Friday Go Forward: Week 30

Overview

Sorry I’ve been so MIA this week. I meant to write some journal posts, but things have gotten to a whole new level of crazy as I now must juggle boxing, Chinese, freelancing, blogging, and go while working full-time and having some sort of social life. The highlight for this week is that I was promoted to 4 kyu and it seems like it’s going to be sticking around. Still have a lot of things to work on, but it was nice to see some results in my ranking. In addition, I have started whittling down on my massive book list so that I can get back to more quality studying. Anyhow, back to the craziness! I’ll see you all next week!

Games

• KGS - 5 games
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Daily Training

• 10 Intermediate Life & Death Problems - Magic Baduk Go (iPhone)
• 10 Pages of Jump Level Up 1
• 25 Problems from the Get Strong at Go Series.

Reading Material

• Finished The Workshop Lectures Volume 5.
• Finished Joseki Jeongseok Compass.
• Finished The ABC’s of Attack and Defense.
• Finished Get Strong at Joseki 1.
• Working on The Workshop Lectures Volume 6.
• Worked on Jump Level Up 1.
• Worked on Fight Like a Pro.
• Started working on Get Strong at Joseki 2.

Friday Go Forward: Week 29

Overview

So I’m going to change up the format of my progress report in hopes of determining my own training menu and give you better insight into what I’m doing each week. Instead of an “Education and Training” section, I’ve split it up into “Training” and “Reading Material” so there is a clear distinction of what I’m actively doing. My training regimen is far from what I would like it to be at the moment, but my goal this week has been to establish consistent and disciplined habits in order to make continuous gains. I’m sure I will still find wrinkles in my system as I progress, but the key thing I’ll have to remember is to always “fail forward!”

Games

• KGS - 3 games
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Daily Training

• 10 Intermediate Life & Death Problems - Magic Baduk Go (iPhone)
• 10 Pages of Jump Level Up 1
• 1 Joseki from Joseki Jeongseok Compass
• 25 Problems from the Get Strong at Go Series.

Reading Material

• Finished The Workshop Lectures Volume 4.
• Finished Get Strong at Joseki 1.
• Worked on Jump Level Up 1.
• Worked on Joseki Jeongseok Compass.
• Worked on Fight Like a Pro.

Friday Go Forward: Week 28

Overview

Over this past week, I’ve been rather introspective about where I am in life and where I want to be over the next few years. While go has been an incredible addition to my life and has enriched in a more ways than I can count, I am working on figuring out how to utilize other aspects of growth to not only improve my overall self-achievement; but to also as transfer that knowledge back to go as well. A simple of example of this was my post on boxing earlier this week. So while my studying and playing has been rather laid back, I’m optimistic of the changes I’m making and the impact it’ll have on my go abilities. =)

Games

• KGS - 4 games
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Worked on Jump Level Up 1.
• Worked on Joseki Jeongseok Compass.
• Worked on Takao’s Astute Use of Brute Force.
• Worked on Fight Like a Pro.
• Worked on Get Strong at Joseki 1.
• Worked on The Workshop Lectures Volume 4.

Friday Go Forward: Week 27

Overview

Though this week cannot even begin to live up to 1% of the awesomeness that is happening on at US Go Congress, I will have to say that it has been a rather productive week. I’ve started really diving into some new books in an effort to really further my understanding of my failure as a player: the inability to attack properly. If you’re wondering why I make it sound so dramatic, it’s because I always considered myself more of a fighter / power type of player, and what kind of fighter or power player am I if I can’t even attack properly? Haha. =D But I think I’m making good headway on that, so hopefully I won’t have to write about this weakness of mine for much longer. Till next week!

Games

• KGS - 5 games
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Started and finished The Workshop Lectures Volume 2.
• Started and finished The Workshop Lectures Volume 3.
• Finished Get Strong at the Opening.
• Worked on Jump Level Up 1.
• Worked on Joseki Jeongseok Compass.
• Worked on Takao’s Astute Use of Brute Force.
• Worked on Fight Like a Pro.
• Started working on Get Strong at Joseki 1.
• Started working on The Workshop Lectures Volume 4.
• Started working on The ABC’s of Attack and Defense.
• Started working on Breakthrough Attacking Power.

Lesson Learned

1. Whether you win or lose, the important thing is to find something you can learn from the game.

Friday Go Forward: Week 26

Overview

Friday Go Forward has officially half a year old! Woot! Hard to believe that 6 months have passed since I first started this weekly series, but I’m definitely glad that fellow go player Feather suggested it to me! It’s certainly been really helpful to document my own progress and force myself to evaluate how each week is going.

With that happy note said and done, this week has been a great launching point to start diving back into playing again. Though I am still finding it difficult to find the time to properly play a ranked game with proper time settings, it has been good to simply stretch my go legs once again. As some might notice in my training below, it also seems like my studying has ramped up again; but I assure you that I am definitely taking it a lot slower with my studying. I’m just simply letting the go muses inspire me as I continue my journey to gain another stone. Whatever topic comes to mind that I’m interested in is what I study. Might seem haphazard, but I’m actually having quite a bit of fun. =D

Games

• KGS - 4 games
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 3 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Started and finished Level Up 10._
  _
• Started and finished Level Up Review 2.
• Started and finished The Workshop Lectures Volume 1.
• Started working on Jump Level Up 1.
• Started working on Joseki Jeongseok Compass.
• Started working on Get Strong at the Opening.
• Started working on The Workshop Lectures Volume 2.
• Started working on Takao’s Astute Use of Brute Force.
• Started working on Vital Points and Skillful Finesse for Sabaki.

Lesson Learned

1. Although studying and learning about theory is important, application is just as critical (if not more so) to one’s growth as well. Thanks to moboy78 for reminding me of that.

Friday Go Forward: Week 25

Overview

Having nearly burned out after my last couple weeks of intensive study, I’ve scaled back on the study and refocused all of my energy on the Level Up Series. I have plans to slowly scale up to a more balanced regimen, but for now this seems to be working for me. Overall though, this week has been pretty calm. Nothing too crazy. The most memorable part was being able to attend the monthly go workshop. Otherwise though, just moving forward one step at a time…

Games

• KGS - 1 game
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 3 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Started and finished Level Up 7._
  _
• Started and finished Level Up 8.
• Started and finished Level Up 9.
• Started working on Level Up 10.
• Working on Mastering the Basics, Vol. 8 - Fight Like a Pro.
• Started reading _Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go _again.

Lesson Learned

1. Focus on each game by trying to make the best move on a whole board scale.

Overview

While it’s been fun reading so many books at once, I am starting to feel the weight of my training bear down on me. My usual nightly routine now essentially is comprised of me trying to study until I literally pass out. Then I wake up randomly in a couple of hours, and make my way to bed. Needless to say, it’s not the most productive route and it definitely starting to take a toll on me. I need a more efficient system then what I’ve been doing. Haha. So starting next week, I plan on cutting down the number of books and trying to get everything into a better balance.

Games

• KGS - 1 game
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 4 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Finished Level Up Review 1.
• Finished Elementary Go Series, Vol. 6 - The Endgame.
• Finished Whole Board Thinking of Joseki, Vol. 1.
• Finished Essential Life & Death 3.
• Started and finished Level Up 6._
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• Started and finished Elementary Go Series, Vol. 7 - Handicap Go.
• Started and finished Whole Board Thinking of Joseki, Vol. 2.
• Started working on Level Up 7.
• Started working on Essential Life & Death 4.
• Worked on Mastering the Basics, Vol. 8 - Fight Like a Pro.

Lesson Learned

1. Unless I actually take the time to count and estimate the board position, I am no longer allowed to resign.

Overview

As many of you probably noticed, I have been pretty consumed with studying go and releasing book reviews as fast as I can. My progress with the Level Up series has been great! I’ve been averaging about 1.5 days for each volume. Not as fast as I wish I was, but not bad in the scheme of things. It’s been really great to see what kids in Korea have been learning and realizing how unstable my fundamentals were in comparison. I’m hoping that I will be finished with the Level Up series by next week so that I can find out what’s in store for me in the Jump Level Up series.

Also, many thanks to Malcolm for setting me on the path to finally working out the kinks in the email subscriptions. As some of you might have noticed, email newsletters are going to be looking a lot different! The design is far from finished, but I wanted to at least release the initial version of the email layout so that you wouldn’t have to deal with the horrendous layout that Jetpack was sending at one point. Hope it makes for a better reading experience!

**Update: It seems that Jetpack was still turned on this morning so the email newsletter might have been sent twice. Sorry to anyone on the subscriber list! I am working to iron out all the kinks with the new email subscription plugin.

Games

• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 3 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Finished Modern Master Games, Vol. 1.
• Finished Elementary Go Series, Vol 5 - Attack and Defense.
• Finished Level Up 2.
• Started and finished Level Up 3, 4 and 5.
• Started working on Level Up Review 1.
• Started working on Mastering the Basics, Vol. 8 - Fight Like a Pro.
• Started working on Elementary Go Series, Vol 6 - The Endgame.
• Worked on Whole Board Thinking of Joseki, Vol. 1.
• Worked on Essential Life & Death 3.

Friday Go Forward: Week 22

Overview

As I’m sure you all are aware, this week marks the start of my Korean Training Reboot! I am having the time of life as I’m going over the basics of all basics for the first time ever. Now I know it probably sounds stupid to some of you that I’m spending my time on books intended for 30 kyus, but I feel like I am getting a lot of value just drilling basics such as “can my stone escape from atari.” It’s not so much that I’m learning something “new,” but instead I am really trying to polish the fundamentals of my reading ability. Here’s to hoping I know what I’m doing!

Games

• DGS - 2 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Finished Attacking and Defending Moyos.
• Finished on Elementary Go Series, Vol 4 - Life and Death.
• Started and finished Level Up 1.
• Started working on Level Up 2.
• Worked on Modern Master Games, Vol. 1.
• Worked on Elementary Go Series, Vol 5 - Attack and Defense.
• Worked on Whole Board Thinking of Joseki, Vol. 1.
• Worked on Essential Life & Death 3.

Friday Go Forward: Week 21

Overview

If it isn’t apparent, my studying sessions have gotten pretty crazy. I know that it would be better for me to focus on one book at a time, but my attention span just can’t handle too much of one topic. As much as I’d love to fully absorb everything I’m reading, my goal is to absorb as much as possible with the least amount of time and effort. Therefore, if I am getting bored and not really paying attention anymore, I move on to another topic.

I know it’s not the most thorough method, but I have a lot of books that I’d love to read and different explanations to be exposed to. Once I’ve reviewed every book that I own, you can be sure that I will be returning to the ones that I want to really gain a mastery over. So for now, I’m okay with being a jack of all trades and master of none. xD

Games

• KGS - 0 games (0 wins : 0 losses)
• DGS - 3 ongoing games
• Nova - 3 ongoing games

Education & Training

• Finished Essential Life & Death,__ Vol. 2.
• Finished The Direction of Play.
• Finished Elementary Go Series - Tesuji.
• Worked on Attacking and Defending Moyos.
• Worked on Modern Master Games, Vol. 1.
• Started working on Elementary Go Series, Vol 4 - Life and Death.
• Started working on Elementary Go Series, Vol 5 - Attack and Defense.
• Started working on Whole Board Thinking of Joseki, Vol. 1.
• Started working on Essential Life & Death, Vol. 3.