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._
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• 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.

Overview

It seems I’m on a trend of not playing as many games anymore, but I’m okay with that for now since I’m currently in a big study mode. I have over 100+ books in my collection (and that’s physical books mind you) and I have barely made a dent. In addition, I have another plan to immerse myself in studying Korean style go books. It will involve buying lots of new books and changing my regimen, but before I do that I want to finish all the Kiseido series that I have started. So, be on the lookout for lots more book reviews!

Games

• KGS - 3 games (2 wins : 1 loss)
• DGS - 2 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Training

• Worked on _Essential Life & Death,__ Vol. 2 _everyday.
• Worked a little bit on Attacking and Defending Moyos.
• Worked through Modern Master Games, Vol. 1.
• Finished Positional Judgment.
• Started and finished The Direction of Play.
• Started Elementary Go Series - Tesuji.

Lessons Learned

1. I am not vigilant when it comes to reading out sequences properly.
2. I still play “wishful go” and think that my opponents will respond to things that I myself would never respond to.
3. To help remedy my problem of playing moves without thinking, I’m trying to take one deep breath before each move to try and slow down.

Overview

This has been an interesting week that was fraught with frustration, but paired with deep introspection that yielded something valuable for me as a whole. Although it took me some time to realize, there was a growing tendency for me to rush in both Go and my life in general. So, I am grateful that go has once again provided an avenue for me to improve my life as a whole once again. Beginning the path back to zen will have a number of butterfly effects, but I have a feeling they will be far from regrettable. =)

Games

• KGS - 4 games (2 wins : 2 losses)
• DGS - 1 ongoing game
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Training

• Finished _Essential Life & Death: Vol. 1 and started Vol. 2_.
• Finished reading The Chinese Opening by Yuan Zhou.
• Started working on _Attacking and Defending Moyos _by Zeijst and Bozulich.
• Started reading _Modern Master Games, Vol. 1 _by Zeijst and Bozulich.
• Started working on _Positional Judgment _by Cho Chikun.

Lessons Learned

1. If I feel like I am strapped for time or rushed before I even start a game, it’s probably best to not even bother playing.
2. To refrain from kyu tunnel vision, I need to look at the board with fresh eyes after every move.

Overview

This week seems to have been dwindling down in terms of playing. Part of it is due to the fact that I know that I’ve been in more aggressive mood lately (which usually leads to me going on tilt), but I think the other part is that I am getting in a study groove again. I’ve gotten an urge to try and read as many books as I can possibly can before needing to burning out from studying, by which of course then it’ll be time to play more games again. On top of that, I’m also trying to really create a robust Book Review section for this blog so that players can really get a sense of what they’re buying when selecting a book.

Games

• KGS - 1 game (0 wins : 1 loss)
• DGS - 1 ongoing game
• Nova - 1 ongoing game

Training

• Started the Essential Life & Death series again.
• Finished the theory section and some problems in Mastering the Basics: Ko.
• Finished my first reading of Kage’s Secret Chronicles of Handicap Go.
• Started reading The Chinese Opening by Yuan Zhou.

Lessons Learned

1. If I can’t give 100% of my attention to a game of go, I should refrain from playing with strangers.
2. I need to re-discipline my reading abilities so that I feel certain about what might happen instead of playing a move because it “looks like it’ll work.”

Overview

This week has been a little light in regards to playing, but I got a chance to participate in the MD Open (which I will post about tomorrow) and gain some really valuable insight from my sensei frozensoul. Some of the ideas are still sort of jumbled and not clearly integrated in my play yet; but this week has felt like a big shift for me in terms of my perspective of the game in addition to taking one step closer to sharpening my blade.

Games

• Tournament - 2 games (2 wins: 0 losses)
• KGS - 1 game (0 wins : 1 loss)
• DGS - 2 ongoing games
• Nova - 2 ongoing games

Training

• 20 tsumego problems each day.
• Finished Mastering the Basics: The Basics of Go Strategy.
• Started and working on Mastering the Basics: Ko.
• Working on Kage’s Secret Chronicles of Handicap Go.

Lessons Learned

1. Being able to treat forcing moves as light stones has made a world of difference in my play.
2. I am starting to understand how to exploit aji in conjunction with forcing moves and probes.
3. Being able to estimate territory (even to only some accuracy) has really helped me figure out what I need to do to possibly win the game.

Overview

In case it wasn’t apparent to everyone, this week has been entirely centered around boxing analogies along with handicap go. There hasn’t been as many ranked games as I might have liked, but the amount of go I’ve been playing/studying seems to be harmonizing much better with the rest of my life. Still fine tuning a number of things, but just glad to not feel overwhelemed by go anymore.

Games

• KGS - 2 games (2 wins : 0 losses)
• DGS - 2 ongoing games
• Nova - 3 ongoing games

Training

• 20 tsumego problems each day.
• Worked Mastering the Basics: The Basics of Go Strategy.
• Started reading Kage’s Secret Chronicles of Handicap Go.

Lessons Learned

1. When attacking, strike at the vital points while maintaining strength and not overextending yourself.
2. It’s okay to let things live or give your opponents points, as long as you are getting more in return.
3. Don’t over think your moves in turn based go. Rather than spend hours staring at the screen trying to make the perfect move, you will learn and gain more by playing more games and learning from your mistakes.