Reached 8k Today

Yay, I earned another stone. However, I've been a little behind in this blog. This is due to college, but hopefully I'll put a couple posts during spring break and play more games.

So, far I think my strategic thinking is getting a lot better, because I try to play consistently. I just have to make sure I don't make those huge mistakes. :)

Korean insei Na Hyun beat 2 top professionals straight!

Korean insei Na Hyun beat 2 top professionals straight!

I've read this on 9dan.com. This 11 year old kid is really good at go. I find it amazing that he can beat two professionals back to back. I'm so weak that he could probably crush me easily even with a 9 stone handicap.

I'm looking at a goal of 1 dan by July in the very earliest, by January by the latest. This article made me realize that despite that jump in strength, I still would be tremendously weak against professionals and inseis.

So I'm asking myself, "Can I play on a competitive level someday?" Perhaps, most likely not, but I think I should give it a shot. I learned the game a few years ago, but I never played consistently enough to have steady progress. However, even if I practice every day, I wonder if that's enough.

Well, I should probably walking on my road to shodan, than just sitting around thinking about it... Away I go!

David Dang

Go and the "Three Games"

Go and the "Three Games"

It's been awhile since I made a post. This is due to me going back to school, and I'm trying to get everything in control. I haven't played as much go as I have during break, but I try to play at least a game a day. Here's an interesting read on Go compared to two other games; backgammon and chess. It's great, because it's not a novel. The essay is an interesting read when you have time. I would suggest this essay to anyone, but perhaps more towards beginners learning the game so that one can see the difference between Go and other games.

Game 27: Death by Fire 2

Game 27: 3 Stone Handicap Me(10k) vs Ping(6k)

This was incredible. I challenge this 6k to a three stone handicap game. He changed it, so he got the three stones. So I was playing against a stronger player who got a handicap. I was so mad, but I played calmly (Well at least in the beginning before getting frustrated), and tried my best.

However, I could've easily won the game if I played my best. I think I was a little intimidated that a higher rank had the handicap. However, I don't think my opponent was 6k, because I was able to actually closing the gap.

The game is commented by me below.

• First
• Back
• Forward
• Last
• Pass

Variations:

none

Tool:

► Play → Jump to Move ● Black Stone ○ White Stone ▲ Triangle ■ Square ● Circle × X A Letter 5 Number Ç Custom Label ▓ Dim ░ Clear Marker Corner Search Center Search

Handicap:

3

Komi:

0.50

Result:

B+51.50

Date:

19 January 2010

Place:

The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/

Overtime:

1x30 byo-yomi

Time limit:

1800

Created with:

CGoban:3

Bonaparte [10k]: Hello
Bonaparte [10k]: Good luck

Done

Done

close search

 matches found. Showing -

White Black Result Date

captures: 0

time left: --

ping, 6k

captures: 0

time left: --

Handicap:

3

Komi:

0.50

Result:

B+51.50

Date:

19 January 2010

Place:

The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/

Overtime:

1x30 byo-yomi

Time limit:

1800

Created with:

CGoban:3

Show variations on board

Mark current move

Game 26: Death by Fire

Game 26: Me(10k) vs Bazilikan (8k)

Go teaches that when up against opposition, one must be calm and rationale and not lose themselves to anger. This applies in real life situation. This includes Texas Hold'em, arguments with friends, and driving. If one loses themselves to anger, they will lose money, friends, and even their life. Go is a game, but it can be used as a tool to see who you are through your game. It is possible to see your own personal weaknesses be the same as your weaknesses in your game.

When I play go angrily, I try to play as aggressive as I can, especially when I lose one of my groups early in the game. In go, groups need to create two eyes in order for them to be not surrounded and captured. When two eyes are not created, the group is called a dead group. Stones that separate groups are called cutting stones. This allows the player to make threats to kill a group that does not have two eyes.

Here is an image of living groups that have two eyes. These groups cannot be captured.



Players who wish to get better at go, work on Life and Death problems. There are problems that require you to make a living a group, and there are also problems that require you to kill your opponent's group. Unfortunately, I was never very good at life and death, which will be obvious in this game.

In this short game. I recently lost my ASR League game against Suai, and then Bazilikan offered to play a game against me. The trouble started when I pincered by white and didn't know how to respond to the peep. Then, it all went downhill, because I did not protect the right cutting point. As a result, I paid a heavy price by losing my group. I did not see clearly, and my group died in gote, which was very frustrating. As a result, I made many moves that I thought were aggressive to try to make up the points. Afterward, I realized they extremely easy to refute, and it was not the type of play I would normally make. Through my anger, I allowed my two groups to die in this game.

However, in the future, I will be more mindful of my temper. So at least, I can give my opponent a decent game.

• First
• Back
• Forward
• Last
• Pass

Variations:

none

Tool:

► Play → Jump to Move ● Black Stone ○ White Stone ▲ Triangle ■ Square ● Circle × X A Letter 5 Number Ç Custom Label ▓ Dim ░ Clear Marker Corner Search Center Search

Komi:

6.50

Result:

W+Resign

Date:

16 January 2010

Place:

The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/

Overtime:

10x60 byo-yomi

Time limit:

1800

Created with:

CGoban:3

Bonaparte [10k]: good luck

Done

Done

close search

 matches found. Showing -

White Black Result Date

captures: 0

time left: --

Bonaparte, 10k

captures: 0

time left: --

Komi:

6.50

Result:

W+Resign

Date:

16 January 2010

Place:

The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/

Overtime:

10x60 byo-yomi

Time limit:

1800

Created with:

CGoban:3

Show variations on board

Mark current move

Go a Game

Here's my first post for for this blog.

So, I've decided to put some philosophical musing to the game instead of uploading my games so I can look at my comments in a chronological order. Go has many references to life, and every time I play, I learn another concept to life.

I saw this in a person's profile on KGS (Kiseido Go Server) "If Go is like a war, then chess is a a knife fight in a phone booth." Go is a simple game with few rules compared to chess, but the game is far more complex and difficult to master. Computers can dominate grandmasters in chess, but not against go professionals.

For those who don't know what a go set looks like. Here's a picture below.



I decided instead of explaining the rules. Why don't you play it? Here's the link to the go site where I first learned how to play.
Learn to Play Go

In the future, I hope to write about how go relates to life and vice versa. It's quite interesting and when you play enough, you see a reflection of yourself in the game. The only philosophical thing I learned from chess was "You don't kill pieces, you capture them.... so you can kill them later". (I'm kidding)

For the go players at godiscussion.com, feel free comment on your views of go.

David Dang

Game 25: 4 Stone Handicap Me(10k) vs Javaness

Game 25: 4 Stone Handicap Me(10k) vs Javaness

So this is the second game that I played against my teacher, Javaness (Ian Davis). I felt very good about this game, because I performed a lot better than my previous game when I had a six stone handicap. To me, that feels odd, but I guess it shows that I've been getting better.

I'm starting to get a feel for my own style. It's strong attacks with severe moves. I find it kind of interesting. However, I'm looking at other styles to give myself a look into what pros are playing. It's absolutely fascinating.

Anyway, it seems I've gotten out of the habit of going over through my moves on my blog, but I'm kind of lazy. So, I'll start with one and I'll see how it goes.

Move 57 I think I should've hasseled white more, but I was wondering whether having territory between two walls is good. I guess the answer is yes, in the case of the game I played. Over concentration should be what I'm worried about.

Well, I've realized that this will take forever to reach 1000 games, and perhaps maybe I'll be a 1p by the time I finish on the last one. Well... I hope that happens.

David Dang