New London Club Formed

The City Go Club has just been formed, and our first meeting was held at the Melton Mowbray pub on Holborn, on 4th June, 2010. A total of eleven players turned up of all strengths. The strongest was Mr Nao (7 dan). We will be meeting there every Friday at 6pm onwards. For more details see:

http://www.citygoplayers.org.uk/

T-Mark's Tesuji

I have no idea what this tesuji is called, but I call it T-Mark's tesuji. This was filmed during the 2009 European Go Congress, held in Groningen in The Netherlands. I really like it, but unfortunately it seems to be quite rare (since then I have not had an opportunity to play it - there again perhaps I have and failed to spot it ;-)

Igo Hatsuyoron - Problem 120, the most difficult problem.

Chatting to T-Mark Hall (who maintains GoGoD - Games of Go on Disk) is like opening up a treasure chest of information about Go. I opened a book, and said 'oh that looks interesting' and it turned out to be the Most Difficult Problem, from a collection of Go problems called the Igo Hatsuyoron. Black to play and win:


Don't spend too long on this - it officially hasn't been solved! For more information have a look at the entry on it in Sensei's Library

Rule of Four

If you can find a move that does one of these things, then that is good, if you can find a move that does more than one, then that is very good:

Rule 1. Strengthen your own groups.
Rule 2. Weaken your opponent's groups.
Rule 3. Expand/strengthen your territory.
Rule 4. Reduce/weaken your opponent's territory.

(As told to me by T-Mark Hall). I heard this from someone else in a different form: Priority is decided by:

1. Making your weak groups strong.
2. Weakening your opponent's groups.
3. Playing "big points".
4. Preventing your opponent from playing "big points".

EGC 2009 Rounds 2-5

Basically a washout - lost four games in a row, which is a little depressing, but the main thing is that I have analysed them an know why. In the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds I played lots of overplays starting with weak groups, then having to spend the entire game concerned about connecting weak groups together, or having them cut off entirely. 5th round was the opposite - I deliberately played a solid defensive style and I think I lost due to being too cautious. I also made a 'joseki' mistake - white must connect solidly at A:

I played at the triangled point, which is a big problem for white after the black hane at C, as he doesn't have time then to answer the hane. All good learning experience!

Arriving a Groningen, Nederlands for the European Go Congress

One quick flight, four trains, two taxis and a forty-five minute walk later I'm sitting in the Hampshire Plaza Hotel on the outskirts of Groningen in the Netherlands, watching two dudes play:


I watched the opening ceremony, which included a 'waking the dragon' dance, which was a Chinese dragon which I'd never seen before. Here he is asleep:

Afterwards I played Richard Mullens in the hotel bar, where there beer was SO expensive. Like 1/4 pint cost two euros or something - insane! Also another mad thing was that you had to queue up at reception to buy tokens - you could not pay in cash! How nuts is that?! Anyhow, at reception, who should I bump into but my occasional teacher, Mr Slimstone otherwise known as Alexander Dinnerstein! I offered to buy him a drink and he accepts. Next thing he is watching my game against Richard. Here it looks reasonable:


I have just invaded the corner as black and cross-cut. I got a reasonable position out of this, then for some reason (travel tiredness, shock of beer price, beer, pressure of being watched by pro, whatever) I misread and messed up. After messing up a second time I called it a day and said my fairwells.

British Go Congress

This year's BGC took place in the Roman city of Chester. As usual there were about 50 players. I entered at 8kyu, with my then KGS grade at [6k?] (subsequently I've played a few really shoddy games on-line and my grade has dropped). I won 3-3 which was a decent performance. One game I won by resignation after capturing a big group, another by 50 points or so and another by 0.5 point! The games I lost were by resignation, by about 30 points and by about 20 points (these two were even games against 5/6 kyu players so I didn't feel too bad). The time limits were quite short (50 minutes), and I felt a little uncomfortable with that. Here is a picture of the opponent that beat me by 30 points:



On Sunday I nipped out and hand a brief look at the cathedral which was very beautiful. There are many stain-glass windows there - some of them very modern! Here's one which is modern but in a traditional style:



During the AGM it was noted that the membership levels in the BGA are dropping. I asked if anyone has ever tried getting the national press to cover Go - even just the odd Tsumego in their puzzle columns would do - and apparently people have. Nevertheless I think it might be worth approaching them again... to be continued.