tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70974342794867939032023-11-15T22:06:48.202-08:00Double HaneDoublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-5286871737344032312012-02-03T00:21:00.000-08:002012-02-03T00:21:36.268-08:00Something Nice - Empty TriangleHi,<br />
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I will try to find time to write about my invasion studies this weekend. It all dpeends on whether I will have time on sunday.<br />
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In the meantime, here is something nice: <a href="http://www.emptytriangle.com/" target="_blank">Empty Triangle</a><br />
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It is a webcomic about go. And as long as you do not know it already, chances are you will find a couple of entertaining hours over there ;)Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-68149628613722863772012-01-25T12:19:00.000-08:002012-01-25T12:20:35.451-08:00I'm back - Status updateIt's been a while since my last post, so I want to assure the few people coming along each day that I'm still here.<br />
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Here is a quick update about interesting Go-related things in my life:</div>
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1) I finally managed to cross the 12 Kyu line on Dragoon Go and there are more good games coming in soon. I feel I'm really close to reaching my first main goal in Go: Become Single Digit Kyu!</div>
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2) I'm still visiting the new Kaya Go server every day. It is awesome and I will tell you more about it very soon. </div>
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3) I'm currently studying invasions in stones being 3 stones apart. Another topic for the blog, but that will have to wait until I reached some kind of conclusion. I realized that writng while studying leads to poor quality. That is one of the reasons why I did not write that many articles recently.</div>
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4) A guy from the Kaya server has started a petition to bring Baduk TV to the west. He needs your name and the amount of money ou would be willing to pay/month for a subscription. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can find out all about his Baduk TV movement <a href="http://beginningpath.blogspot.com/p/test.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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That's it for the day.</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-21560416590210346332011-12-29T01:08:00.000-08:002011-12-29T01:10:05.324-08:00Between 2011 and 2012The week between the years is more quiet than usual. There won't be any more posts, though. I'm lazy and also need some time to figure out some not-go-related stuff for myself.<br />
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I do still hang on on Kaya every day. I won my first three matches - which is nice. I really thought I might be the weakest player on the server. As it turns out there are players with all kinds of strength present on Kaya.</div>
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I also still work on the double low approach to the 4-4 stone. There will be a post about it next year ;)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year! ;)</span></div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-72089366407884210202011-12-24T00:44:00.000-08:002011-12-24T01:53:39.629-08:00Kaya GS - First Impressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pRXcP_NB-DTDxFeiKsgNEom7L1Gcx6Rj1sNJLfhv9e1Yr4FRLpLRTBNeXagQpHvaRDAOKD98y4Q92UaSc7w6EgbT4Is4F6ckz_WvIoJifiX9EVDxT9ZZnCcgPyjQh-TeT3a7Z2DHbuhW/s1600/kaya-go-server-logo-t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pRXcP_NB-DTDxFeiKsgNEom7L1Gcx6Rj1sNJLfhv9e1Yr4FRLpLRTBNeXagQpHvaRDAOKD98y4Q92UaSc7w6EgbT4Is4F6ckz_WvIoJifiX9EVDxT9ZZnCcgPyjQh-TeT3a7Z2DHbuhW/s200/kaya-go-server-logo-t.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Last night the Kaya GS alpha started just in time for the holidays.<br />
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It is very interesting to see a project like this in such an early stage.<br />
One can look at the very core of it and imagine it grow.<br />
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The good news: People can already meet each other online and play Go (well, if they do not happen to use a browser with issues - it is alpha after all ;)).<br />
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The bad news: So far I have none.<br />
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More important to me than sheer functionality is the fact that I really liked Kaya. Out of some reason I never got warm with any internet go server other than Dragon Go - and that one is turn based. Whenever I tried to play a game on other platforms (KGS being the most obvious choice), I realized that I just could not feel the game the way I feel it on a real board. I do not get emotional invested in it and so I play carelessly without any real concentration. It is hard to grasp the reason for this (grafics/lack in aesthetics, "cold" user experience, lack of communication with my opponent before playing, ...), but that was just how it was. It even applied to my attempts to watch games of others. I never could get myself to be interested in any match I observed on KGS.<br />
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So I'm very pleased that I got drawn into the first game I observed on Kaya - especially as I did not plan on following a game in its entirety. It just happened. It is a little bit early to say so, but my hope to find a place I can enjoy playing online has increased.<br />
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BTW: I haven't played myself yet. When I logged in yesterday I had been to a work related Christmas party and I did not want to play my first game on Kaya with my head messed up (I wasn't really drunken, but to say I was sober would be a lie as well).<br />
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While most features are not implemented yet, one really useful thing is there right from the start: the 'share variation' command. As an observer you can detach from a game - meaning that you open another tab of your browser with another copy of the game. This copy can be edited by you. After that you just klick a button (sharevar) and post a link to this variation to the observer chat. Very nice and easy!<br />
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It will be interesting to see what kind of features will be implemented in the future. <br />
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That's it for now. The server is currently down. As soon as it gets on, I will play.<br />
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<br />Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-38151372495982537292011-12-22T01:44:00.000-08:002011-12-22T01:45:52.122-08:00Time Constraints (Also: Kaya GS)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is Thursday 10:30am and I've already amassed about 40 hours of work this week. Therefore nearly all Go related projects are put to a halt. Nevertheless, here are some quick updates:<br />
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1) I got myself a founder account for <a href="http://kaya.gs/kayags/project.php" target="_blank">Kaya GS</a>. I will report about Kaya as soon as it goes Alpha. As that might be tomorrow AND I will have a couple of days off (starting tomorrow evening) - I'm super excited.<br />
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2) My studies about the double low approach to the 4-4 point progressed a bit further. You can get an impression <a href="http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5175" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5169" target="_blank">here</a> (both are 'life in 19x19'-forum links).<br />
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3) I've realized that I need to wait longer before I write about stuff like the double low approach to the 4-4 point. I'm just still too weak to assess stuff precisely and quick enough. Articles about my reasearch will be rarer, but more thorough from now on. The same goes for game reviews.<br />
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4) Did I mention that I have a Kaya founder account ? :)Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-12929861595777850102011-12-18T07:45:00.000-08:002011-12-18T07:49:31.125-08:00Black in a Tight Spot: The 4-4 Double Low ApproachToday I felt that I need a break from doing life and death tsumegos every day. So I decided to study an interesting position I found myself in quite often during my last games:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 1</td></tr>
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Lucky enough there is an <a href="http://senseis.xmp.net/?44PointDoubleLowApproach" target="_blank">article </a>about it at Sensei's Library. That is the starting point for my studies. Today's post will be mainly about </div>
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a) one of the possible continuations for this situation, the so called attach and extend joseki</div>
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b) the questions I feel are left unanswered regarding this joseki at Sensei's Library. </div>
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Hopefully, the coming days will bring blog entries about the answers to these questions ;)</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Of course, as always in Go, there are tons of variations, sub-variations and sub-sub-variations to the pattern in diagram 1. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pVhHc8ngJNs0BfK_E58r93C0DYvpZnZhewZrEpyJWoElKhLy7idpGJDe7390RxjYf7XrdKLLFKfopDiY60x77EAS0fbpxVZzCmmUmuRzACf2inLHSanXnxBXJeWlNjFiaptcsQTLNgGE/s1600/possibilities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pVhHc8ngJNs0BfK_E58r93C0DYvpZnZhewZrEpyJWoElKhLy7idpGJDe7390RxjYf7XrdKLLFKfopDiY60x77EAS0fbpxVZzCmmUmuRzACf2inLHSanXnxBXJeWlNjFiaptcsQTLNgGE/s320/possibilities.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 2</td></tr>
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All points from A to C seem to be viable options. I will concentrate on A before trying to study B and C as well. </div>
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By the way: In my games I always played B. It did not got well ;)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGI8Uunwe4uLvt-1jqknajhTUPtmPd4KyWno-1Jn-NQNv_qZR2H3qqWhUw6uxBq9ZK0jQo9mz6ADA2mbH9EEKl4jFhFIHlCyrx2jyePaCJDAuK6FVBE_fjrapXWPlVQG5To7Ta4wf6r1e/s1600/base+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGI8Uunwe4uLvt-1jqknajhTUPtmPd4KyWno-1Jn-NQNv_qZR2H3qqWhUw6uxBq9ZK0jQo9mz6ADA2mbH9EEKl4jFhFIHlCyrx2jyePaCJDAuK6FVBE_fjrapXWPlVQG5To7Ta4wf6r1e/s320/base+pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 3</td></tr>
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Diagram 3 shows one of the most frequent continuations of A in Diagram 2. It is the beginning of the attach-extend joseki. The complete joseki in one diagram can be found at the bottom of this page.</div>
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I won't look at in detail on this possible continuation: White tries to push through at A. Then Black B, white C, black D would allow black to capture the marked white stone at c14 by sacrificing black 1 and 3. </div>
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You can find more about that <a href="http://senseis.xmp.net/?EasyWayOutOfADoubleKakari" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 4</td></tr>
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Instead I want to look at white trying to not let black out that easily. For that she plays the diagonal of 6. Black 7 protects the cutting point at A (if white pushed at A, black at B would create a tiger's mouth around C) and defends the corner as well.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 5</td></tr>
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The final position looks like this. Black seems to live and has escaped into the center. White's group on the top looks alive and well and her group below has formed quite a nice wall. </div>
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White can also try to go into the corner at A. In order to prevent that, black usually plays B. </div>
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I would prefer to be white here, but that was to be expected as white started with superior numbers. </div>
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There are a couple of unanswered questions, though:</div>
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1) Ok, black 9 threatens a cut at c13, but can't white play 10 at 11 in order to penetrate the corner? Or at least: What kind of reinforcements would white need nearby so that it could handle the cut and therefore ignore the threat. </div>
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2) White 14 seems a little bit cramped to me. I would have expected it to be placed one step further at k17. </div>
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3) What happens if white enters the corner at A and black had not played B?</div>
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4) What happens if white enters the corner and black has played B. </div>
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I will try to find answers to those questions between christmas and new year's eve ;)</div>
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Just in case following my ramblings diagram for diagram is confusing, here is the joseki as a whole:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWCQITYPffo6vwFjL3twNfPIUs1i0qZ92vYrVGQ1GTxMq3Gv4h7WQkccn8SPVRXsfjhHf8Ar1wG_b-dStHaeoQZPDMtXmheYhxJITVLRutrrPzrV_P7cbV1NwQYb6HBttkgoNOr05-yhP/s1600/joseki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWCQITYPffo6vwFjL3twNfPIUs1i0qZ92vYrVGQ1GTxMq3Gv4h7WQkccn8SPVRXsfjhHf8Ar1wG_b-dStHaeoQZPDMtXmheYhxJITVLRutrrPzrV_P7cbV1NwQYb6HBttkgoNOr05-yhP/s400/joseki.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-25976557230311800822011-12-14T00:42:00.000-08:002011-12-14T00:42:44.094-08:00How Things are GoingWork is currently overpowering Go big time. I do try to solve at least a acouple of problems every day and I also continue to play on Dragon Go. But I do not have the time to make a blog post from my experiences (I have two unfinished entries I do not want to share yet, though).<br />
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Luckily, my rating on Dragon Go continues to rise. I'm at 12 kyu now and I think I'm about to win the most games I currently have in the pipeline. That might be my usual middle game megalomania, though (I'M GOING TO WIN, I'M STRONG, I WILL CRUSH YOU..oh wait..hey...ahhhhhh...OK, I loose).</div>
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Here are my last 20 games. They went extremely well! </div>
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So, that's it. Back to work ;)</div>
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<br /></div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-60763806650039846142011-12-10T07:19:00.001-08:002011-12-10T07:28:58.022-08:00My New GobanYesterday my new Goban arrived. I love it!<div>
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I might have spent an unreasonable amount of money on a game and I might fulfill the cliché of the weak player with a cool board , but I still love it :)</div>
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Aesthetics is one of the reason I was driven to Go in the first place and I will spend a couple of hundred hours in front of this board - so I consider it a very good investment.</div>
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The explanation in the book wasn't very helpful either. It just showed black 1 and pointed out that A and B were miai for two eyes. Again, I checked on the board. Again, black died on me. So I went to preparing the diagrams about the evil evil book that presents you with a wrong tsumego, wasting your time in doing so. </div>
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And then ... I got it. </div>
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Have fun trying to solve it yourself before expanding the post ;)</div>
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Black to live!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 2</td></tr>
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So the very first point coming to my mind was P19 making A and B miai for two eyes. That happens to be the right answer. My concern were the cutting points at Q18 and R17. I was afraid of being mislead to a wrong answer and wanted to make sure I did not miss something. So I kept on reading. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 2</td></tr>
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And ... I was right (in a way). There was a trap for black. White 4 gives atari. If black connects at A, white takes the whole group down at B. Ergo: Black can not connect. Ergo: White connects to the outside group and destroys black's eye. Ergo: Black is dead. Ergo: Black 1 is the wrong move. And off I went looking for another answer. I guess it won't surprise anyone that I did not find one. </div>
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I will add some white space so that you can look for the solution from diagram 2. I think it is fairly easy, if one starts from this point. The task, of course, is still the same: Black to live. </div>
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Scroll down for the solution.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 3</td></tr>
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Black plays on 5.</div>
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Aaaaaaaaaaaand ... it is a snap back. Black simply retakes at A.</div>
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I feel stupid now :D Especially because I was proud that I start to see the snap back quite easily (I had real difficulties with it for quite some time and I'm glad they are almost gone). I just was not able to read that one out from the beginning. Which saddens me a bit. I need to question my abilities more than the book. If I had tried to go one step further, I might have solved it. In which case I would surely have written about that tsumego as well - only that I would have bragged about me solving it like crazy ;)</div>
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Good night, and good luck!</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-27380368862961764142011-12-04T08:07:00.001-08:002011-12-04T08:31:47.840-08:00This rocks! Bat's video lecturesThe last days were very busy and I did not have a lot of time to solve problems, read books or play online. Especially because I was kind of tired in the evenings and just did not have the motivation to add another two hours of concentration to my already overly full schedule. But: While lazily browsing forums, blogs, google etc. I discovered this link:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toW2Q97sgiM&feature=BFa&list=SP05D44E6870BF7154&lf=list_related" target="_blank">Bat's Video lectures on YouTube</a></div>
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This YouTube side offers tons of lectures by Bat - a guy I do not know much about. But: He has the gift to talk about Go in a way that makes it impossible for me to watch and NOT understand. Even when I'm exhausted from work. The is audience is between 15 kyu and 1 dan+ and all seem to benefit from the lectures. So, follow the link, pick a topic and enjoy ;)</div>
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Bat also has a live stream channel:</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1455330530"></span><span id="goog_1455330531"></span></div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-50406360051077637982011-11-30T14:14:00.001-08:002011-11-30T23:36:41.888-08:00Worklife vs. GoWorklife wins.<br />
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As I had barely enough time to do more than 3 or 4 tsumego since monday, there is nothing new to talk about.<br />
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So doublhane is in recess until sunday December 4th.Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-55713143212741585802011-11-28T13:49:00.000-08:002011-11-28T13:53:10.662-08:00A Lesson in Patience<div>Another monday, another local Go meeting. My opponent tonight impressed me pretty much. I played him the first time ever . He is about 1 to 2 kyu and so we played at a 9 stone handicap. We were eating something before we started to play and he talked about how patience is the most important virtue in high handicap games. The ability to wait for the one mistake and then take your profit; to withstand the urge to make up for the points you are "behind" within the first 20 moves.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The impressive thing was that he wasn't just all talk. It was exactly what he did to me in the game. He had a very calm way of playing. At no point I had the impression that my enemy is rushing against my walls trying to overwhelm me by sheer force. He just played calmly, built up pressure over time and then crushed me slowly. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So I had the opportunity to meet yet another player who can beat me at 9 stones. In comparison to last week's go meeting I was satisfied with my game today, though. I played reasonable solid, kept my opponent stones separated and his groups weak. Then came the moment in which I chose to attack instead of defend - after all I believed there were plenty of opportunities to connect my threatened group - and lost my huge (huge!) center group that kept two other huge white groups separated and weak. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Sadly, I'm really bad at remembering high handicap games so I can not provide you with detail or analysis. But: I ordered two books to write down kifus two weeks ago. As they have to cross the Atlantic Ocean to get here (Germany), it might still take a while, but soon I will start to record my games. </div><div><br />
</div><div>One more thing: Doing life and death problems for two weeks now starts to pay off. I solved a rather complicated (for my level) life and death situation and managed to survive an attack that was meant to kill my corner group. I tried to recreate it, but the surrounding was important too and I can not get it right. Again, soon I will stat keeping kifus and things won't be lost to me that easily anymore.</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-31053089423239523592011-11-26T12:03:00.000-08:002011-11-28T14:52:45.739-08:00Game Review Part I: Laying the Groundwork for DefeatIt is time for the first review of one of my games. It was played on Dragon Go. I was 14 kyu, my opponent 11 kyu. The game was set on a 4 stones handicap and a komi of 1.5. It lasted 278 moves. I lost with 9.5 moku.<br />
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Here is the final board:<br />
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I'm not very satisfied with the way I played that game. I am not only clearly the weaker player - I also made some really unnecessary mistakes and dull moves of the kind I like to think I do not do anymore. In other words: The game offers a lot to learn for me ;)<br />
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Today I will cover the first 61 moves. You will witness me being invaded, cut apart and falling behind bit by bit. I consider it a success that I was able to just be behind 9.5 moku at the end.<br />
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I will also ask for a game review on 'Life in 19x19'. In case anyone wants to follow or comment, here is the <a href="http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5053">link</a>.<br />
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<b>EDIT 28.11.2011:</b> The discussion on 19x19 showed me that I've made a lot of mistakes in my review. I added some comments to point out my mistakes.<br />
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The full sgf is available <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4869478/Go/review.sgf">here</a>.<br />
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<div><b>Move 4:</b> I experiment with that kind of pincer a lot at the moment. In this case I'm not convinced that It was a good idea. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 6:</b> I actually liked the move when I played it. It looks as if it secures the corner and attacks 3. As 3 is already pincered, I expected my opponent to run towards the center. The invasion at 7 came as a complete surprise. If you scroll up to the final board, you see that white managed to make the invading stone live. The reason for this is that I failed in killing it. The fight starts with move 164 - and won't be part of today's post. Had I won, I would have won the game! I guess I will cover it excessively ;)</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 16:</b> I now think that 16 is spectacularly bad! I think I should have expanded somewhere along the upper side - after all, I had walls to the left as well as to the right. Additionally, after 20, 16 seems to be badly placed.<br />
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</div><div><b>Move 17-19:</b> Other than it was played against me, I like how my opponent forces me to connect with 17,18 and then invades my sphere of influence with 19. 17 and 19 clearly have some kind of connection. 17 to me also seems to be a nice example for playing <a href="http://senseis.xmp.net/?Kikashi">kikashi</a>. White can easily ignore 17 from now on (even if I attacked it) - at the same time it threatens to become important later on.</div><div><br />
<b>EDIT 28.11.2011: </b>The reviews on 19x19 all say that 17 is a horrible move that allows me to fix my weakness. It seems that I do not understand kikashi yet ;)<br />
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</div><div><b>Move 20:</b> This move is one of the worst I've played in the whole game. It is gote, it does not really make territory, it is over concentrated in connection with 16 and, maybe worst, it does nothing to protect my sphere of influence my opponent has just invaded. I have no idea why I played it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyd3wuTkAgkSCpjbww6_AcPjC9rTQc8vl9SjusmTtcmxeepNY7JUs9-H62FPaNdpOmtUtctxG50upwWtISm-Oxo5rVb2X4TkkmNwCTJUuWcxsMDD-n1vrWauDcuI8Rl9LzFeYWnazvPZN/s1600/move+21-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyd3wuTkAgkSCpjbww6_AcPjC9rTQc8vl9SjusmTtcmxeepNY7JUs9-H62FPaNdpOmtUtctxG50upwWtISm-Oxo5rVb2X4TkkmNwCTJUuWcxsMDD-n1vrWauDcuI8Rl9LzFeYWnazvPZN/s640/move+21-40.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 2 (21-40)</td></tr>
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</div><div><b>Move 21-25:</b> White strengthens his invading group by building a base. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 26</b>: Still no reason for me to secure at least a little tiny bit of profit from my enormous black wall - not as long as I can make secure territory on a completely unrelated part of the board. Argh! Playing around A looks way bigger to me now - it gains a bit of territory why pressuring the white group. In short: I like quiet, but large moves like 26, but think it was badly timed here. It should have been the end of a sente sequence.<br />
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<b>EDIT 28.11.2011: "</b>A" seems to be a terrible small idea as it does not really count as an attack.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 27-35</b>: White 27 was another invasion I handled rather badly. I thought there was a reason I did not place 30 on B, but can not find it now. To be honest, I was just afraid that the possible cut at 30 would play out differently, because I'm not used to the white stone above being where it is. That's a weak reason to play 30, is it not? Argh, again!<br />
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<b>EDIT 28.11.2011: </b>As it turns out, 30 is just fine. And exactly for the reason I played it. The stone in my back threatens to make the cut more troublesome. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 36-40:</b> 36 was a bad idea as well. If I had continued to push white towards the center with black C, white would have build additional strength to invade at D. So I did not push, but played 38 ...presumably to stop white 35 from expanding... or something. 38 is so abyssal BAD that I don't want to talk about it ;). After 39 and 40 the fight in corner ceases again. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Move 41-52:</b> The whole seuqence is just beautifully played by white. I, on the other hand, was kind of disoriented and off track. My groups were cut apart and besides building a bamboo joint for at least residual stability, I couldn't come up with a counter plan. Black 46 is another move I do not want to talk about ;)</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbyaDYE7fPfEzeyFQrbQBwsdBZW8xbfe1FldRWjzjwx1YehdPuQ3F0Zg-JklZxEcRNgMcKHSVXGQGXAt3Rpl2sZ4zboeLWfssp-mSd_RfMx7IXFDTMcufM3dAS-Cl3V9eVZikCjS3teEX/s1600/figure_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbyaDYE7fPfEzeyFQrbQBwsdBZW8xbfe1FldRWjzjwx1YehdPuQ3F0Zg-JklZxEcRNgMcKHSVXGQGXAt3Rpl2sZ4zboeLWfssp-mSd_RfMx7IXFDTMcufM3dAS-Cl3V9eVZikCjS3teEX/s320/figure_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figure 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Figure 1 shows the beginning of that catastrophe again. This is stuff I need to see earlier. It isn't that hard.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig69SUS3xGeRfyaXxjMFtriTtu9AEAiDXxcKxnP_iOlT7WraWjZHyu-6Ahwzatjkuew-eCexBgjG5vCLe4tBqswJGhW8bn_27BmZj1JCxRNMj3izySd1BGcYPrHUGYlrzY9jCNoY9zE_qr/s1600/move+41-61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig69SUS3xGeRfyaXxjMFtriTtu9AEAiDXxcKxnP_iOlT7WraWjZHyu-6Ahwzatjkuew-eCexBgjG5vCLe4tBqswJGhW8bn_27BmZj1JCxRNMj3izySd1BGcYPrHUGYlrzY9jCNoY9zE_qr/s640/move+41-61.jpg" width="636" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 3 (41-61)</td></tr>
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</div><div><b>Move 53-61:</b> White 53 demonstrates again how badly placed black 16 is. If it was placed at A, it would not only make better use of the black wall at its back, but would also prevent white from gaining strength as easy as it does here. The following moves do not really look succesfull for me neither - but at least I accomplished something: 54 and 60 loosely connect all of the black stones at the bottom while still applying some pressure on the escaping group. After white 61 it might appear as if white has escaped for good, but the group wasn't as strong as it looked. The attack on the group will be the subject of the next post about that game, Chasing the Dragon.<br />
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<b>EDIT 28.11.2011: </b>Black 56 should have been at 58!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Let's have a final look at the situation! First, let's look at the more or less secure territory already made:</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYBRARiX-b50SGbtIYcoV_KzTPjiiADaejcP35-WxSJyJNwya9TEtsBN5ZLlbrCHxIouMA-w9mPrOqYT2uCLu0JmF6T0L8C26uLmVtltlXkgTZLexByPHsasNc2uMoWBa_z2K7jm_kaF6/s1600/territory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYBRARiX-b50SGbtIYcoV_KzTPjiiADaejcP35-WxSJyJNwya9TEtsBN5ZLlbrCHxIouMA-w9mPrOqYT2uCLu0JmF6T0L8C26uLmVtltlXkgTZLexByPHsasNc2uMoWBa_z2K7jm_kaF6/s400/territory.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 2</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div> I just marked down a rough estimate of where secure territory was build. It is obvious on the first glance that white is already ahead. He had managed to prevent me from securing territory in a lot of places. When counting, white seems to be ahead about 15-20 points (I have no idea how to estimate the black group in the upper left corner). And I had 4 stones to begin with. That doesn't look good!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Let's have a look at stability and weak groups. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0QGZx0V-p4vPZjcQN99uPi6kxI5WrwM8roaZx7pckjO6raIT-eZ1Oe9f9ue1T35Gk7CTGXiXIQm7XOnwWaJcmbioDUTZmRPFLrHXYKmsYUlx3ykogkeTXa8A8iixxqNBOwMX0kYCv1bK/s1600/weak+groups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0QGZx0V-p4vPZjcQN99uPi6kxI5WrwM8roaZx7pckjO6raIT-eZ1Oe9f9ue1T35Gk7CTGXiXIQm7XOnwWaJcmbioDUTZmRPFLrHXYKmsYUlx3ykogkeTXa8A8iixxqNBOwMX0kYCv1bK/s400/weak+groups.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 3</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Luckily for me I have sente and white has still a couple of weak stones and groups left on the board. As I felt that I'm behind, I decided to go for the big game, the group white can not afford to loose: The group on the left. I set my mind to not trying to kill too hard, but to profit from the attack. The resulting fight goes on until move 129 and will be covered here soon.<br />
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</div><div>Conclusion up to move 61: My stupid moves (especially 16, 20, 30, 36, 38) had cost me a lot. I've successfully laid the groundwork for my defeat. The presence of weak white groups on the board still gave me hope to maybe come back into the game.<br />
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<b>EDIT 28.11.2011: </b>My reviewers weren't that harsh when evaluating my position. It seems as if my attack that followed 61 did not came close to even the game out (as I believed), but just wasn't successful in securing me as many points as it should have. ... Go IS difficult ;)<br />
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</div></div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-9261150435803133872011-11-23T15:00:00.000-08:002011-11-26T04:35:46.697-08:00A Bend in the Corner - or: Death by TenukiToday I re-discovered a concept I have read about a couple of months ago: The 'bent four in the corner'-shape. I could never actually put it to use, so it was kind of dead knowledge to me.<br />
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I came across it while solving problems (again). It took me quite a while to get through the problem. I will try to not bore you by discussing every detour I took. But: One of the detours towards the solution led me to the bent four. And that is the one I want to talk about.<br />
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Here is the tsumego. I will also present the solution. So do not expand carelessly, if you want to solve it at your own.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m57QKMmyaTzd5x8ScOG45bpDa_KdFQ56cWtSaKowW6BAw_L1tCbMfjXSxGaxCrik4L8WieGoppIFxMI2aQ6wocibbqxqID3Cb4haF4zLBYpZkr-pn0xiX4aeVXJol-b4FQq9xF_xOZaH/s1600/black+to+start+a+ko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m57QKMmyaTzd5x8ScOG45bpDa_KdFQ56cWtSaKowW6BAw_L1tCbMfjXSxGaxCrik4L8WieGoppIFxMI2aQ6wocibbqxqID3Cb4haF4zLBYpZkr-pn0xiX4aeVXJol-b4FQq9xF_xOZaH/s200/black+to+start+a+ko.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 1</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Black to start a ko.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wU9i0CAorgfXfIls-KKSXXa2pju699RG7v5hmCQHV9HAmv0h85gKqmuCRy53WLrRMXtBPhI7yfCeIYj_TzJPhW9EVcevOZXFJpio99Gbx1wUnrcXfk6xhrVfTVJpD9wBo7c81uSt4zoU/s1600/alive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wU9i0CAorgfXfIls-KKSXXa2pju699RG7v5hmCQHV9HAmv0h85gKqmuCRy53WLrRMXtBPhI7yfCeIYj_TzJPhW9EVcevOZXFJpio99Gbx1wUnrcXfk6xhrVfTVJpD9wBo7c81uSt4zoU/s200/alive.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 2 - Black 5 on D19</span></td></tr>
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First, let's quickly outrule a wrong variation. It is rather tempting to start with an atari. In this case this leads to white being alive, though. So that couldn't be it. I figured that one out on my own and I'm rather proud on it ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j4Dr0k0biJ7F-cYPDWBOI1J8K-hUR5IyH9U7-iFNmnrATUNnqES8jNbzqDkIAN-1jJVFl7-TXPPARfMewdNU-UgT9CoCUDsoM0t57P9Xi_3_CpugDECcQ3Gv6j4nLVEhEgmfiOXt4TbK/s1600/first+step.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j4Dr0k0biJ7F-cYPDWBOI1J8K-hUR5IyH9U7-iFNmnrATUNnqES8jNbzqDkIAN-1jJVFl7-TXPPARfMewdNU-UgT9CoCUDsoM0t57P9Xi_3_CpugDECcQ3Gv6j4nLVEhEgmfiOXt4TbK/s200/first+step.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 2</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The solution starts with black 1 as shown here. The atari at A is the weakness that begs to be exploited, but it needs to be done indirectly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNrU6aYnk06z832-tTMsxPWt-Z31NXGnt_RbCVdNr3U2FG5Wk90oKQDSxDaITo7Ewxj2VhL1bpT4koxWmeCw7dJlgMzISn0mfaiEqkxD0hSjSMo3sariiQErgY5v1nO-VwxpWojvgJv23/s1600/solution+as+given.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNrU6aYnk06z832-tTMsxPWt-Z31NXGnt_RbCVdNr3U2FG5Wk90oKQDSxDaITo7Ewxj2VhL1bpT4koxWmeCw7dJlgMzISn0mfaiEqkxD0hSjSMo3sariiQErgY5v1nO-VwxpWojvgJv23/s200/solution+as+given.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 3</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Diagram 3 shows the solution. It is a ko for life. I was unsatisfied at first, because I could not figure out why that should be the only way for white to play.<br />
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I'm glad I followed up at my dissatisfaction. It was what led me to what is coming now. However, anything from here on wasn't in my book - so take it in with care. I also concentrate on the variation that leads to the bent 4 in the corner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNbw7yciv5DMll8cUCt01OrmoIFC67cq_MU3duvrbqo5BVlGVw-7nuwsIs1o1yeeQpQ9hmjxAwh5wqjpmKKA3VOaEvjTEwNqAWaFUuhbatIGb_2cL4CPIBZgoeqo2fYBbKUI7CyHFn33v/s1600/more+var.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNbw7yciv5DMll8cUCt01OrmoIFC67cq_MU3duvrbqo5BVlGVw-7nuwsIs1o1yeeQpQ9hmjxAwh5wqjpmKKA3VOaEvjTEwNqAWaFUuhbatIGb_2cL4CPIBZgoeqo2fYBbKUI7CyHFn33v/s200/more+var.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 4</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>What happens when white plays 2 like here in diagram 5 and then connects solidly with 4 after the atari? I believed there might be something to it. Maybe another ko, a seki or even a second eye for white.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UPWQlm4sQjUzli5_ykQvTLB6rJEbL_hxHjiErRtqoX5HUdJf0ITfvchJDe9elxyW4aPXSumgobCo8Vd_IQ1X0T3hE0biwrYfezkwRamOQm9mobFUVAtT5QVopCtfpdnkPp3Un9NLH6AT/s1600/seki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UPWQlm4sQjUzli5_ykQvTLB6rJEbL_hxHjiErRtqoX5HUdJf0ITfvchJDe9elxyW4aPXSumgobCo8Vd_IQ1X0T3hE0biwrYfezkwRamOQm9mobFUVAtT5QVopCtfpdnkPp3Un9NLH6AT/s200/seki.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 5</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>This even looks as if I was right and white could at least force a ko (w-c18, b-a19, w-a17, b-b19, w-a19, b starts ko with a18) . I still come up a lot with moves like that and it did take me very long to realize that there is a better possibility for black to play.<br />
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EDIT: If I see it right, white only has the opportunity to force a ko, as long as black plays tenuki and does not close the last outside liberty. Otherwise it is seki.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYWFVqMys46M2nUH01lQjxHnLxo8SgZjOxA0X99vWcdiOh2bcNrcjScO_Sj6WrrR78LU20wwqG1sUhIIV5UMGYF32yp3aBbktR7OLCrNRDM3QR0FPvPKiUXvFfrjQIzyrxRMbnJqiu4x-/s1600/looks+like+ko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYWFVqMys46M2nUH01lQjxHnLxo8SgZjOxA0X99vWcdiOh2bcNrcjScO_Sj6WrrR78LU20wwqG1sUhIIV5UMGYF32yp3aBbktR7OLCrNRDM3QR0FPvPKiUXvFfrjQIzyrxRMbnJqiu4x-/s200/looks+like+ko.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 6</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The continuation of diagram 4 should look like this. In the beginning, I made another mistake and mistook that for another ko, because of the shape in the corner. I thought black would play on A and white take on B. Diagram 7 shows the resulting ko.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM_yhppz6lssv4k5Yz5CWgYvJLZ2zP6WCD0z4oIzupEIHUWD0KNc1irplpnIOxZeJXOBmzw8-Qi-ggmzdp3E2mnj-ysgxWBuYgK3iPxl-mvKMFTJmlW9AzGuWhSX-KXWDhBwE19EFePvv/s1600/ko+played+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM_yhppz6lssv4k5Yz5CWgYvJLZ2zP6WCD0z4oIzupEIHUWD0KNc1irplpnIOxZeJXOBmzw8-Qi-ggmzdp3E2mnj-ysgxWBuYgK3iPxl-mvKMFTJmlW9AzGuWhSX-KXWDhBwE19EFePvv/s200/ko+played+out.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 7</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Black 12 at A would start a ko for life.<br />
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So the question is: If this variation also leads to a ko, why does my book not talk about it? It took me some time, but preparing the diagrams for this post I finally got it: It is a bend four in the corner shape. So it is dead. But: Why is it dead? Lets take another look at diagram 6!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYWFVqMys46M2nUH01lQjxHnLxo8SgZjOxA0X99vWcdiOh2bcNrcjScO_Sj6WrrR78LU20wwqG1sUhIIV5UMGYF32yp3aBbktR7OLCrNRDM3QR0FPvPKiUXvFfrjQIzyrxRMbnJqiu4x-/s1600/looks+like+ko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYWFVqMys46M2nUH01lQjxHnLxo8SgZjOxA0X99vWcdiOh2bcNrcjScO_Sj6WrrR78LU20wwqG1sUhIIV5UMGYF32yp3aBbktR7OLCrNRDM3QR0FPvPKiUXvFfrjQIzyrxRMbnJqiu4x-/s200/looks+like+ko.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 6</span></td></tr>
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Black has absolutly no reason to play A as long as there are any ko-threats left on the board. He could easily wait until the very end of yose and then kill the stones by starting a ko white can not win. If white tries to approach, she dies. For that reason the 'bent four in the corner''-shape is considered to be dead.<br />
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It was just difficult for me to stop. In essence, black kills by playing tenuki.<br />
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I have read about it quite some time ago, now I got it and will not forget again. Nice!Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-47647311109524516362011-11-21T14:30:00.000-08:002011-11-21T22:19:43.371-08:00White Wall of PowerEvery monday our local Go Club meets in a pub. With my strength about 14 kyu I'm the weakest player in town - and so I got completely destroyed on the board ... again ;)<br />
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I've decided to consider this a good thing. My games at Dragon Go had went extremely well the last two weeks and I got way too confident (seeing me rise to shodan within two years in the most laughable moments of self delusion). Having demonstrated to me how weak I still am is humbling, but also motivating.<br />
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However, I start to feel that I don't play as good as I could on these evenings - maybe because I play most of my games on Dragon Go and not on a real board. I also fail out of great many psychological reasons (wanting to impress, not wanting to be kicked around, not taking enough time to read positions out etc. pp.). I realize more and more that I do not just need to practice more, but also need to change my attitude when playing. I do not concentrate enough for starters.<br />
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Another example. I played black 9 knowing it is a bad idea. It screamed DO NOT PLAY ME ... and I did anyways. I think it was kind of a 'pah .. let's see what happens'-attitude mixed with laziness.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9E85qIxHWXKmPJIAyfFKqvv8jNTodH3Fmd3l-ORfq2ork1UApDpg5FddStUpcVyey2weLcARDzBmBpYz-joRc_6djn2pc4vBgHMeIom8DyrEJqGIMqQmTfFZ6tWtpxr-NJ8FNoAJB4wR/s1600/do+not+do+it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9E85qIxHWXKmPJIAyfFKqvv8jNTodH3Fmd3l-ORfq2ork1UApDpg5FddStUpcVyey2weLcARDzBmBpYz-joRc_6djn2pc4vBgHMeIom8DyrEJqGIMqQmTfFZ6tWtpxr-NJ8FNoAJB4wR/s400/do+not+do+it.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 1</td></tr>
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<div>I think it went on like this. Marvel at the white walls of power, pitty black (me) for his tiny, little, barely living corner territory!</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XvIfFfg3rwQ4nLR1PbmHgeRnU-k6PaXpZNKESbvJui-_7Cb_i70wr-QyXuByzyy4xW1qycCaFsr5yQrW-gtR4ahvuKzkGY7e_CIqpAejWZAnTa-EBExoTlBlyR59ehtVdqi1itAo8b7R/s1600/do+not+do+it_II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XvIfFfg3rwQ4nLR1PbmHgeRnU-k6PaXpZNKESbvJui-_7Cb_i70wr-QyXuByzyy4xW1qycCaFsr5yQrW-gtR4ahvuKzkGY7e_CIqpAejWZAnTa-EBExoTlBlyR59ehtVdqi1itAo8b7R/s400/do+not+do+it_II.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>That's it for the day. I'm tired.</div><div><br />
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</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-47369283728538236432011-11-20T05:51:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:03:28.394-08:00Tsumego of the dayThe last time I wrote about a tsumego, I wrote about why I was able to solve it - my willingness to work through it more methodically and patiently, my increasing ability ... yadda yadda and so on and so forth ;)<br />
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</div><div>Today I will show you a tsumego I failed at. I did not fail because I read something wrong, or did not see something, but because the solution just lies a few steps deeper than I was able or willing to read into it. It is, as if someone had drawn a line on the ground to mark the threshold of my abilities. I just need to cross it to become stronger.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here it is. If you want to solve it on your own, do not expand the post before you're done with it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Black to kill!</div><div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOUJZ5-yPahsbOAD0eEiQp2t7E8cgYiUsEH1HdIiqF3QxMu_-DuKgE_O959fg5tKuB2E-W7tc3SDsrc3RpXswQdAyno7CpT88z1nXdGt0RqEPgsPM6ZNKP9A6i5CEhosUVPDxXk2ci09F/s1600/starting+position.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOUJZ5-yPahsbOAD0eEiQp2t7E8cgYiUsEH1HdIiqF3QxMu_-DuKgE_O959fg5tKuB2E-W7tc3SDsrc3RpXswQdAyno7CpT88z1nXdGt0RqEPgsPM6ZNKP9A6i5CEhosUVPDxXk2ci09F/s200/starting+position.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 1</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div>I won't discuss all the ways I tried to solve the problem. I will just walk through the solution and comment on my failure.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidzCacwwRXRIcBJXO2JNRbu4MuVJKK3mv6Cb8AfmN94AWu1UQA_eKVaf-GMrE9ru_pl9VXdTA2TibqGvSZ8of-dR3rsvfynHxAgYjZixHYsPcV9Jk7lr5r3ZvuPxcVDbKCu6cMSRsMppc/s1600/where+I+stopped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidzCacwwRXRIcBJXO2JNRbu4MuVJKK3mv6Cb8AfmN94AWu1UQA_eKVaf-GMrE9ru_pl9VXdTA2TibqGvSZ8of-dR3rsvfynHxAgYjZixHYsPcV9Jk7lr5r3ZvuPxcVDbKCu6cMSRsMppc/s200/where+I+stopped.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 2</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Black needs to connect at 3 or white plays there and gets two eyes. If black connects at 3, white can take the whole group down. As the resulting shape is not a nakade shape, I started to feel that this attempt to kill fails.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div>I disregarded any continuation for a while and then came back to this pattern in order to look whether I overlooked something. So let's go in deeper:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBoauh13IIgMYtFzfndi3w2lmVpIjrUFfXK5DpP_yP8HQ1cCpujkkWUerKi6vkyL7qnxG0NtJBchyphenhyphen1aXFTB28_Sv-w4b7c8qTA4eVeN_kshHo8TByPmTY2OSOiXBJiGkEn8KubKmyLenG/s1600/is+it+dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBoauh13IIgMYtFzfndi3w2lmVpIjrUFfXK5DpP_yP8HQ1cCpujkkWUerKi6vkyL7qnxG0NtJBchyphenhyphen1aXFTB28_Sv-w4b7c8qTA4eVeN_kshHo8TByPmTY2OSOiXBJiGkEn8KubKmyLenG/s200/is+it+dead.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 3</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>This is the resulting shape after white takes with 4. On the first glance it does look alive. </div><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuCS7Ba_wqAyvsHtYQCbgaL0aZjssNrS-6DuGrCCh1gmFDdt18IZyL8c31ByNwAG3nnNbavwOklq5Phr39NRnS8tVt3c7_kTyVkcSe6pzG5DcWdAD8kLBXdJ76AgZuHtC3cNzwAm9TPOm/s1600/is+it+dead_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuCS7Ba_wqAyvsHtYQCbgaL0aZjssNrS-6DuGrCCh1gmFDdt18IZyL8c31ByNwAG3nnNbavwOklq5Phr39NRnS8tVt3c7_kTyVkcSe6pzG5DcWdAD8kLBXdJ76AgZuHtC3cNzwAm9TPOm/s200/is+it+dead_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 4</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>If black 5, white 6 appears to build two eyes. I mentally squinted at this position for a while, but decided it's alive and went on trying other futile alternatives. Shortly after that I gave up and went to the solution. This is the line on the ground!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYCGGQB2Mkbwv7JvtWfP_MIRXIeGz1_NwjCsIjnvML3PWYm8cX9UYs3IXDtTIuNdEpf_7k9_4uBTUGlygqsSQGegZn9z7yGarlaPt_VdsLGZmg4oclFOamP5bZa0LpdEaPAUrdx-3AI0V/s1600/false+eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYCGGQB2Mkbwv7JvtWfP_MIRXIeGz1_NwjCsIjnvML3PWYm8cX9UYs3IXDtTIuNdEpf_7k9_4uBTUGlygqsSQGegZn9z7yGarlaPt_VdsLGZmg4oclFOamP5bZa0LpdEaPAUrdx-3AI0V/s200/false+eye.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diagram 5</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>The "secret" of course is the the eye at the bottom is false. White 8 takes on Q19 and black throws 9 in at 7 again. Seeing it here it appears obvious now. But having it just in my mind, not being sure whether even black 1 was right, it was way more difficult. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div>And that's it. In my defense I want to add on more thing: The chapter I encountered the problem in was called nakade and all other problems in it were about nakade. This one is not ;)</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-59711502867754999212011-11-19T06:09:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:05:01.732-08:00Things that made me stronger - Part I: A Lecture about Leaning AttacksToday I start the series "Things that made me stronger". Every now and again every players seems to come across something that triggers some insight in the game and with it a sudden surge in strength. One could call this phenomena moments of revelation. In this series I will talk about mine.<br />
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</div><div><b>Part I: A Lecture about Leaning Attacks</b></div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>For a very small fee (1€/lecture) you can watch and listen to a wide range of lessons on Go Juan's Internet Go School. The lessons are sorted by strength as well as by topic. They are basically lessons given using the KGS User interface. The one I want to recommend today is the first lecture on leaning attacks: <a href="http://internetgoschool.com/lecture.vhtml?ls_id=100">http://internetgoschool.com/lecture.vhtml?ls_id=100</a>. It is really really really good! The teacher is Shen Jing, 2P<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">.</span></span></div><div><br />
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I came across this lecture in a time I lost game after game, because my attacks on weak groups lead to long and complicated running battles, ultimately ending with my opponent escaping in some unoccupied area on the board or connecting to another group. Watching the lecture was a strange and exciting experience. Everytime the teacher explained why a direct attack wouldn't work for position X and why a leaning attack would be advisable, I felt as if she was reviewing one of my games! It was exactly what I had been missing without knowing it. I think this lecture was one of the most important influences for leaving the 18-kyuish-times behind me and enter the era of being 15-kyuish :) I still can not play a single game without thinking about it several times. It had an tremendous impact on my game!<br />
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</div><div>A leaning attack means basically that you attack one position (usually a stronger one) in order to gain strenght to then attack another one (usually the weaker). Diagram 1 below shows a nice example. It is black's turn. If he tried to just attack the marked stones directly, he would fail. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo58XIXPqr9CDLl10SkHji5ga6pW2pwZSotC9FcmF262uBvthy8sbTfUxLyXy_-NppGLX797jaAfVkrdCpoCnoq6-aSeZZOcLxG639qtTMPeO3k2nQpU49Khe4qlyMRXm7Z5dB5_yyLTp3/s1600/Starting+position.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo58XIXPqr9CDLl10SkHji5ga6pW2pwZSotC9FcmF262uBvthy8sbTfUxLyXy_-NppGLX797jaAfVkrdCpoCnoq6-aSeZZOcLxG639qtTMPeO3k2nQpU49Khe4qlyMRXm7Z5dB5_yyLTp3/s640/Starting+position.jpg" width="633" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diag. 1</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>So he "leans" himself on white's group in the upper right. White now has two choices. Either strengthen the group under direct attack (See diagram 3) or run out towards the center with the p-13 group (see diagram 4). We will see that black profits quite a bit either way. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxxxNYLPX3dEbiNASGJO0sCc0vOyUFJfRGekcDv7Z3bIiBSqvhU5-wvb_0VEm_FmPLkjl6g-CbRP2DXobW85PGqbUJlpNpHjS-SFdZT502Q5-6wjWMRusCAPcxXGo91WfyMUPTD-B78dx/s1600/white%2527s+choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxxxNYLPX3dEbiNASGJO0sCc0vOyUFJfRGekcDv7Z3bIiBSqvhU5-wvb_0VEm_FmPLkjl6g-CbRP2DXobW85PGqbUJlpNpHjS-SFdZT502Q5-6wjWMRusCAPcxXGo91WfyMUPTD-B78dx/s640/white%2527s+choice.jpg" width="638" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diag. 2</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>If white chooses to defend the group under direct attack, black can trap the p-13 group.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gd5SNgK2ttHpNqqugpLUdDh9lB2uEBZtyh8v72yh76PtaNP8U84JqPaRLZzyOF05zlD105PZ0nLRKc1Ra-fmAAvrGF536z8fhhYkFIAS0Ks3t42edFqcyU6Raa8wWU7sPm9lAeLzfQV3/s1600/variation+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gd5SNgK2ttHpNqqugpLUdDh9lB2uEBZtyh8v72yh76PtaNP8U84JqPaRLZzyOF05zlD105PZ0nLRKc1Ra-fmAAvrGF536z8fhhYkFIAS0Ks3t42edFqcyU6Raa8wWU7sPm9lAeLzfQV3/s640/variation+1.jpg" width="638" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Diag. 3</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div>If white chooses to run towards the center, black conquers the territory in the upper right.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div>In order to get a better impressions of the concept I really recommend the lecture on Guo Juan's Internet Go School. Within the next days I will also discuss a game of mine that was really dominated by a leaning attack I launched in order to come back into the game. The game is still running on Dragon Go, so I will have to wait until after yose. I think I am going to loose, but it is a very interesting game anyways ;)</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>PS: The example used in this post was taken from <a href="http://www.kiseido.com/attack.htm">here</a>.</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-14844103681367070772011-11-18T13:57:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:25:52.390-08:00On Solving TsumegosI think I might write about tsumegos quite frequently over the course of the next weeks. I've neglected them complety for at least 8 months and now hat I've (re)started doing them, they begin to fascinate me more and more.<br />
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</span></div><div>As I am not a particular strong player, the tsumegos I discuss in the weeks and months to come will be quite basic (even embarrassingly so). What is interesting to me is that I begin to develop a, well, certain mindset that helps me to solve tsumegos and that promises to improve my game quite a lot.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>I share these thoughts here, because I believe this change might be of interest for other players around my strenght (10-14 kyu'ish). So at least today's post is more about the way I solve tsumegos and what I think about them than about the problem itself.<br />
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This is the problem I will refer to:<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Im convinced the changes in the way I solve tsumego were initiated for three reasons.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><b>First reason:</b> I completely stopped solving tsumegos on any kind of computer screen, but lay them out in front of me on a real board. I do not touch the stones until I feel I have read the problem out to the very end. I can not stress enough how much I feel that helps me in getting stronger!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><b>Second reason:</b> I do tsumegos frequently for about two months now. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><b>Third reason:</b> I concentrate all my Go studies on life and death instead of changing topics every other day</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>So what is this change I keep on babbling about? Of course, I learn new concepts and I am confronted with new patterns I can then recognize, etc. But that's not really the heart of it. I think the most important part is that I get more methodically and more and more patient in my attempts to solve a given problem. In my mind patience and method go hand in hand. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>You need the former to develop and stick to the latter. I will demonstrate that with a problem I came across today. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag.1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>This is a fairly simple tsumego I might or might not have gotten right two weeks ago. The task is simple: Black to kill. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I "discovered" A and B and started with A. Point A was ruled out in about two seconds, but was the first move I looked at. C did not enter my mind until much later - which means that, despite my bragging, I need to look for starting points even harder.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Point B looked more promising as it threatens to take E19. If white on 2, 3 kills the whole group. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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A few days or maybe weeks ago I would have considered that the solution. The thought would have been something like "So that is what they want from me." Today I do not proceed until I am sure that white has no other way to defend. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 4</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>In principle there are four other ways white could defend. I dismissed A and C without any real reading as they apply absolutely no pressure on the black intruder 1. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 5</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>So I read B. The first variation I read was a success for white, as it catches black in a snapback. So black has to do something different.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div>EDIT: Who spots the mistake ;)?</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I read this variation two or three times to make sure that I do not get it wrong and the eye at C is false. It is - so white can not play B in diagram 4. Victory was near!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>So let's try white on D in diagram 4! As you can see, this variation leads to a Ko for life. Black starts by taking at A in diagram 7. It is still a Ko if Black takes at A immediately after white 2. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 1 (again ;) )</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Now I was taken aback. The task was to kill, not to create a Ko for life. At that point I would normally have given up and looked at the solution. This time I went all the way back to diagram 1. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div>C had to be considered (I then could hardly understand why I did not in the first place ... but that's how it went).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 8</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Due to liberty shortages of both groups. White can neither atari at A nor B. That looks promising. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-9gj6b-Lw72DI5d_Pgp5-rTfGGjGoaQW4rdPnrTu2qs49jXsyybTaQrMyioSVH9BQEka-PtlTDLZym7nHitO8w4UN3uPUj7RpYNMkYDYQ1Cax2IYSvUxWQmCRVXc6GtrxKrQVSeKzbOo/s1600/solution_var2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-9gj6b-Lw72DI5d_Pgp5-rTfGGjGoaQW4rdPnrTu2qs49jXsyybTaQrMyioSVH9BQEka-PtlTDLZym7nHitO8w4UN3uPUj7RpYNMkYDYQ1Cax2IYSvUxWQmCRVXc6GtrxKrQVSeKzbOo/s200/solution_var2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diag. 9</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>If white ataris from the other side black gives atari to the marked group. Connecting at A would not help, so it dies. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</div><div>It is a fairly simple problem I complicated for myself. The whole process demonstrates my weaknesses better than my strenghts. BUT: I did not give up and I was able to hold all variations in my mind until the end. So when I went to the solution I was rewarded with not only having the right answer, but also finding the Ko laid out in the references as well. I had worked through it. Though still very basic, I hope that this new way of solving things more methodically will be a base for the development of my strength.</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7097434279486793903.post-54589482215042173402011-11-17T15:30:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:13:05.986-08:00About 'Double Hane'<b>What is Double Hane?</b><br />
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Double Hane is a blog about the board game Go (other names are weiqi or baduk). It will be a place to share my thoughts about the game and discuss all things Go.<br />
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Double Hane is not the blog of a high dan player. I'm in the process of becoming single digit kyu right now and Double Hane's purpose is to shed light on the game from a beginners's perspective - mine. I plan to document and discuss my thoughts, errors and improvements and I hope this will be of interest to other players too. Maybe someday it will even help someone to overcome hurdles I now still have to face.<br />
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I plan to update the blog at least once per weak.<br />
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<b>Why the name 'Double Hane'?</b><br />
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<a name='more'></a>There is a number of reasons why I've chosen the name 'Double Hane' for this blog.<br />
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1) The double hane holds a special significance for me. At the very beginning of my 'go career', one of the very first Josekis I learned was the standard sequence following the 3-3 invasion.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDn_JW64bS1ZbpkzfK1WQNp8M9rN9ZuO8QpBAYfUCqmLqKmlixFhcoiK5xfG21qc8C-TNpI5KUIOj3d-sqWs0ZnC3nIkCtp6ej672C4rzu2GeygnHPqdo0bYBF_LDrTZlrmkAuNQvTxt_C/s1600/3-3invasion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDn_JW64bS1ZbpkzfK1WQNp8M9rN9ZuO8QpBAYfUCqmLqKmlixFhcoiK5xfG21qc8C-TNpI5KUIOj3d-sqWs0ZnC3nIkCtp6ej672C4rzu2GeygnHPqdo0bYBF_LDrTZlrmkAuNQvTxt_C/s200/3-3invasion.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>I was fascinated by how coercively and mandatory each successive move appeared and how easily one could predict a 12 move sequence even before starting it. I marveled at the inherent logic to each move and couldn't think of anything else to do, but to follow the pattern. The pattern also helped me a lot to get an (very basic first) idea of what influence actually is.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYtOqWy6UR2rjt8psub3872Ly3eVxozTf_FiLy55YrkvaMPOmihTEXUVFWWO9bJNPITlqy02aIPlfXwMJKaSrunjoYfDn4fbbca7E5eDTT-VBXCQSr5fkaqsqCPpBCLaHsJJfU9dz1UNu/s1600/doublehane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYtOqWy6UR2rjt8psub3872Ly3eVxozTf_FiLy55YrkvaMPOmihTEXUVFWWO9bJNPITlqy02aIPlfXwMJKaSrunjoYfDn4fbbca7E5eDTT-VBXCQSr5fkaqsqCPpBCLaHsJJfU9dz1UNu/s200/doublehane.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>That was the context I came across the double hane for the first time. The move appeared crazy to me. Six has to go left of 4! Now there is just no way how black could avoid losing a stone. Surely that must spell doom for him - at least locally.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpmWni4NjX8ptNi4foWoxvpddsPHZPXCeCfX30IncJ-0L7TfDkXekTEeEYRbQaeQnL_J950adyC2HTT5PDDPG4GXtFYPfO2ObUnOhBiF7M4oi16DE-tyPu72YZfpjXxBKf1UuiyLenFqm/s1600/3-3+double+hane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpmWni4NjX8ptNi4foWoxvpddsPHZPXCeCfX30IncJ-0L7TfDkXekTEeEYRbQaeQnL_J950adyC2HTT5PDDPG4GXtFYPfO2ObUnOhBiF7M4oi16DE-tyPu72YZfpjXxBKf1UuiyLenFqm/s200/3-3+double+hane.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>That black actually uses his sacrifice to "wiggle himself" around white's position and retake the corner blew my mind. It made clear to me for the first time that the game is really deeper than I will ever be able to fathom. It's been one of my first epiphany-like "insight moments" into Go. It made me understand something and changed my perspective on the game. Just seeing the pattern made me stronger.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">2) I like the double hane, because it demonstrates fighting spirit and can literally turn a game around. I myself often fail miserably when trying to apply it in my games, but I can already sense the willingness to fight behind the move in games I study. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">3) It sounds cool, does it not? ;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Contact information</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">If for any reason you would like to contact me, feel free to write me at <a href="mailto:doublehane.blog@googlemail.com">doublehane.blog@googlemail.com</a>. If you want to play against me on <a href="http://www.dragongoserver.net/index.php">Dragon Go</a>, my nickname is Gegenzeit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div>Doublehanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05896869656690438227noreply@blogger.com0