I am managing to go to tournaments.

 

Late February, we drove to Montreal on the same day that the Canadian ice hockey players defeated the Americans.

 

Beautiful location, great people, wonderful times.

 

Three slow games, I won the first one, lost the second one on sucky end game, and lost the third one on being too tired to care but had a great time during that game anyway.

 

First Tournament Game: Too Many Mistakes

My first game in Middlebury was fun, but I made too many mistakes in byo yomi and even before byo yomi. I am black in this game. It started quite innocent with him playing two sansans and me wondering how to reply. The situation was 'boring' till he played 8 so close my komoku stone. I think an approach at F16 or F17 seemed to be more advisable for him because of my black 7 stone at D10.



A pincer seemed like a good idea and I felt black was not doing badly after the pincer.



His A and B group both were not making many points, and my left and my upper right corner both were getting big. I could almost taste the victory here.

This seemed as good a time as any to make my first big mistake. I decided to approach his lower right sansan with black 1 and he, not unexpectedly, pincered with white 2. Now if only I had studied any san san pincer joseki, but I haven't. Guess I now know one, after reviewing this game, but during the tournament, I made up my own. Not very successfully.

I found myself losing a lot in that corner and the game felt not as victorious after this. As in 'Bah humbug, I can't believe I did that' annoyed at myself.



On the other hand, afterwards I did learn the correct joseki here:



I am regarding this game as a learning opportunity, both in playing against sansan and in managing my time (I made too many stupid mistakes in byo yomi)

For whoever is interested, click here to download a review of this game by my teacher sendol. This is the first time I am using google docs for a go game, please let me know if anyone has problems. Or if you have better options for posting games, since I have not really been keeping up with go blogging during my time off.

Middlebury Tournament

Finally played a real life tournament again. Here are photos.

Vermont: From the Word Go Tournament February 13 2010

The short story:

• Game 1: even against a shodan, I killed myself in byo yomi, oops.
  
• Game 2: even against a shodan, I ate a lot of his stones, including a basic corner shape when he ignored the sente descent. Study paying off ^^
  
• Game 3: giving 2 stones to a 2k, and he grew much bigger than I did, oh well.
  
• Game 4: giving 4 stones to a 4k, feeling way behind, but finagling one of his corners into a carpenter's square which sadly passed away, so I won that game.
  

Summary 2-2 result which is ok at my current level of rustiness (is that even a word? ^^)

Chinese Opening

It feels good to be playing again. Who needs a life anyway?

Yesterday I played Chinese opening as black, and met a move I hadn't seen before. White 6 is standard, black 7 is something I want to study more. I was afraid he would attach to my komoku stone and I would die a miserable death during the complications of that joseki, but no, he played an unexpected white 8.

 

I'll post the rest of this game in a few days, I am curious to hear what people would play now.

Happy New Year

May sente be with you.

 

New year seems a great time for a new start on this blog. Last year was a bit hectic with getting divorced and single parenting seven kids, and although I did get some go in, it was less than I really wanted to. I mostly studied, didn't play as I should.

Time to play more and live less.

 

Or something like that anyway.

Bedtime Ladder Problem

I haven't been playing much, but I have been doing pretty regular go problems. Tonight I finally managed to actually get a KGS game in. I played a guest and my 'capturing stones' problems sure did pay off.



I am white, he is black. It is not a particularly hard ladder to read, but it still made me feel good to see that I could capture those two triangle stones easily into a ladder. He didn't agree, so played out the ladder and escaped when he discovered that it failed for him. Oops ^^

Jack's Go Congress Blog and AGA's New Site

Jack is a player from the Vermont Go Club who is attending the current American go congress. He is sharing his adventures with us by writing an excellent blog. Go Jack, go!

 

He posted a link to the new American Go Association Go Database, where one can look up so many more statistics than we ever were able to do on the old site. I am impressed!

Boston Results

It was a good tournament. The disadvantage of a smaller tournament (26 people) though is that one ends up playing a lot of handicap games. In this case, I gave handicap twice out of four games.

 

I gave 3H and lost.
I gave 9H and lost.
I clearly have room for improvement in my handicap game skills.

 

Thankfully, the other two games were even and I won one and lost one. Perfect ^^

End result 1-3. Good enough for a rusty player and I am learning so much already from the game reviews. More details later.

Boston Go Tournament

I kind of forgot that there was a go tournament in Boston this week, but luckily my friends helped me remember and pushed me to actually attend. Tomorrow the four of us will drive down to Boston and meet another member of the Upper Valley Go Club there.

 

Today I considered panicking that I wasn't ready and that I couldn't play, but instead I did many go problems and replayed a shusaku game twice. My five years old assisted me by excavating some dinosaur bones right next to me and by making fairy dust out of leaves, which somehow ended up all over my goban.

 

Guide dog in training Giant helped by making sure the cats wouldn't interrupt my studies.

 

It will be interesting to see how my games are tomorrow, I have been having a bit too much life and not enough go, but who cares. I will do the best I can.

Playing Go at Borders

Once a month, our go club visits the cafe at our local Borders book store and plays a few games. We also are available to teach anyone who is interested and have the times publicized in our local newspaper 'activities calendar' so that people know about it.

 

Even although one would think that tons of people would show up for free go lessons, we tend to usually have only one or two on a good day. We still continue playing at Borders because we feel it is good public outreach to play in such a visible place and tell people about the game.

 

Last Saturday we played there and had a great time. Five of our members showed up and one new person joined us. He had played go in the past and was happy to get to play again, even if he was a bit rusty.

 

One little boy asked about the game, but he did not want to learn how to play. At least now he knows about the existence of go and maybe some day he will be interested to learn.

 

I wish I had more time to do more public outreach like this, maybe when things settle down after the move.