Solving go problems

As a beginner, the best way to become better at playing go is to solve many relatively simple problems. Any problem should be so simple so that you can solve it in under half a minute. The better you become, the more difficult problems you can solve within the same time frame. You do not get better faster by trying to solve harder problems than suits your level, rather the contrary.

I would say that 90% of the players strength comes from how good one can correctly "read" a number of moves forward. A good way to practice this skill is to play many games of go but it's even better is to solve lots of go problems. As a beginner, you can barely manage to read one move ahead, but with a little practice, you can soon read ahead 2-3 moves correctly and with a lot of practice 10 moves or more.

When you have solved a problem, you should be so sure that it is the right solution so that you do not need to look at the correct answer. Therefore some problem books are lacking a section with solutions. So you have to have read out the entire problem with all possible variations before deciding to look at the answer. Sometimes you are still wrong and then it is important to try to understand why it was wrong and why the correct answer is right.

You do not have to spend hours on end to solve problems, but it is perfectly OK to solve one problem here and one there. Eg when sitting in the subway, before going to sleep, sitting on the toilet, waiting in line, when there are commercials on TV, etc. So buy / borrow some problems books, spread them out in your home and always have one with you wherever you go. ;)

On the internet, there are some problems collections to come by and the best is undoubtedly goproblems.com. There you can easily start with the problem that suits your personal level and then advance. There are currently 8035 problems, of which I've made three.

Life and death, 6 kyu

Life and death, 3 kyu

Tesuji, 8 dan (?)

There are also some "apps" for smart phones (Android / iOS), which has many go problems. I have yet to find any that is easy to use and that I think is good for beginners, but I have not been looking so hard. Those that cost money are probably also the ones that are best. Please tell me if you find a good app.

Happy holidays

May you have a great weekend and a happy new year!

Tenth game at EGC 2011

The final round of the EGC in Bordeaux. There is both sadness and relief in knowing that EGC is over for this time. It has been two weeks of fun and serious games but it will be nice to have some rest from the competition. Before it is all over I have to play another French player. Because of my previous wins I have moved up again to play against a 6 kyu. My opponent has already won five games before this game and among them one against a 4 kyu so he will probably be of my strength. I will probably have a chance to win my last game of the tournament. Let's do our best!

My opponent plays as black and I as white. The opening went quite well except for a reading mistake by me on the upper side that was quite big. After the white invasion on the left side I felt I had to do the same on the right side.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Chinese]SZ[19]KM[7.50]TM[5400]OT[3x30 byo-yomi]
GN[EGC Main Tournament Round 10]PW[Boywing]PB[French guy]WR[4k]BR[6k]DT[2011-08-06]EV[EGC 2011]RO[Round 10]PC[Bordeaux, France]WT[Sweden]BT[France]RE[B+Resign]
;B[dp]
;W[pd]
;B[qp]
;W[cd]
;B[qf]
;W[nc]
;B[pj]
;W[op]
;B[mq]
;W[no]
(;B[qm]LB[qh:A][qk:B]C[Possible to invade at A or B]
(;W[lp]
;B[pq]
(;W[oq]
;B[fq]LB[kq:A]C[Black can later play at A]
;W[cj]
;B[ed]
;W[gc]
;B[fe]
;W[df]
;B[cc]
;W[bc]
;B[dc]
;W[bb]
;B[hd]
(;W[hc]
;B[id]
(;W[jc]C[Bad jump]
;B[ic]
;W[ib]
(;B[jb]C[Block from wrong side]
;W[kb]
;B[hb]
;W[ja]
;B[gb]
;W[gd]
;B[ge]
;W[cn]
;B[bp]
;W[hq]
(;B[cl]C[White have several options]
(;W[bl]
;B[bm]
;W[cm]
;B[bk]
;W[dl]
;B[ck]
;W[dk]
;B[bj]
;W[ci]
(;B[fo]LB[bh:A]
(;W[bi]
;B[al]
;W[qh]
;B[ph]
;W[pi]
;B[qi]
;W[oi]
;B[rh]
;W[qj]
;B[ri]
;W[pk]
;B[rd]
;W[qc]
;B[or]
;W[nr]
;B[pr]
;W[nq]
;B[ko]
;W[kp]
(;B[oj]C[Ladder does not work for black.]
(;W[ok]C[Bad move]
;B[nj]
;W[oh]
;B[pg]
;W[mh]
;B[og]
;W[mi]
;B[qk]
;W[ql]
;B[rk]
;W[pm]
;B[rl]
(;W[pl]
;B[qn]
;W[fm]
;B[lk]
;W[nf]
;B[ng]
;W[mg]
;B[on]
;W[ml]
;B[mk]
;W[nm]
(;B[oo]
;W[nn]
;B[gr]
;W[hr]
;B[jf]
(;W[lf]
;B[bn]
;W[fg]
;B[rc]
;W[ih]
;B[gg]
;W[gh]
;B[fh]
;W[eg]
;B[jk]
;W[hk]
;B[jo]
;W[ip]
;B[ij]
;W[hj]
;B[hh]
;W[gi]
;B[hg]
;W[ea]
;B[eb]
;W[da]
;B[fa]
;W[fn]
;B[ai]
;W[ah]
;B[aj]
;W[bh]
;B[hs]
;W[is]
;B[gs]
;W[jr]
;B[qb]
;W[pb]
;B[qd]
;W[pc]
;B[rb]
;W[je]
;B[ie]
;W[jd]
;B[ig]
;W[im]
;B[jm])
(;W[bn]
;B[aj]
;W[ao]
;B[am]
;W[ap]CR[cq][dq][eq][cr][dr][er][cs][ds][es][fs]C[White will reduce a lot of points]))
(;B[om]C[Black can do better]
;W[ol]
;B[pn]
;W[nl]
;B[nn]C[Painful for white]))
(;W[ml]C[White should leave his stone in atari]))
(;W[nj]
;B[ok]
;W[ol]
;B[nk]
;W[mk]
;B[nl]
;W[nm]
;B[ml]
;W[ll]
;B[mm]
;W[mn]
;B[lm]
;W[km]
;B[ln]
;W[lo]
;B[kn]
;W[jn])
(;W[ql]
;B[nj]
;W[pm]))
(;B[jo]
;W[jp]
;B[oj]
;W[nj]
;B[ok]
;W[ol]
;B[nk]
;W[mk]
;B[nl]
;W[nm]
;B[ml]
;W[ll]
;B[mm]
;W[mn]
;B[lm]
;W[km]
;B[ln]
;W[lo]
;B[kn]
;W[io]
;B[jn]
;W[jm]))
(;W[bn]C[White should start from this side]
;B[al]
;W[bi]
;B[aj]
;W[ao]
;B[am]
;W[ap]LB[bi:A][aj:B][am:D][bn:C]C[A-B and C-D exchange is good for white]))
(;B[bn]C[Huge move]))
(;W[co]
;B[cp]
;W[dm]LB[bn:A]
;B[dj]
;W[ci]
;B[dl]
;W[el]
;B[ek]
;W[fm]
;B[gk])
(;W[ep]
;B[eq]
;W[do]
;B[cp]
;W[bm]
;B[bl]
;W[ej]
;B[el]
;W[fn]))
(;B[qc]C[Black should play here]))
(;B[hb]
;W[jb]
;B[gb]))
(;W[ic]
;B[jd]
;W[kc]
;B[eg]
;W[ch]
;B[oe]C[Better for black]))
(;W[ic]C[White should play here]
;B[hc]
;W[hb]
;B[gd]
;W[cn]))
(;W[lq]
;B[oq]
(;W[kn])
(;W[mr]
;B[nq]
;W[kn])))
(;W[qh]
;B[ph]
;W[pi]
(;B[qi]
;W[oi]
;B[rh]
;W[qj]
;B[ri]
;W[pk]
;B[oj]
;W[ql])
(;B[oi]
;W[qi]
;B[pg]
;W[qj]
;B[qk]
;W[rk]
;B[pk]
;W[rl]))
(;W[qk]
(;B[qj]
;W[rj]
;B[ri]
;W[pk]
;B[ok]
;W[pl])
(;B[pk]
;W[ql]
;B[pl]
;W[rm]
;B[qn]
;W[ri]))
(;W[qq]
;B[rq]
;W[pq]
;B[kp]
;W[ro]
;B[rp]
;W[qo]
;B[po]
;W[pp]
;B[qn]
;W[pn]
;B[so]
;W[oo]
;B[rn]
;W[kn]))
(;B[pn]C[Black should play here]))

I played a sequence on the right side that captured a stone in a ladder. Black soon played a ladder breaker and then pulled out his stone from the ladder. The problem was that the ladder breaker didn't work and neither I or my opponent read it out, we just assumed it worked. So instead we started to fight for a couple of moves and now black is ahead in the game.

I didn't really find anything to attack so it is more or less game over for me. We still played it to the end and I lost.

At the same time Girlwing played against a 6 dan again. It was a close game but she played a steady game and never gave her opponent a chance. In the end she won by 2.5 points.

So now totally Girlwing have seven wins I won three games out of ten. As I mentioned in my first post about EGC I didn't expect to win much in the first week but was hoping for better results in the second week. It was so true, but I didn't expect to play so many under ranked French players. I played against five French players the first week and I lost all five games. I feel I should have won one or two of these games. In the second week I won three out of five games, which is an OK result. Before next time I go to EGC I must do some practice before the tournament so I am warmed up and can be sure of my level.

The top two tables where the strong Koreans play.

Cristian Pop 7D and Dmitriy Surin 5D.

A lot of the players standing outside the playing venue for a group picture.

Price giving ceremony.

Dinner with the Finnish players and a couple of British as well.

Ninth game at EGC

It's friday and only two games left to play in the EGC. Today I played a Korean lady of 7 kyu. She didn't speak any English so we nodded and I placed my first black stone on the board.

She played her first four stones on the same side of the board, while I spread them out to occupy a larger territory. Her fifth stone she approched my lower right corner and there she must have played wrong because I closed her in directly.

I left my corner with some aji and secured some territory in the upper right. Directly she attached to my 4-4 stone and I played a hane. In the sequence that follows I build a wall that is building a large moyo.

She then turns to invade my lower side and I jump in to her lower left corner at san-san. She block from the wrong side and I get a good result and her D6 stone is too close to her D4 group, making an inefficient shape.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Chinese]SZ[19]KM[7.50]TM[5400]OT[3x30 byo-yomi]
GN[EGC Main Tournament Round 9]PW[Korean lady]PB[Boywing]WR[7k]BR[4k]DT[2011-08-05]EV[EGC 2011]RO[Round 9]PC[Bordeaux, France]WT[Korea]BT[Sweden]RE[B+5.50]
;B[pd]
;W[dp]
;B[pq]
;W[dc]
;B[fq]
;W[dn]
;B[jp]
;W[ci]
;B[jc]
;W[po]
(;B[ql]
;W[qq]
;B[qr]
;W[rr]
;B[qp]
;W[rq]
;B[pp]
;W[rp]
;B[qo]
;W[pr]
;B[or]
;W[qs]
(;B[pf]
;W[pc]
;B[qc]
;W[oc]
;B[qb]
;W[lc]
;B[gc]
;W[de]
;B[od]
;W[nd]
;B[ne]
;W[md]
;B[me]
;W[le]
;B[kb]
;W[lb]
;B[je]
;W[lf]
;B[mg]
;W[jf]
;B[ie]
;W[kh]
;B[li]
;W[hq]
;B[cq]
;W[cp]
;B[dq]
;W[ep]
;B[eq]
;W[ho]
;B[jn]
;W[fi]
(;B[hm]
;W[fp]
;B[fk]
(;W[dk]
;B[ej]
;W[di]
;B[dl]
;W[el]
;B[ek]
;W[dj]
;B[em]
;W[cl]
;B[dm]
;W[cm]
;B[en]
;W[lq]
;B[mp]
;W[gq]
;B[bq]
;W[bp]
;B[jq]
;W[gr]
;B[fr]
;W[aq]
;B[ar]
;W[ap]
;B[bs]
;W[nr]
(;B[os]
;W[ro]
;B[qn]
;W[ki]
;B[lj]
;W[hk]
;B[hl]
;W[ik]
;B[jl]
(;W[ge]
(;B[he]
;W[gd]
;B[hc]
;W[hd]
;B[id]
;W[ib]
;B[hb]
;W[ka]
(;B[ic]
;W[ja]
;B[kd]
;W[ld]
;B[ha]
;W[la]
;B[eb]
;W[db]
;B[ec]
;W[ed]
;B[da]
;W[ca]
;B[ea]
;W[cc]
;B[qi]
;W[kk]
;B[ll]
;W[kl]
;B[km]
;W[lk]
;B[mk]
;W[mh]
;B[lh]
;W[lg]
(;B[nh]
;W[ml]
;B[lm]
;W[mj]
;B[nk]
;W[mi]
;B[nj]
;W[kj]
;B[ni]
;W[ng]
;B[og]
;W[nf]
;B[of]
;W[mf]
;B[oe]
;W[js]
;B[kr]
;W[ks]
;B[ls]
;W[ir]
;B[jr]
;W[is]
;B[lr]
;W[ei]
;B[hg]
;W[gf]
;B[ig]
;W[eo]
;B[gg]
;W[fg]
;B[ob]
;W[nb]
;B[pb]
;W[nc]
;B[rn]
;W[sn]
;B[sm]
;W[so]
;B[rm]
;W[gh]
;B[gk]
;W[gj]
;B[ii]
;W[jk]
;B[hn]
;W[io]
;B[jo]
;W[fs]
;B[es]
;W[gs]
;B[hi]
;W[fn]
;B[fm]
;W[gn]
;B[gm]
;W[ip]
;B[fd]
;W[fe]
;B[fc]
;W[jg]
;B[ke]
;W[kf]
;B[na]
;W[ma]
;B[oa]
;W[il]
;B[jm]
;W[ps]
;B[nq]
;W[gi]
;B[jb]
;W[ia]
;B[im]
;W[ji]
;B[ij]
;W[hj]
;B[ih]
;W[hf]
;B[if]
;W[ef]
;B[iq]
;W[go]
;B[in]
;W[fj]
;B[hh]
;W[kc]
;B[jh]
;W[jj])
(;B[mi]
;W[mf]
;B[ng]
;W[nf]
;B[of]
;W[oe]
;B[pe]))
(;B[ja]))
(;B[eb]))
(;W[kk]
;B[ml]))
(;B[nq]
;W[os]
;B[oq]
;W[mr]
;B[ro]))
(;W[hk]
;B[gl]
;W[jl]))
(;B[jj]))
(;B[nq]))
(;B[pl]))

My H7 move is not so good. It should be better at K10. My F9 is even worse and makes a counter attack at H9 possible. The E10 move I regretted the second after I put it on the board. So I just pretended it didn't exist and I tried something else. The problem is that I removed some aji in the upper right.

Whites M3 made me some worries but I decided to defend my moyo and played N4. I was later told that this was a very good move. My opponent didn't answer so I got the possibility to capture the M3 stone.

A couple of moves later white attacked my upper group with G15. The best response to live is E18, but I wanted to be able to jump out in whites middle area so I played H15. That gave me some problems when I played wrong a couple of times and I barely survived thanks to my opponent to make as many mistakes as me.

By now I felt I was ahead and didn't want any bad surprises so I played inside my own territory at R11. Then came L9 and I felt like crying. I read out as far as I could and there are so many cutting points and it was hard to find any way to play a sequence where I can keep all my stones. So I played a sequence to give away three stones and am able to close off my territory. Then again I didn't expect the next move at O13. Well now it should really be closed.

We played all the way through endgame and to fill all the dames to count the points. I won by 5.5 points. Yay! So now I have three wins totally and all of them in the second week. Tomorrow I will meet a French 6 kyu. I think he both lost and won against 4k and 5k so he should be at my strength. It will be a challenge!

Girlwing won today against her Japanese 6 dan opponent. Tomorrow she will play another 6 dan who has played well this tournament. Let's hope for the best and that Girlwing wins her seventh victory.

Go players solving weiqi problems together under a tree.

Morino Setsuo 9P is reviewing the game between Alexandr Dinershteyn 7D and Catalin Taranu 7D.

Players looking at the results of today and the new pairing of tomorrow.

To farewell drink is served tonight.

Players enjoying the farewell drink.

Eighth game at EGC

For my eighth game I am paired against a French lady of 9 kyu. She won her first six games and then lost a game yesterday. I know for sure that French players are much stronger than their rank so I was expecting 4 kyu competition regardless of her rank.

She started with securing her lower left side and I played one stone under the star point on the left side and on the upper side. That made her the possibility to build a small moyo on the upper left corner before I was able to secure my left side. Directly she approached my stone on my lower right and I played an OK joseki but she was  not aggressive enough and secured her stones in a heavy shape. That gave me the possibility to play a strong shape.

Then she left her stones and approached my upper right corner. There I probably should had played a pincer instead of the kick-jump. But at least I got the chance to jump out with my middle stone and threaten her lower group. Now I got the time to play a sequence to threaten that group until it lived with only two one point eyes. Ending in sente I was able to invade the upper left moyo as well. She played wrong and I got a great result after cutting of a stone and adding that to my left side territory.

About here my phone rang (without a signal) and I hung up directly but when the kifu came back it was totally empty. I then tried to load the autosave-file but that one was empty as well. U guess the autosave had saved the empty board over the one I had entered the moves. So it was totally blank and I turned off my smartphone. So a note to the author of Gobandroid. Please fix that bug! And a note to me, turn the phone in to flight mode when you play tournament games! So all of the kifu is made from memory. There are 100% chance that the moves are in the wrong order.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Chinese]SZ[19]KM[7.50]TM[5400]OT[3x30 byo-yomi]
GN[EGC Round 8]PW[Boywing]PB[French lady]WR[4k]BR[9k]DT[2011-08-04]EV[EGC Main Tournament]RO[Round 8]PC[Bordeaux, France]WT[Sweden]BT[France]RE[W+22.50]
;B[cp]
;W[pd]
;B[dc]
;W[pq]
;B[eq]
;W[cj]
;B[cf]
;W[jc]
;B[hc]
;W[je]
;B[he]
;W[cm]
;B[po]
;W[ql]
;B[qq]
;W[qr]
;B[qp]
;W[or]
;B[qn]
;W[np]
;B[qf]
;W[qe]
;B[pf]
;W[nd]
;B[qj]
;W[ol]
;B[oj]
;W[ml]
;B[nn]
;W[lo]
;B[iq]
;W[kq]
;B[io]
;W[pm]
;B[pn]
;W[rm]
;B[ro]
;W[rr]
;B[rq]
;W[rn]
;B[pp]
;W[op]
;B[sp]
;W[fc]
;B[gd]
;W[ed]
;B[dd]
;W[ef]
;B[fd]
;W[de]
;B[ec]
;W[ce]
;B[bd]
;W[be]
;B[nm]
;W[nl]
;B[ln]
;W[lm]
;B[kn]
;W[re]
;B[rf]
;W[nf]
;B[nh]
;W[og]
;B[ph]
;W[rj]
;B[ri]
;W[rk]
;B[pk]
;W[pl]
;B[oc]
;W[pb]
;B[od]
;W[oe]
;B[pe]
;W[pc]
;B[lc]
;W[ld]
;B[kc]
;W[kd]
;B[jb]
;W[mc]
;B[ic]
;W[jd]
;B[se]
;W[gg]
;B[hg]
;W[hh]
;B[ig]
;W[ih]
;B[of]
;W[ne]
;B[ng]
;W[go]
;B[gq]
;W[gm]
;B[en]
;W[el]
;B[cn]
;W[bm]
;B[bn]
;W[an]
;B[bo]
;W[jl]
;B[im]
;W[il]
;B[hm]
;W[gl]
;B[hl]
;W[hk]
;B[dm]
;W[dl]
;B[gk]
;W[em]
;B[dn]
;W[fn]
;B[km]
;W[kl]
;B[ee]
;W[df]
;B[ff]
;W[fg]
;B[gf]
;W[bc]
;B[cd]
;W[ad]
;B[bb]
;W[mb]
;B[kb]
;W[jr]
;B[lp]
;W[lq]
;B[mo]
;W[gs]
;B[fr]
;W[si]
;B[rh]
;W[eo]
;B[cc]
;W[rd]
;B[sd]
;W[sc]
;B[sf]
;W[rc]
;B[ac]
;W[ae]
;B[ie]
;W[jg]
;B[jf]
;W[kf]
;B[if]
;W[li]
;B[mi]
;W[mg]
;B[lk]
;W[ll]
;B[mk]
;W[kk]
;B[oi]
;W[lj]
;B[sh]
;W[sj]
;B[ao]
;W[am]
;B[do]
;W[fp]
;B[ep]
;W[fo]
;B[qk]
;W[hn]
;B[in]
;W[mh]
;B[ir]
;W[is]
;B[fs]
;W[hs]
;B[jq]
;W[kr]
;B[mp]
;W[mq])

Anyway, soon she invaded my upper side. I did my best to defend and I should be able to kill her stones but I let her connect with some of them to her upper left side. I managed to seal off the middle and got a lot of points there. In the end my opponent invaded my middle and I have a lot of weakness and cutting points and it is absolutely possible to capture some of my stones. I had to give up some of them and I chose the four at B7. It was still not enough for her and I won in the end by 22.5. So that was my second win so far and tomorrow I'll meet a Korean 7k. Expect a lot of fighting and bad shape!

Girlwing played another 4 dan and she won. Tomorrow she will play against a Japanese 6 dan. Lets hope she wins so she can continue to play strong players. 4 dans she can play against in Sweden. :)

After our games we went in to town for some leisure time and sightseeing. Girlwing was very close to buying a Lancel handbag for €400. I told her not to because she already have a fancy handbag that is only one year old. She painfully left the handbag and cursed me for several blocks while we was walking. Women... ;)

We went in to a big church called Cathédrale st.Andre. I was not able to walk very far in to the church before I was told to take of my cap. I think only women and the priests are allowed to wear anything on their heads. I am not sure what the practical reason for that is. But I didn't mind, there was no sun in there anyway.

 A really nice big church.

 This is where the priest usually stands and brainwash the simple people.

The great church organ.

The Great Dune of Pyla

 Today is another day of rest and sightseeing. The organizers of EGC are arranging a trip to a vineyard and another one to la dune du Pyla. We already went to the vineyard and Saint Emilion so this time we chose the great dune.

The dune is now 107 meters high but not so long ago it was 117 meters high. There was a storm in 2009 that damaged the dune quite a lot.

The dune is made entirely of really fine beach sand and it is a tough job to climb the dune by foot. The sand is flowing away almost like heavy water and every step you take only takes you half a step ahead. But of course we had to climb all the way to the top, then down to the sea to wet our feet and then climb all the way to the top again.

If you have good legs you must try to run/jump down the steepest parts of the dune. It is almost like flying or jumping on clouds. A really nice feeling!

And another thing... when you climb up again, use your toes like claws to get a good grip. If you let the sand flow between your toes it will take you much more work to climb up.

The path from the parking to the dune is crowded with small shops packed with souvenirs. The most interesting stuff are decorations made of the sand from the dune, but I didn't buy any.

Nice shadows from the trees on the path to the dune.

There we first see the dune!

The stairs were easier to use than to climb the dune. It is quite a steep angle. Some people walked on the side where the angle is less.

A view from the top of the stairs.

The dune is 3 km long and 500 meters wide.

There is a lot of sand here... About 60,000,000 m³.

Most of the people gathered along the top.

It is a popular place for paragliding.

The beach. The dark things in the water are rocks.

You can not see the top of the dune from the water.

After the dune we went to a small cute city named Arcachon. Mostly so the Japanese players could taste the local oysters. Girlwing ate as well but I went for a walk along the beach.

A view of the beach.

On the base of a pier they have this carousel.

The beach from one of the piers.

Another view of the beach.

The local casino.

They have cute houses all around the small city.

Seventh game at EGC

For the seventh game I was paired against a French player again. This time a 5 kyu that was not playing in the first week. So this is his second game and he lost the first one. I didn't know that when the game started and was kind of expecting to get crushed by another French sandbagger.

It was cloudy and a bit chilly in the morning so I wore jeans to the playing venue. Halfway into the game the sun started to shine and I regretted my decision to wear jeans and wished I had my shorts. It became very warm and the air was heavy and humid. Later in the afternoon the sky opened with heavy rain and thunder. I was lucky to be home before that happened.

In the game I play black and start with a Chinese opening. I need to study that opening some more because I don't manage to play effective moves. It feels a bit too slow. My opponent had a better start and soon he had a big moyo in the lower right and a large territory at the top.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Chinese]SZ[19]KM[7.50]TM[5400]OT[3x30 byo-yomi]
GN[EGC round 7]PW[French guy]PB[Boywing]WR[5k]BR[4k]DT[2011-08-02]EV[EGC 2011]RO[7]PC[Bordeaux, France]WT[France]BT[Sweden]RE[W+12.50]
;B[pd]
;W[dp]
;B[pq]
;W[dd]
;B[ql]
;W[nc]
;B[pf]
;W[jd]
;B[cf]
;W[dj]
;B[ch]
;W[ce]
;B[df]
;W[fd]
;B[cj]
;W[ck]
;B[dk]
;W[cl]
;B[bj]
;W[jp]
;B[lp]
;W[jn]
;B[cq]
;W[dq]
;B[cp]
;W[co]
;B[dr]
;W[er]
;B[cr]
;W[do]
;B[bo]
;W[ek]
;B[di]
;W[ej]
;B[bn]
;W[po]
;B[np]
;W[qq]
;B[qr]
;W[pm]
;B[pl]
;W[mn]
;B[jq]
;W[iq]
;B[kp]
;W[ip]
;B[nl]
;W[om]
;B[ol]
;W[oh]
;B[ph]
;W[oe]
;B[pe]
;W[of]
;B[og]
;W[ng]
;B[pg]
;W[nh]
;B[nn]
;W[nm]
;B[mm]
;W[lm]
;B[ml]
;W[no]
;B[ln]
;W[mo]
;B[lo]
;W[op]
;B[nq]
;W[on]
;B[qn]
;W[oq]
;B[or]
;W[pp]
;B[pr]
;W[pn]
;B[jl]
;W[ff]
;B[jm]
;W[ji]
;B[fh]
;W[gh]
;B[jc]
;W[ic]
;B[kc]
;W[ib]
;B[nd]
;W[md]
;B[ne]
;W[me]
;B[od]
;W[mc]
;B[li]
;W[lh]
;B[kh]
;W[ki]
;B[jh]
;W[ii]
;B[kd]
;W[je]
;B[lg]
;W[mh]
;B[mf]
;W[nf]
;B[le]
;W[lb]
;B[mi]
;W[kg]
;B[jg]
;W[kf]
;B[jf]
;W[ke]
;B[oi]
;W[lf]
;B[ni]
;W[mg]
;B[cc]
;W[dc]
;B[be]
;W[cb]
;B[cd]
;W[qc]
;B[pc]
;W[pb]
;B[qd]
;W[rb]
;B[rc]
;W[hm]
;B[hl]
;W[gm]
;B[gl]
;W[im]
;B[gi]
;W[hh]
;B[fg]
;W[gf]
;B[cm]
;W[dm]
;B[jr]
;W[ir]
;B[is]
;W[hs]
;B[js]
;W[gr]
;B[em]
;W[el]
;B[qb]
;W[qa]
;B[ob])

I invaded the lower left corner directly and I am not so sure I should have done that. He became strong and it will be hard for me to invade or reduce later. When the sequence was over he answered by invading my lower right. For a log time I was reading how to cut his stones there and as soon as I got sente I played the cut. I was hoping for a kill but white managed to live quite easily.

Next I try to invade the upper side. I read out a great sequence but in my excitement I read wrong and I didn't gain much from the sequence. That was kind of my last hope. In the endgame I managed to reduce a little bit more but in the end I lost the game with 12.5 points including the 7.5 points komi for white.


When I was about to leave I saw that there was a blind player in the room. He uses a special board where you place stones on raised intersections and the stones are cut out so they fit on the intersections and doesn't slide around. The black stones have a small spike on the top and the white stones are smooth. Every time the young woman placed a stone the blind man was feeling with his fingers in the played area. Then he feel the stones in another area and plays a stone. It is quite amazing that he can do that, he kind of have to remember most of the board in his mind and without ever being able to look at the board.

After my game I went to see Girlwing play. She played against a 5 dan who lives in Spain. Girlwing was stressed and her opponent acted very calm. I never counted the points because there were a lot of unplayed areas on the board, but it looked like Girlwing was leading. That's why I got surprised when Girlwing resigned some moves later. She was sad and angry that she played so bad. She was ahead after the opening but made mistakes so some of her stones died after the opponent had invaded her territory.

Tomorrow we play no games but instead we will see the great sand dunes.

Sixth game at EGC

The second week of EGC just started and the sixth game has been played. I feared that I had to play another French guy and this time it could have been a 9 kyu player. But when I looked at the pairing I was happy to see that I was about to play against a 6 kyu player from Spain.

I was sitting closest to the window where the strong sun was shining directly in to the room. I pulled the curtains so I didn't get the sun in my face. That didn't help much from the warmth the sun gave to the room. It was almost hard to breathe. I was just hoping this warm room would affect my opponent more than me. But Spanish people should be used to warm conditions compared to a Swede like me.

I started with a Chinese opening as black. My opponent invaded directly and I answered with a standard variation. Soon I started to play strange and my attack was not so affective.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Chinese]SZ[19]KM[7.50]TM[5400]OT[15/300 Canadian]
GN[EGC Round 6]PW[Spanish guy]PB[Boywing]WR[6k]BR[4k]DT[2011-08-01]EV[EGC 2011]RO[6]PC[Bordeaux, France]WT[Spain]BT[Sweden]RE[B+Resign]
;B[pd]
;W[dp]
;B[pq]
;W[dc]
;B[ql]
;W[po]
;B[np]
;W[qq]
;B[qr]
;W[qp]
;B[rr]
;W[pm]
;B[pl]
;W[om]
(;B[nk]
;W[mm]
;B[nn]
;W[nm]
;B[lk]
;W[oq]
;B[op]
;W[pp]
;B[pr]
;W[nq]
;B[mq]
;W[mp]
(;B[lp]
;W[mo]
;B[nr]
;W[lq]
;B[mr]
;W[no]
(;B[kq]
;W[oo]
(;B[jc]
;W[qf]
;B[qe]
;W[pf]
;B[nd]
;W[pj]
;B[ok]
;W[rj]
;B[ph]
;W[qh]
;B[ce]
;W[hc]
;B[je]
;W[de]
;B[df]
;W[cd]
;B[ee]
;W[dd]
;B[ef]
;W[cj]
;B[fq]
;W[dn]
(;B[dr]
;W[cq]
;B[fo]
;W[ej]
;B[of]
;W[oh]
;B[og]
;W[pg]
;B[nh]
;W[oi]
;B[ni]
;W[qk]
;B[rf]
;W[rd]
;B[pe]
;W[qg]
;B[re]
;W[qc]
;B[pc]
;W[rb]
;B[pb]
;W[he]
;B[ch]
;W[cf]
;B[cg]
;W[be]
(;B[gd]
;W[gc]
;B[fd]
;W[fc]
;B[hd]
;W[eh]
;B[eg]
;W[dh]
;B[gh]
;W[hh]
;B[hi]
;W[ii]
;B[hj]
;W[ij]
;B[ik]
;W[jk]
;B[jl]
;W[il]
;B[hk]
;W[kl]
;B[jj]
;W[jm]
;B[kj]
;W[fh]
;B[gg]
;W[hq]
(;B[ip]
;W[hp]
;B[ho]
;W[io]
;B[iq]
;W[go]
;B[hn]
;W[gn]
;B[gp]
;W[hr]
;B[ir]
;W[hm]
;B[in]
;W[jo]
(;B[gm]
;W[fn]
;B[en]
;W[fm]
;B[em]
;W[fl]
;B[eo]
;W[cm]
;B[cl]
;W[cr]
;B[bm]
;W[bn]
;B[dm]
;W[cn]
;B[bk]
;W[bj]
;B[el]
;W[fk]
;B[dk]
;W[dj]
;B[gr]
;W[hs]
;B[gq]
;W[jn]
;B[ep]
;W[er]
;B[eq]
;W[dq]
;B[ck]C[White resign])
(;B[hs]
;W[jn]
;B[gr]
;W[im]
;B[gq]
;W[ho]))
(;B[hp]
;W[ip]
;B[ho]))
(;B[eh]))
(;B[cq]))
(;B[pf]
;W[jc]))
(;B[or]
;W[kp]
;B[cf]))
(;B[nr]))
(;B[rn]
;W[ol]
;B[pj]))

Soon my opponent invaded the upper right side and I made it too easy for him to live. At least I got sente and I approached his upper left corner stone. White played the wrong joseki but I didn't find a good way to continue from it so I left my stones and approached the lover left instead. A better way should be to invade that corner directly to take away his points.

After some luck and not so great play from my opponent I managed to close off the right side and now it started to look good with the balance of territory. My opponent invaded my upper right corner and both I and him played wrong so his stones did in the end and I kept my corner territory.

Next I managed to close off the center even more and then my opponent thought it was time to invade. Sadly for him he didn't manage at all and just helped me to close it completely. He got a ponnuki instead but that is not worth so much this late in the game. It gives some strength to his next invasion.

So he invaded the lower side at H3. I believed that this was not possible so I answered in the strongest way I could imagine. It didn't go as I planned. I misread as usual. But as you can see in the variation it was still possible for me to connect my stones. I didn't see that so I started my hunt for two eyes. At this point I didn't believe that could be able to win any more, but I have to try and do my best.

I run out into his territory and after a lot of reading and playing threatening moves, I managed to get two eyes for my group and my opponent resigned. So I won my first game in the main tournament. That was about time! I just hope that I will keep playing more players at my level and that I don't make so many big mistakes.

In the evening there were rengo and rapid tournaments. Girlwing and I didn't participate in any of them. Instead we walked around and talked to people and looked at games.

In the middle of the tournament the fire alarm went off again and everybody had to go out to the grass field. This is the second time this happened. I do not know if there are people smoking inside or if there is a glitch in the alarm system.