Ok, since sometimes reviews go over my head, I tried to review my own game. Probably most of it is completely mistaken. So maybe this is an unusual request, but it would be interesting to have a review of my review (I don’t know if the format permits this…)
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not unusual to ask for a review on a review. i think its a good idea to challenge your own ideas and instead of just listening, be a part of the conversation.
i went through the game real quick. enjoy.
edit: I didnt have a lot of time, but if you have additional questions or need something explained just ask.
Thanks for all the good advice!
I will point out the problem with your game here was that you didn’t deal with black’s moyo at all. Early on you mapped out your territory pretty solidly but after that didn’t do much while black’s moyo was growing. Considering you lost only by 2.5 points just a little reduction would solve that problem.
What is a “moyo”? Do you mean he had a growing (potential) territory? Yes, I saw that, but I didn’t know how to attack it. I guess I will just have to try anyway, and lose tempo but win experience in how to invade something that seems impenetrable.
A moyo is like a loose framework where you are staking out influence over a part of the board.
Ok, thanks.
What’s basically the reason that I lose games, is that I am so busy defending or creating territories, that meanwhile my opponent does not have to worry about his or her own territories. He/she only has to cut my lines, attack, lock me in, force me to defend. Meanwhile, “all that is left” is his/hers, which most of the time is more than what I have.
I know this, but I have no idea how to change my style, because when I don’t defend or care about my territories, I lose even more.
The only games I win are against people who play like me: worried about their territories.
I’m far from being an expert but it sounds like it’s a matter of deciding when you have “defended” enough. That it to say once all your groups can make two eyes if they need to then you can go the the offensive and attack anything of your opponent’s that looks weak. It might be a whole group or poking into a moyo. I gained about three stones in rank when I worked out about checking how many groups I actually had on the board and which were strong and which weak.
Well, call it magic, call it supernatural, or call it just my stupidity, but within 5 or 6 moves into the game, when I play against anyone stronger than 18k, more often than not, I am lost. Neither he nor I have at that stage any two eyes, but that doesn’t matter. All my “big moves” have been cut, all my small moves are locked in, and the rest of the game is just waiting for the end. I have no idea. I have been playing for three years now, and I still have no idea how to do openings. I could learn fuskei or joseki or whatever they are called but that’s pretty pointless if I don’t understand them. So, well, that’s how it is.
People dislike when it’s pointed out but I will! Because if not me, then who?
“2 minutes main time, followed by 1 15 seconds periods” is a rather fast time control. With these types of settings you have no time to think of anything new or apply new techniques. You’re only applying and reinforcing what you already know (which includes your bad habits).
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No, I don’t dislike you pointing this out to me. You’re absolutely right. Of course thinking longer would help me. If onky I knew how to think. But I don’t get it. I occasionally play longer games (started by others) but it doesn’t help because I lack the basic skill of patience and I don’t know what to think anyway, so I end up playing fast. Just the basic situation of B having 2 corner stones and one in the centre of a side and W two corner stones and now has to play, I am already stuck. It does’t matter if I think 10 minutes or 10 seconds. I sometimes play against a computer (Cosumi.en) and I can take any time I want but I will still lose because I have got no idea.
At any given point during the opening phase you are just making choices between a list of options.
- Approach a corner
- Enclose a corner
- Take a big side point
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