Give me power!

An igo professional player in Japan says that fight without regard to territory for getting power of fight. So I decided I would try to fight so much in my game.

I avoided some fight until now, when I thought I would get advantage, even if I thought I could fight evenly. I want not to win but to become strong. I try to fight by fight from now!

My 40th KGS game (vs [4k], 5 stones game, B)

I used cutting off the lower right corner for ko threat of the lower left corner ko. However the opponent didn't respond the lower right corner. So I cut off the lower right corner.

How do you play in this situation? Yes. Everyone will play the cap at A. However...

I played at 1! 
Because of that, the white group could escape. (Please ignore my mistake of the lower right corner.)

Afterward, I had many failures...

Although it's all but decided that I lose, the white played uchikomi in the upper left corner. I wanted to capture only them.

The white group had two eyes...orz 

All moves are here. 

I took terribly bad play in this game. I'm too weak in fight. I want power of fight.

The Diamond Opening

Happy New Year!
Thank you for reading my blog. I write this blog as much as I can.

I write about a game in last year in this time.

I wanted to try an opening stile from a month ago. It makes much of the side rather than the corner. But I haven't played games without handicap stones for about one month.

In this time I could play a game without handicap stones at last!

My 38th KGS game (vs [8k], komi: 0.5, B)

The opening was above. Do you know the Southern Cross Opening? In the Southern Cross Opening, the 9th black is the tengen. I think the tengen is slack, so I approached the lower right corner at the 9th black.

The opening of the black is like a diamond, isn't it? I named the opening "the Diamond Opening".

I played well until the middle game. But...

I mistook in this point. I had to block at the A. If so, when the white wedged at the 1st, the black could connect by double atari at the 2nd.

In this situation I thought that I could kill the white group in the left side and I would win. I had delusion that when the white wedged at the A, the black could connect by double atari at the B. Of course, the black stone on the B was killed by the next white move.

After my mistake, it didn't turn the tables. Eventually I resigned.

All moves are here.

However, the Diamond Opening is exiting! I'd like to try the opening next time also.

Practice in 6 stones game

I didn't know that 6 stones game was approved as rated game in KGS. I haven't yet played 5 or more stones game in KGS. I'd like to play 6 stones game.

But I don't think that I'll win in 6 stones game as white. 6 stones are too much!

Therefore I practiced in 6 stones game against a computer.

How do you play in this situation?

I cut at A. It's awfully bad. Black in the upper side became too strong. White in the left upper side marked triangle became so weak.

I had to cut at B. If so, I could fight in the center with advantage.

Although I think this was the most important point in this game, I show the end game. An accident was happened at the last.

How do you play in this situation? Yes. Everybody connects at B. But...
I connected at A!
Of course, the black took Sashikomi at B and the white group in the upper right corner was dead by snap back. I didn't think anything then. I'm stupid...

All moves are here.

However, I become to think that I can play moderately well in 6 stones game as white.

How to train for igo

I train for igo every day. Reading books of life-death problem and playing 9*9 igo against a computer. That is why, although I play igo against a human only once a week, I become strong day by day (I hope).

I wonder how does European and American train for igo? A lot of books of igo are available in China, Korea and Japan. But I have not seen any books of igo in English. I live in Manila now and when I go to a book store, I must look for some books of igo. But I haven't.

How do you train for igo? Only playing igo in KGS? If so, you are great! Although I train for igo every day, my KGS lank rises so slowly. Why do you progress with igo by only playing igo? Please tell me the knack.

Order of moves is extremely important!

Although  it's not the first time that I have a conscious it, I really felt it this time.

My 37th KGS game (vs [6k], 2 stones game, B)


I made some big mistakes in the opening. However, I write about the win-or-lose point.

It was a capturing race in the center. I thought that I could make two eyes by sequence of moves at 1-3 and A-C.
However...

My stones were killed!!
W didn't connect of G-14 at 4th. I had to get the white stone of K-13 at 3rd.

Wrong order of moves is so scary. Please be careful about it everyone!

In the result, I became 9k again.

My 36th KGS game

I tensed a little because I played igo after 10 days.

My 36th KGS game (vs [7k], 2 stones game, B)


I took mistakes a lot I write remarkable one of the mistakes.

My stones of center are attacked I thought it's safe playing in number order, because I could get 4th of white stone. However...

No.1 of My stone is dead!!
It's unbelievably bad. The image in my head blurs about 5 moves. Because of that, I didn't notice my stone would take atari. I shouldn't have taken atekomi at 1 but jumped at A.

As a result, my moyo at the right side was invaded.


But I won by 12.5 points with help from slack plays of white. All moves are here.

This is my 5th straight win. I became 8k for this winning. I'm so happy!

Nongshim hot noodles Cup World Go Strongest Tournament

The igo tournament is an international igo tournament. China, Korea and Japan participate in the tournament. The system of the tournament is a little complicated.

Each country has 5 players. A player of the 2nd country of last year play a player of the 3rd country of last year at first. The winner of the game play a player of the victory country of last year. The winner of the game play another player of another country...

The loser is eliminated like this. The country which has the last player claims victory.

Japan lost with no winning in the tournament of this year! Moreover all games of Japan players were resigned games. It's terrible! Only 3 players each of Both China and Korea play.

Japan continues to get 3rd last 5 straight years. Now a days, Japanese level of igo became different from Chinese and Korean. And people who plays igo decreases in Japan. I'm very sad.

I want the Nihon Ki-in to strive for raising the Japanese level of igo.