Review Request: 14k vs 14k

Teaching Reviews requests
1

Hello

In this game I was White against a 14k. I tried to play solid, avoiding complications.
Maybe it isn’t the best game for a review due to rival’s blunders, but I really want to see my own mistakes dealing with overplays, especially at move 53.
Also i would like to know how to use shoulder hit. I feel it has a lot of potencial that could help me.

Thanks

:yum:

2

heres few of my thoughts about that game:

Move 53 cant be called overplay - its kinda your opponents only hope - he needs to do something about your top-central moyo (not territory yet!)

About shoulder hits - I dont think you should play one in this game, but in general use them when you want to reduce opponents potential against stone on 3rd line. Read two short primers bellow and just try in few times (after big points are taken!)
https://senseis.xmp.net/?Reduction
https://senseis.xmp.net/?ShoulderHit

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3

Nice, thanks for the review. :smiley:

I have two questions:

How I deal/make reductions and invasions?

And a tricky one
Where I should put effort to progress?

Thanks

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4

Quite tough questions to answer…

To decide between invasion or reduction - try to estimate score and from that how many points you need to destroy. Its good to have multiple possible option what you want to accomplish (connect to your group, live locally, expose opponents weakness, …) If you are invading you want ideally both enough space and some aji in opponents position. Try to stay light and be willing to sacrifice few stones if needed. When dealing with (reasonable) invasions/reductions protect most valuable part of your territory and try to gain something from attacking opponents group (you can live small, but I will turn rest of my moyo into territory + get wall there) If you need to kill an invasion surround -> go for eyespace. Unfortunately it very comlex question that is highly situational so there are no easy answers - but that makes go great.

Similarly where to put effeort is complex question - I quickly checked some of your latest games, here is few pointers:

  1. reading - try to read possible sequences before playing each move - its essential part of go and effort put there will pay of greatly.
  2. keep your eyes on bigger picture - its so easy to get lost in some petty local fight only to find your opponent got significantly stronger somewhere, where it matters
  3. experiment - try new ideas in games. Have you played super solid lately? try few extremely aggresive games. Have you played mostly territorial go? Try some 5-4 openings. Have you played games where both have one huge group? Try game where both will have multiple samll groups. Feel free to go really far in these experiments - you will learn strenght and weakness of different things, which will lead to much more balanced strategy.
  4. use your opponents weapons - Did you lost to something in few games? Try it! You will either find effective strategy against future opponents or learn how to deal with it when someone uses it against you again - its even better imo.
  5. Training tsumego and shape problems of course also helps, seems ok for your current kyu - focus on it later
  6. Joseki (and fuseki) - I dont think they are that valuble before SDK levels - feel free to look at most common ones though

If you like books Lessons in fundamentals of Go is a great for stronger DDKs, also easy to read. Dont get fooled by tittle its not book for begginers at all.

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