tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39848744156419516112024-03-20T11:30:39.330-04:00Sunday GoHi, my name is Jonathan Hop and I'm an author of Go books and Fantasy, as well as a translator! My blog is all about the ancient Chinese game of Go!Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-87162091130099014412021-05-02T22:57:00.000-04:002021-05-02T22:57:42.222-04:00Finding Your Way Back<p>I write this blog entry after a very long hiatus from the Go world and my Go related personal projects. I've been away for quite some time and am in the process of getting back into playing Go, improving myself in the game, and reconnecting with the Go community at large. First, I wanted to share a little story, something I've never shared with others.</p><p>About 10 years ago I published the first book of the "So You Want to Play Go?" series. Believe it or not I wrote it in about 4-5 days. I worked feverishly with little sleep, taking only naps. I had to figure out how to do diagrams, outline my lessons, scour professional games and my own notes for examples, and write everything down. All of that effort didn't matter to me because I was hell bent on getting the project done.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="No photo description available." class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="240" src="https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/1910032_524977433873_465_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=VfaWWbr0VjsAX-FXMPh&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-1.fna&oh=13112d92e17e64c3b66e89df282b7cf1&oe=60B4FE52" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Congress was some of the happiest times<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> I wrote the first book because I loved the game. Go has always been a positive force in my life. It gave me self esteem, gave me a challenge, and provided me friends and a built in community. I had a hard time learning the game. I studied Japanese, Chinese and Korean in university. This helped a ton in reading books and reading websites in those languages to help me learn the game. I wanted an English speaking person to be able to pick up a book and learn the game in a comfortable manner. I felt this would go a long way in increasing the number of people who could play Go.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="May be an image of 3 people" class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="318" src="https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/12191730_10105867461372193_3973556870118646931_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=0OF_Q11Gl4sAX8LPu4c&tn=uOb1zxs4JuWlbp27&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-1.fna&oh=8aa63b15a10ad397adcc32a3c7109917&oe=60B33504" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="565" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go was an easy way to make friends in any country<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> What I've never revealed to anyone is how nervous I was when I first published the book. I'm not a professional Go player. I was barely a dan level player when I wrote it. I didn't have any formal training in teaching Go. I mostly taught new people at the local Go club and my friends online. What right did I have to write a book? I was besieged with negative thoughts even though my friends at Go club were congratulating me. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="No photo description available." class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="240" src="https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/1936580_951802737543_8377475_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=eN1L_B-wvPIAX-4E0Nk&tn=6KA6vsjAfAQl76yL&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-1.fna&oh=a333af4a83a89710bbc7b5bb2f902a47&oe=60B3B5C7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Go Dojang in Migeum, S. Korea<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> This feeling never really left me. Even though I wrote all 4 books in the series, the one that I felt the most nervous writing was the last book. How could someone who was 3-4 dan write a dan level book? I had studied in Korea at a professional dojang, but my rank had probably reached its zenith despite the amount of studying I was doing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="May be an image of 3 people, including Jonathan Hop and Daniel Chan Han Siong" class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="240" src="https://scontent.fdet1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/12311108_10105919765214873_2160605838379587980_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=AkFrJMXk870AX-Kj2y9&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-2.fna&oh=98efd6a794077b4490a062d3278b4820&oe=60B6186E" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing Go in Singapore<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> Then I opened Sunday Go Lessons. It was my dream to have an online Go school. Some place where newcomers to Go could get an emporium of information on how to get better. I wrote the site myself and it took a week to finish. As usual, when I get really into something I enter into "The Zone" and work feverishly on it with little to no sleep until it is done. </p><p>Still, in the back of my mind I was an imposter. I'm not a professional and I was never an insei. I still make mistakes with life and death problems and I don't know every joseki by heart. I just didn't see people lining up to have me teach them Go. I put my doubts aside and opened, but my doubts kept gnawing at me.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="May be an image of 8 people, including Jonathan Hop" class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="240" src="https://scontent.fdet1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/12193373_10105850784847083_340457433369745731_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=eQ2KHkVnmdIAX-mhdHp&_nc_oc=AQmPaCVZHmGMF7bsuKJUk8J2wV2f-E0w2KfsY288xaS88fWo2BRNUEfG9crlviwZ3G4&tn=N2NXjwZX6GJFL_Gs&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-2.fna&oh=53ef8cc092634b238041e1abf6d51af2&oe=60B48461" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A professional tournament in South Korea! So much fun!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> In many ways when we sit at the Go board we fight ourselves. We know that we're going to be in for a long game. We're going to have to think hard on all of our moves, and invest ourselves in the outcome of the game. Go is deep to where it feels like a waste to just play it superficially. We don't want to experience losing but we know that it's possible. We can make a mistake, lose our stones, misread a position, all manner of mistakes that happen. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="May be an image of 6 people, including Jonathan Hop" class="ji94ytn4 r9f5tntg d2edcug0 r0294ipz" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="180" src="https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/12039153_10105762524132263_1534961714656721522_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=UMWaeL-ioUwAX9FWDNO&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-1.fna&oh=69590e3aa56566423018e2d2bef6224a&oe=60B33DA1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shandong Province Regional Tournament<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p> I've been on hiatus from Go because I feel like a lot of the passion I used to feel is not there anymore. But I didn't like how that felt. With Go I made instant friends with people from all over the world. I had a game that satisfied my intellectual curiosity and need for complex problem solving, as well as for the thrill of improving. I don't want to ever lose the passion I felt when I stayed up for nearly 4 days straight writing the first book of "So You Want to Play Go." I'm older and my priorities in life have changed, but in a way, I want Go to help me capture this one aspect of myself and maintain it. I am revamping the Sunday Go Lessons website, adding more videos and problems, and some other functionality I think might be good. I'm going to think of new books to write or ways to promote the game. I want to practice new joseki and keep up with new changes in the game like I used to. I may not be able to do it as much as when I was in my early 20s, but I want to take the time to make sure I do these things so I don't lose the spark.<br /></p>Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-25032872041091022892020-02-23T12:05:00.000-05:002020-02-23T12:11:21.571-05:00The Philosophy of Go: Good and Bad BehaviorsOne of the things I've gained an appreciation for is how Go relates to real life. I'm going to start a new series where I talk about Go strategy and how I personally apply it to my everyday life. I already spoke a bit about how playing Go is like meditation, I wanted to talk more about how I use the tactics of the game to help me navigate life.<br />
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Humans have difficulty predicting the future with accuracy. You go through life making dozens of decisions. It's hard to tell just how impactful a decision is until you see its fruition, and by then, it may be too late to do anything about it. We take the information we have and try to do our best with it. In the game of Go, there are sometimes dozens of possibilities. The difference between one move and another can be the difference between a peaceful game where both players haggle over a handful of points, to an all-out life or death struggle.<br />
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Good Go players have a variety of tools at their disposal to handle this problem. The first is past experience. Strong Go players just avoid certain moves because in the past they did not yield a good result. They may not know what the BEST result in a given situation is, but they definitely do not spend their time going down rabbit holes. People do this in real life. You want to have money to buy things. Shelter and food are always nice. You go to work. You earn money, but you have a habit of being late. You don't put forth enough effort at work. You call off when you would rather stay home and play video games. Eventually, you get fired. You have money problems. The next job you get, you are there on time and you learn how to perform your job better. By making mistakes and observing outcomes, you prune away behaviors and ideas that do not serve your purpose.<br />
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Punctuality, self discipline, and industriousness are qualities that serve you well for getting a job and keeping it. Keeping your stones connected, making good shape, and keeping your options open are qualities that serve you well for playing a good game of Go. Good Go players have learned to forget certain moves because the outcome is always bad. They also learn to make certain shapes or play certain moves because they know there will be a payoff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxYxRvFOv22GEmzHD4gvd-yQ9DioW2xlvJqT9LjuJinspHFDnF0xPQVgzKca3Toaj1HkWV0z9sDJyKiWnXiTDc3C3hmDOI3UNIpDwrT8FmPxrNHdT5NlSOAUQlQXAn7EGwagHaEcEJPM/s1600/GoExample1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="918" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxYxRvFOv22GEmzHD4gvd-yQ9DioW2xlvJqT9LjuJinspHFDnF0xPQVgzKca3Toaj1HkWV0z9sDJyKiWnXiTDc3C3hmDOI3UNIpDwrT8FmPxrNHdT5NlSOAUQlQXAn7EGwagHaEcEJPM/s320/GoExample1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Take the shape above, for example. It's classic. Black slides at 1 and then comes back to make a framework at the bottom with 3. Black has already damaged himself by making thin shape. We tend to think that when our opponent makes a mistake, there must be some magic move we can play to automatically destroy him. That is not always so. In this case, Black has left a gaping hole. White simply needs to continue playing the game, always keeping an eye on Black's weakness at A.<br />
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To appreciate Black's plight, imagine this: Black has a hole in his roof. The hole in his roof is at A. When it's sunny outside, he can putter around the house and not notice. When it storms, he has a problem! That's the way it works in Go. If you make weak, brittle shapes, you might be forced to pay a price later.<br />
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Let's say the game progresses. Black thinks all is well. Now, White invades with the circle marked stone. It's raining and Black's house is about to be flooded. His two square marked stones are in trouble! Black will be able to save them, but the cost will be that White gets to destroy a lot of Black's potential territory.<br />
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Throughout my life I try to inspect my own habits and behaviors. I try to draw a direct causal line between behaviors that help me and behaviors that inhibit me. Going to the gym results in a bit of pain the next day, but helps my energy and focus levels immensely. Taking the extra time at work to make sure a project is done correctly helps me build a better rapport with my co-workers, who may be more inclined to help me when I need it down the line. Good trees bear good fruit! Take stock of your own behaviors, and see which ones bear you good fruit.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-7676241126556731532020-02-15T08:51:00.000-05:002020-02-15T08:51:12.752-05:00Go as Meditation<div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX2 SCXW62931186" style="direction: ltr;">
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few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of going to the <a href="https://www.gohio.org/">Midwest Go Open</a> in
Delaware, Ohio. I was shocked by how many people turned out! Finding
40 some odd Go players, let alone getting them in the same room, is
quite the feat. I got to see other Go players I hadn’t seen for years.
Towards the end of the week, I headed to the bar with a friend of mine,
Ben. I find that during Go tournaments, I have the best philosophical
conversations. Ben and I talked about what </span><span class="ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">is</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">
the actual distinction between a 3 dan, 5 dan, 7 dan player. Part of
it is attitude. Ben made a great observation. He said that lower
ranked dan players have less focus than higher ranked players. He noted
this when he saw a 1 dan Japanese professional play in the U.S. Open, she had laser like focus on the game. When she played, she poured
herself into every move. I thought I would try it myself the next day.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">The
next morning, I sat down to play my third game of the tournament. I
decided that I would make it a goal to remain utterly focused on my
game. I immediately recognized that my attention would wander. When
waiting for my opponent to play, I would look at my </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">neighbor's</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">
board and see how things were going. My eyes would wander. I would
remember the lyrics to a rap battle I had listened to earlier in the
week. I’d fidget and think about how cold the room was. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">I
realized that my lack of attention was wasting precious time. Did I
really have the game so well in hand I could afford to not pay
attention? Instead of letting my mind wander to the next extraneous
object, I instead gently pushed myself back to the game. Every second I
spent looking at my neighbor's board position, watching the ceiling, or
humming a tune in my head, was one </span><span class="ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">second</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;"> I was not spending on the here and now, the board in front of me. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">I
decided to just gently bring my mind back to the game every time my
eyes would wander. It shocked me just how unfocused on the game I was!
It was hard at first, but I started to force myself to use my time
wisely. If my opponent was taking a long time to think about their
move, I forced myself to read out variations. If I felt that I had the
variations read out to the best of my ability, I counted territory. If I
felt I had a handle on the balance of territory, I read out end game
moves and tried to find good </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="SpellingError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">tesujis</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">. Where were the </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="SpellingError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">sente</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">, double </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="SpellingError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">sente</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">, and </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="SpellingError SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">gote</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;"> moves in the end game going to be? What order should I play them? </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">I
felt the game took on a new dimension for me. It was like meditation.
I’ve done mindfulness meditation before. It relies on focusing on your
breath, letting your wild brain wander, and then refocusing it on a
focal point in the physical world. To keep your brain on the straight
and narrow, you usually have a focus, usually counting forwards or
backwards from 1 to 10. Playing a game of Go where I focused all my
attention on the game was no different. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW62931186 BCX2" style="background-color: inherit;">My
level of play went up. My opponent didn’t surprise me with moves I
hadn’t considered. I could make better tactical decisions because I
counted constantly. I won 3 out of the 4 games at the Midwest Open.
The second I started focusing completely on my game, the more I was able
to bring my knowledge of the game to bear. I also noticed my emotional
state was better during the game. I didn’t feel anxious, nervous, or
fearful of losing. Focus brought me a feeling of objectivity. I think
in the future I will take this lesson and apply it to life, and focus on
the board in front me of me, wherever I happen to be.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW62931186 BCX2" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px;"> </span></div>
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Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-14936324390201219172019-10-30T00:53:00.001-04:002019-10-30T00:53:24.048-04:00Wanna Play Go?My dream has finally been realized and I'm just not sure how to handle it. Years ago, I wanted to create a website where you could get guided lessons on the game of Go. I learned the game by reading books in Chinese and Japanese (back when I didn't speak a word of either language). This was fun, but difficult. Frustrating might be a better word. I wanted for others to have an easier time studying the game. Life happened, and the project got side tracked, but now, Sunday Go Lessons is live!<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/AVvXsEg1gAqvRG3SCTMO9LcK162-7a-_NYkKQYRtBSCVM5yaUQ2k-axZ0UqM6khYVpdPqnzdBb1Iwm4gH-tQL_2_FgNRnb3kom8zst6UltT9XNg5JOvgH6nswPVjoZzDG7BTcnGsMP6suhn960g/s1600/Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="1000" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gAqvRG3SCTMO9LcK162-7a-_NYkKQYRtBSCVM5yaUQ2k-axZ0UqM6khYVpdPqnzdBb1Iwm4gH-tQL_2_FgNRnb3kom8zst6UltT9XNg5JOvgH6nswPVjoZzDG7BTcnGsMP6suhn960g/s320/Logo.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.sundaygolessons.com/">https://www.sundaygolessons.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My aim was to create a "Go Teacher in Your Pocket." Studying Go involves three things: Doing Go problems, learning about new strategies, and getting your games reviewed. I wanted Sunday Go Lessons to be a place where you can do all three.<br />
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The site is for any player from 30 kyu (absolute beginner) to 4 dan. If you subscribe, you'll get access to tools that will help you get better at Go. Depending on your level, I break down the different skills you need to master to move up the rankings. I developed the list of skills from my experience teaching Go players over the years as well as looking at games and asking myself "What is the difference between a 5 kyu and a 10 kyu?" Subscribers get access to a dashboard that looks a little something like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrxqDOCbhBkEnqZoJ3heuI2AK8EjvNrIsf8blViZSj7g6zqDgsYogvFCqpemMIxbSHmWq8R04CsSDfb_Yni-8Edsm5a5bzFhiQp268jmUEVJ6urhvsbA5pI9ja6_yb0YxPS7QW8v6SxQ/s1600/dashboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="1108" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrxqDOCbhBkEnqZoJ3heuI2AK8EjvNrIsf8blViZSj7g6zqDgsYogvFCqpemMIxbSHmWq8R04CsSDfb_Yni-8Edsm5a5bzFhiQp268jmUEVJ6urhvsbA5pI9ja6_yb0YxPS7QW8v6SxQ/s400/dashboard.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The best way to test your knowledge of the various skills is to solve tsumego problems. Subscribers get access to an online problem solver. You'll solve Go problems that test your skills, and you'll be able to see in what areas you are strong and where you may need work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhSpHZHh4ivUjb62cLCzC0XOd1VjlTM7yOhKjjChPtC2Fe53WozwiPaG4eLcG9OWDQWX6TBBN3K8MbSdbJKlJ_T-Is1nwwJghWbcOWZLTBWu1wGxwF5sEtQL75HsW-EYERZU9ftjLDXM/s1600/problemsolver.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="517" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhSpHZHh4ivUjb62cLCzC0XOd1VjlTM7yOhKjjChPtC2Fe53WozwiPaG4eLcG9OWDQWX6TBBN3K8MbSdbJKlJ_T-Is1nwwJghWbcOWZLTBWu1wGxwF5sEtQL75HsW-EYERZU9ftjLDXM/s320/problemsolver.png" width="295" /></a></div>
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You'll also get video recommendations based on your strengths and weaknesses. The videos are geared towards boosting your skills in different areas. The recommended videos are a great way to focus on your own special needs as a Go player. I cover a variety of different topics, and as a subscriber, you get access to the full library of videos, so feel free to learn about what interests you the most.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbtyN-SaOZPDla6Ijs0R1VCGt-BWg0JyOmsrnF__u51zKk0S29ozw-DdEhsN7I0daFcizzhEMCR68LDOP4q8RT3U5zfFDsZQTNghnsf5iOiOGTqiPUiulo5IdeLZekWwBRKygM_AhmJE/s1600/snapshot2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="788" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbtyN-SaOZPDla6Ijs0R1VCGt-BWg0JyOmsrnF__u51zKk0S29ozw-DdEhsN7I0daFcizzhEMCR68LDOP4q8RT3U5zfFDsZQTNghnsf5iOiOGTqiPUiulo5IdeLZekWwBRKygM_AhmJE/s320/snapshot2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Best of all, subscribers can get 3 of your games reviewed by yours truly every month. Pick 3 games, upload them, and then I'll give you personalized commentary. I learned best from the various people who taught me Go over the years, and I know how important it is someone looks at your style and gives you honest feedback on what you need to do. <br />
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As I said earlier, for me, this is the culmination of my dream: a place where newcomers to Go can get a gentle introduction in the game and help when they need it. I wrote the "So You Want to Play Go?" series, but this feels like it's going even further. If this sounds like fun to you, go ahead and mosey on over to <a href="https://www.sundaygolessons.com/">https://www.sundaygolessons.com</a>. A subscription costs $10 a month, or, if you pay 3 months up front, only $8 month. I hope it helps you reach for new heights in the game of Go.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-39616355102316056522017-06-27T08:48:00.002-04:002017-06-27T08:48:27.544-04:00Go Congress Tune UpGo Congress is August 4th this year in sunny San Diego, California, and I am planning on making my way there. Last year, I went 3-3 in the 4 dan division. In China, I played 4 dans comfortably and could occasionally beat a Chinese 5 dan if the stars aligned. I know that once you get up to the dan level ranks, then progress becomes a lot slower. Also, the training regimen tends to get a bit dull. It's basically "play games and do L&D." I learned early on in my Go career that half the battle is putting your nose to the grindstone and doing the boring, unexciting work. After all, it works and leads to improvement. <br />
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I joined the BIBA league this month so I would be able to play some serious games, have them reviewed, and do life and death problems. I work quite a bit each week so I only have so much time I can devote to serious Go study, and the schedule seemed about right. One thing about Go, is it's a lot like riding a bike. I haven't played in months, but picking it back up is not too difficult. I just have to make sure I play regularly enough so that I'm not rusty.<br />
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My current record in the BIBA league is 1-1. The second game I lost in spectacular fashion because of a single tactical misread. I have to take more time to do the intricate reading necessary to make the game work. My style of Go is inherently complicated. I lost my last game because I didn't properly read out the life and death situation of my group and thought it was unconditionally alive, when in fact it was a ko. The ko was unwinnable for me because I had made a weak group nearby live, but in doing so left a lot of ko threats. This constantly happens in my games, where one misread causes an avalanche.<br />
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I'm entering Go Congress as a 4d, even though my rank is like 3.7 dan. The games at high level are a lot harder because my opponents are usually more tenacious and the games grind on. No one accepts defeat and they hang on to the last stone. In a way it helps me to be stronger, to be mentally tougher. I've been getting in shape for the past month, weightlifting and doing cardio, and it has remarkably improved my concentration, which is a skill I hope to bring into my game. I'd like to think I'm a strong Go player, but I'm still human and make dumb mistakes (like missing simple nets). I need to stop thinking every loss is a disaster and every win is a ticket to 7 dan. You just do the work, and when you don't know what to do, follow the advice of my Korean Go instructor Yi Jae Il: Do more.Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-51907761967489598672016-03-30T02:22:00.002-04:002016-04-07T16:15:19.832-04:00Patreon Campaign: Go Video Production<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbKrYVUuNwmdUeUxTZ3uOsHoIE2qp57uUtbR3TglYMhcTWnOu4yilfFycufwoTsFgRlFIPSxpTm9nWmoDK95ais1FLiFc7vCB4tCYmsi2425u7nQ9Tlpeq-XPVnC56UITBURiBRW5s5g/s1600/snapshot3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbKrYVUuNwmdUeUxTZ3uOsHoIE2qp57uUtbR3TglYMhcTWnOu4yilfFycufwoTsFgRlFIPSxpTm9nWmoDK95ais1FLiFc7vCB4tCYmsi2425u7nQ9Tlpeq-XPVnC56UITBURiBRW5s5g/s320/snapshot3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.patreon.com/yithril">https://www.patreon.com/yithril</a></div>
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Hello all! I'm updating today to announce that I am started a Patreon campaign to ask those of you who in the Go community to help support me as I continue to create Go videos. The reason I am turning to Patreon is because <b>I want to expand my video offerings</b>. With all of the buzz surrounding Alpha Go, I thought the time is ripe to really push to expose more people outside of Asia to Go. Currently, I'm doing the "10 Minute Go" series, which is turning into a big hit. I am working on translating it into other languages (German and Spanish first off), as well as producing more and more videos to provide the Go community with more English language Go materials.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkuKGm4y0pW49k7CdhxYtjOznyEW-xNSvPp2430Cnf6IdW7KdkQ0T7EIVGFUwXYqsbbUiEYR4sE2pg2RjP9Nu-VTvbd6TqZu0LR6FMHgFt6ThNwU9pVMbIAu1kpj-GD_FbVgZVpNVoTg/s1600/snapshot2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkuKGm4y0pW49k7CdhxYtjOznyEW-xNSvPp2430Cnf6IdW7KdkQ0T7EIVGFUwXYqsbbUiEYR4sE2pg2RjP9Nu-VTvbd6TqZu0LR6FMHgFt6ThNwU9pVMbIAu1kpj-GD_FbVgZVpNVoTg/s320/snapshot2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I do a lot to help build the Go community. I already have around 30 some odd videos produced, and I am constantly improving my video skills and learning how to make the videos more accessible and exciting. I translate for the AGA E-Journal. My goal has always been to make Go exciting, to make it friendly, and to make it something that Americans can relate to and integrate into the culture. In many ways I have been successful, but will continue to refine my technique.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3ynahWOOm5sPE7YYk_aI79F7btwkCqY-1GFqcGktLzbMeyNKeultKwfqzPnD3NUJd-KjPp-oA2B1zEDR7vdxDDQvToUYv_xBHimX5lxdeHhlz2pNiNccgM22709bfvCWNB1z0lr6Xic/s1600/snapshot1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3ynahWOOm5sPE7YYk_aI79F7btwkCqY-1GFqcGktLzbMeyNKeultKwfqzPnD3NUJd-KjPp-oA2B1zEDR7vdxDDQvToUYv_xBHimX5lxdeHhlz2pNiNccgM22709bfvCWNB1z0lr6Xic/s320/snapshot1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course I will continue to push to make more videos and more materials to learn Go. I had a plan for a small handout or brochure clubs can use to recruit people. For my supporters, I offer game reviews and lessons online, as well as special requests for content. By supporting me, you'll be helping to truly create great content for would-be players. If you'd like to support me in my endeavors, please click below:</div>
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<a href="https://www.patreon.com/yithril">https://www.patreon.com/yithril</a></div>
<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-29202672945368688202016-03-15T09:56:00.000-04:002016-03-15T10:05:29.185-04:00What a roller coaster ride!<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
Final thoughts on Alpha Go</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa_S1ckFKfr1cnNYlIM-cds8pGGmNxhUAJN5ve174aBbmp8c1C_ScWkd3nR4Yz-KO30WOg2_tIsZJ_7dLEhjYqvg0dcBL6bOyeHOZzwNkXxdaQrwJNhZGqlPpWZh_zoEI0baXQMF9NrY/s1600/AlphaGo-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa_S1ckFKfr1cnNYlIM-cds8pGGmNxhUAJN5ve174aBbmp8c1C_ScWkd3nR4Yz-KO30WOg2_tIsZJ_7dLEhjYqvg0dcBL6bOyeHOZzwNkXxdaQrwJNhZGqlPpWZh_zoEI0baXQMF9NrY/s320/AlphaGo-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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So the 5 game match that will rock the
ages is over. Lee Sedol went down in defeat, 4-1 to Alpha Go. I was
truly hoping that Lee Sedol would be able to pick up his game today
and pull it out for humanity, but alas, that was not in the cards.
Instead of rehashing the final game, I wanted to give my final
thoughts on my impressions of Alpha Go and what this match means for
the game of Go.</div>
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Go has a long history and there have
been hundreds of people that have dedicated their lives to solving
its mysteries. The game becomes like a job and after a certain point; people improve only in subtle, small ways. <b>Picture this</b>: you start
learning something at the age of <i>three or four</i>. Most people become
professional in their early teens, the youngest being 11. At best,
you spend <b>7-10 year</b>s studying the game constantly. You do hundreds
of problems and battle it out with other professional hopefuls
playing game after game. I studied at a Go Dojo where children
studied <b>12-14 hours a da</b>y, with only breaks for food. Lee Sedol did
all that to become professional, and then to reach the top, he had to
beat out other people who worked just as hard, if not harder. He did
this year after year, from one tournament to the next. Lee Sedol and
others like him can see far into a games future and can judge
variations even with small differences. Lee Sedol's mind, his skill
at Go, is the physical manifestation of years of concentrated effort,
emotional turmoil, and perseverance.</div>
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<i>Alpha Go rose above all that.</i></div>
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I won't rehash the argument that people
still run races even though we have cars. I never for once thought
that someday a computer program could not be built to beat a human at
Go. I got the impression Alpha Go was stronger than Lee Sedol. It
saw further into the game. Its moves had far reaching consequences.
It understood the territorial balance clearly. Lee Sedol was the one that had to fight Alpha Go for control of the game, for control of the territorial balance, not the other way around. It was Lee Sedol who had to sweat to find brilliant move after brilliant move, who had to maintain his level of play despite fatigue and exertion.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
How do I think the Go world will change?</h3>
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No one can say for sure. But Alpha Go has shown a high level of play, and already there have been some moves that people have commented on that are not "human." I can't predict the future, but there ARE some changes I think that are on the horizon.</div>
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1. <b>People will play less for territory and more for thickness</b>. Alpha Go let Lee Sedol have territory. By the middle game, the second phase, Lee Sedol had to fight hard against White's powerful thickness. Professional players like Takemiya Masaki play this style naturally. Takemiya was unbeatable several decades ago for playing a center oriented style. We may see a resurgence, against the current trend of super territorial play.</div>
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2. <b>Use Alpha Go to analyze joseki</b>. I think it would be great to use Alpha Go's algorithm to run joseki through it and see if it agrees. In the second game, we saw how Alpha Go veered away from joseki early on, and even though it looked strange, turned out to be extremely good. How many other josekis might be changed around if Alpha Go has a hand at them?</div>
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3. <b>A commercial version of Alpha Go</b>. The Go world would love nothing more than a computer program that could answer questions about various positions or act as a training partner. I'm sure Google doesn't want to make some of its technology commercial just yet, or at least so widespread that it gets in the wrong hands, but I think a high dan version of Alpha Go would be great for people to train. It can help show weaker players where the important parts of the board are, and even show variations.</div>
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4. <b>Higher level professional play</b>. If Go Dojos get their hands on it then it could lead to a Renaissance of new moves and new research by young players. No one would feel constrained by what is currently thought of as being "good" or "bad." There will just be what works and what doesn't.<br />
5. <b>Komi might be too much</b>. It occurred to me that since Lee Sedol was having such a hard time beating Alpha Go as Black, it may have been because the burden of komi is just too big. Since Black goes first, White gets compensation for going second, since it is a clear disadvantage. How much compensation has changed over the years, and I think professional associations have been looking at the win rate over the years to adjust it. If Alpha Go is unbeatable as White, but only within a few points, it MAY mean komi is a bit too high.</div>
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6. <b>Increased interest in Go</b>. One of my videos got 15,000 hits on Youtube within the space of two days. There are people trying the game out for the first time. Everyone and their mom knows that this game went on. The people in my Korean class in China, my mother at home, and a friend of mine in Germany all knew it was happening. The entire Go community has been flooding Facebook with memes and funny videos. It felt like a coming together of a family whose members had all gone off to far flung cities and countries. With new people, and renewed interest, the Go community of the world will only get larger and more interesting. </div>
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Already I'm changing my own style and my own way of thinking to match Alpha Go. In a way, we've tread upon new territory, and I think for all Go players, it's too exciting for words.</div>
Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-31886000682420891612016-03-13T05:27:00.000-04:002016-03-13T05:27:39.394-04:00Lee Sedol the come back kid!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Sedol: Last Hope for Humanity</td></tr>
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So sure Lee Sedol did not win best out of 5, but today, he scored one for humanity by <b>brilliantly</b> defeating Alpha Go, forcing the computer <b>to resign</b> after 180 moves. The game was a nail biter in the end. Alpha Go had a commanding lead in the opening, and it looked like it was going to just be a repeat of the third game, but Lee Sedol broke Alpha Go's programming with a brilliant middle game play that<i> defied imagination</i>. By playing Alpha Go, perhaps Lee Sedol himself has risen in skill. This game we saw a side of the player that we all know and love.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoulder Hit of Death</td></tr>
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Here is where I originally thought it would be the beginning of the end. Alpha Go seems to prioritize the center in the opening, which already might shake up a bit of how professionals will play in the future. I personally think Alpha Go just has a better way of calculating how much center stones will be worth in the future. Lee Sedol took a lot of territory in the beginning, but Black looked like globally he would be the victor.<br />
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White seriously looks like he's in deep trouble. Black's territorial framework in the middle is deep. All of his investment at the top looks to be lost, and although White on the right side is big, it could be reduced heavily later. I was nearly 100% confident that we'd be seeing Alpha Go go 4-0 into the next game, but Lee Sedol proved that honestly, he was the best candidate to test Alpha Go.<br />
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For those of you who do not play Go, I want you to understand one thing: This is not a move that normal people think of. I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it. White MUST find a way to invade or reduce Black's middle territorial framework, or the game WILL be lost. Black has tiny weaknesses scattered throughout the area, and Lee Sedol found a way to tie them ALL together for his own advantage. Lee Sedol sees possibilities within the shapes that other players may miss. </div>
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It's gone. All of it. Lee sent in his army to ransack Black's area and he destroyed upwards of 40 points. Through one display of brilliance he brought down the hammer and tipped the scales ever so slightly in his favor. </div>
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This game shows that human intuition and reasoning ability is still an awesome thing. For a brief moment, Lee Sedol transcended a computer with impressive processing power and the ability to effortlessly sift through trees and trees of different variations, all while calculating the outcome of success. In the end, Lee Sedol vanquished the metallic monstrosity to bring hope to humanity once again. So just for today, we fight off the machines for just one more day:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nSdA-3rOoBc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nSdA-3rOoBc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-75367321814029297492016-03-12T03:32:00.000-05:002016-03-12T03:32:06.195-05:00Punching a Brick Wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Playing Alpha Go is like punching a brick wall. I know that many people watching perhaps do not play Go and are having a hard time appreciating what's going on, but my feeling watching Alpha Go play over the past 3 matches is that it is just like <b>punching a brick wall</b>. It has no feelings. In Go, you can use your emotions to guide you on how to play. Most Go players will tell you it's intuition, or a feeling that draws you to certain parts of the board. Emotions have a huge effect on the game. Some moves look dangerous, where your stones will be easily captured and you would automatically lose. You can intimidate your opponent, and if you don't maintain mental concentration, you could slip easily and miss an easy move.<br />
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Alpha Go doesn't feel. <b>Playing Alpha Go is like punching a brick wall.</b><br />
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The commentators sometimes would say "Alpha Go doesn't seemed bothered here," for example, and I thought to myself "It isn't possible for it to be bothered." It already knows which parts of the board are important, and can select sequences with extreme precision. Lee Sedol had such a difficult time in the opening. It's like watching Michael Jordan unable to get the ball in the hoop no matter how much he sweats, or Mike Tyson punching his opponent but getting no reaction. <br />
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The beginning of the game was astounding. Lee Sedol <i>started off on his back foot</i>. Alpha Go's groups were always stronger. Even when it looked like the two were struggling, Alpha Go was always relatively stronger. You can think of White's group at A like a team. All those stones live and die together. So does Black B. Neither Black nor White can say their group is 100% safe, but White's group is somehow <i>safer</i>. An attack never materializes against him the whole game!<br />
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<b>Punching a brick wall.</b><br />
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Then, the game starts to get super exciting. A lot of times in Go, you're fighting with your opponent. It's like boxing. Both players are throwing jabs and uppercuts, and both men are trying to go for the knockout blow. There is bobbing and weaving, but when the opportunity presents itself, Evander Holyfield just lays his opponent on the floor with his jab. Not Alpha Go.<br />
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White A is like giving your opponent a pat on the head and telling him to not forget his lunch as he's getting on the school bus, then going to work at a high powered Wall Street firm. White A could have been a number of moves that could have aimed to attack Black at the top, White could have tried to land that knock out blow, but instead, White's aim was the very large, very valuable box of territory on the other side of the board. This shows the computer has no greed, and confirms one of the timeless lessons of the game of Go, that greed will eventually destroy you, and that patience and global thinking are rewarded.<br />
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<b>Punching a brick wall.</b><br />
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I'm glad I'm alive to witness this history. A computer program has defeated one of the greatest grand masters of Go. Plus, it might mean that Google could develop a commercial program that people could play. I'd love to use a Go program to help me improve my game. Even though I'm no where even close to Lee Sedol, it would be so invaluable. Congrats to the Google team!<br />
<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-28794816349783145522016-03-09T21:18:00.000-05:002016-03-09T21:18:28.273-05:00AlphaGo vs. Lee Sedol Matchup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday in Seoul, South Korea, Lee Sedol 9p lost to Alpha Go by resignation. I have to say I'm still floored. I'm sure the Google engineers are all popping champagne corks tonight. When I first started playing Go around 2003, computers had already beaten chess, but Go was still far too complicated for a computer to master. There were several attempts to create Go playing programs in the past, but usually the computer was easy enough for a weak amateur, such as myself at the time, to play it and confuse it with strange moves to win. Many top amateurs and professionals were sometimes slightly derisive of a computer's chance at winning the game, because for many, playing Go required the use of what we consider to be uniquely human qualities such as intuition and "feeling."<br />
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For those of you who know very little about Go and are having a hard time visualizing why this game is so complicated and why it presented such a challenge to programmers, let me explain a bit. Go is played on a 19x19 board. You are allowed to play wherever you want. There is no element of chance, so there are no dice, no spinners, no cards, nothing random. A friend of mine said that Go is a game of "pure, unadulterated strategy" and she was right. The first few moves in Go are played in the corner, and then from there, players will play in the corners to decide what shape they want.</div>
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Think about this. It is Black's turn. He gets to put down a stone pretty much anywhere on the board he likes. I marked down possible moves for Black that are common and make sense. Already there are 8 choices of what are considered "reasonable" moves. You might ask "Well what about the other spaces on the board?" Many of those spaces might be good to play later in the game, but for the moment, they're small potatoes. After Black plays...</div>
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Now White has plenty of moves that he can choose from, all of which make sense in different ways, or reflect different strategies. Some players are aggressive, some are quiet, some are patient and calculating. Your moves reflect your strategy and your style, but there are so many moves that make sense, the opening of the game is filled with possibilities. To sort through the moves that "make sense" and separate them from the moves that don't make sense or are not worth a lot, a human player uses a set of principles, like heuristics, to sort through the moves and then pick one he or she thinks is best. You'll hear Go players call it "intuition" or "sense." The thing that separates the more skilled players from the rest of the pack is the ability to properly apply these principles. The other part of the game is to understand and visualize shapes before they're played out on the board, and then evaluate their value. The principles help guide you towards moves that make logical sense.</div>
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For example, at this point in the game, Black attacks White with 2. Now a human player would identify the nearby White stone as being "in danger" and "surrounded." This is a judgement based on experience, but also on the principle that stones need to surround points in order to "live," or not be captured. There are a lot of empty spaces there, but if you follow certain guidelines, a human player would be able to find which moves to start off with, and then use reason and logic to figure out the resulting sequence. After looking at several different possible sequences, the human player would then decide which one was the best. To find the initial move that sets everything in motion requires human intuition and experience as to what works and what doesn't. Computers had never been very good at this kind of abstract decision making, but it looks like Alpha Go has made great strides. </div>
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I do of course want to give my total support to our future silicon overlords as they take over humanity :) I think that this is really a momentous occasion because in programming Alpha Go, the Google team has probably learned so much that could be used to solve problems in other contexts. A program that can learn and change from experience and analyze problems by starting from a logical starting point has far reaching applications. Future is looking bright indeed!</div>
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Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-49168402778560162642015-06-22T15:41:00.002-04:002015-06-22T15:41:47.676-04:00Twitch Channel!I'm back!<br />
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After a long hiatus, I'm back into teaching and playing Go. You may ask why I left in the first place. I went to Korea, studied at a professional dojo, wrote 4 books on Go, and looked like I was going to be playing and teaching Go for awhile.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss the books.</td></tr>
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Well, life got in the way.<br />
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Honestly, I dropped the game because it was more like a job than a game. I'm never going to be professional, nor would I want to be honestly. So when the game felt like a chore, when studying was no longer exciting, I just plain stopped. I had gotten a position as a middle school Math/Science teacher, and I just dropped Go. I knew it was time to do something else when losing started to feel excessively bad. What made me come back?<br />
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I'm leaving for China in August.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korea was a blats and I'm sure China will be too.</td></tr>
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There's no way I'm going to be in China and not play. So I decided I needed to get back in shape before I go. Also, it's summer vacation, and Go is always an excellent hobby. So, I decided to start a Twitch account and stream. I'll play teaching games, do game reviews, go over joseki, and try to get back into the game in general. I haven't seen to have gone down in skill, so this should be interesting.<br />
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My twitch channel is: <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/yithril/">http://www.twitch.tv/yithril/</a><br />
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I will archive my exploits on Youtube here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/sundaygolessons">https://www.youtube.com/user/sundaygolessons</a><br />
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You can catch me playing on Tygem or KGS on my handle which is, you guessed it, yithril.Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-8303235692421593152013-09-27T22:51:00.003-04:002013-09-27T22:51:48.449-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://www.journeytothemiddlekingdom.com/">Journey to the Middle Kingdom</a> set for October 8th on Kickstarter!</b><b> </b></h2>
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Journey to the Middle Kingdom is my next project and I am very excited for it! The story basically goes like this: Three young kids are sent back in time to ancient China to take part in Chinese fairy tales to make sure they happen the way they should. To aid them in their journey, the Jade Emperor of Chinese heaven grants them three magic calligraphy brushes. Whenever someone writes a Chinese character with the calligraphy brush, whatever you write, becomes real. </div>
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I got the idea back when I was studying Chinese and I used to imagine the characters becoming real and jumping off the page. From there, I simply added brushes. The idea to use Chinese fairy tales as the backdrop came from the face I love fantasy stories in general from any country, but I especially like Chinese ones, so the two seemed to meld together perfectly. </div>
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The first story arc, which I plan to take 6-8 books if my outline holds, will be based on the "Legend of the White Snake Maiden" or "Bai She Zhuan" in Chinese. The tale is about a White snake demon who falls in love with a mortal man named "Xu Xian." Their love is forbidden, but heaven remains silent. Eventually, a Buddhist monk named Fa Hai captures the White Snake Maiden in a tower and breaks up the two lovers forever. Eventually, the White snake maiden is freed by her best friend, the Green snake maiden. </div>
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Of course I'm going to have my own unique twist to the tale itself, so you'll have to see how it all turns out. I'm using Kickstarter to help me with the artist fees and printing the book. I've got a lot of nice perks for anyone who wants to help make this project a reality, including Kickstarter ONLY artwork, T-shirts, a digital copy of the book, and even your own calligraphy brush (magic not included). It all gets started October 8th! It's going to be one heck of a ride. If you want to stay posted on updates, visit the "Journey to the Middle Kingdom" Facebook page or website.</div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/journeytomiddlekingdom">https://www.facebook.com/journeytomiddlekingdom</a></div>
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Website: <a href="http://www.journeytothemiddlekingdom.com/">www.journeytothemiddlekingdom.com</a></div>
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Twitter: @yithril</div>
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-85926473708281307762012-08-19T13:00:00.000-04:002012-08-19T13:00:03.824-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This one can be a bit frustrating, as it seems so simple and there are only so many moves that you can try. Good luck!<br />
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We have to start out with a sente move if we're going to get anywhere, so let's threaten to connect out, then make use of the fact White doesn't have much in the way of liberties.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-55100464017649336312012-08-12T13:58:00.002-04:002012-08-12T13:58:19.995-04:00Interview with Gansheng Shi New American 1 Dan Professional<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently interviewed Gansheng Shi 1p after his success in becoming one of the first American Go Professionals. I wanted to get his outlook on the process of becoming a professional, the challenges of playing through the tournament, and what he thought about the future of American Go.<br /><br />
<i>Before the U.S. Professional Go tournament was announced, did you ever think about becoming a pro in Asia?</i><br />
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I did not think about becoming a pro in Asia because having been in
training in china before, I understand that it is a very difficult task.<br />
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Did you do anything special to prepare for the tournament?</i><br />
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I did play out pro games for an hour each day for a month before coming to the tournament <br />
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<i>What game was your hardest game and why?</i><br />
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The hardest game was games 2 and 3 with Yang Jing because I had to
overcome a 1-0 deficit. The second game I was able to come back in late
game and in the third game I also played amazing endgame to win by half a
point.<br />
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<i>Were you relieved when you won?</i><br />
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I was very excited and relieved when I won the pro tournament because I had never thought about becoming a go pro before.<br />
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<i>How do you think you'll fare against other professionals? Which tournaments do you plan to partake in?</i><br />
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I think it will be very difficult facing other Asians pros, but I do
think the road to a good pro is long and I believe I will work hard to
improve my go skills.<br />
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<i>How do you plan to build your strength to compete against other professionals?</i><br />
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I plan on training in Korea for 6 months in an Insei school and by
playing against other professionals in tournaments such as the Samsung, LG and BC card cup.<br />
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<i>What are your thoughts about the future of Go in the U.S.? </i><br />
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I have faith in the American go pro system because I see great
support from the American and international go community such as the KBA. I see America producing new pros in many years that will be able
to compete internationally against Asian pros.Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-53376520061132892882012-08-12T13:00:00.000-04:002012-08-12T13:00:05.366-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's problem is actually a bit tricky. The aim should be clear: you've got to use those two cutting stones to their fullest, but how?<br />
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<b>Solution to Last Week's Problem</b></div>
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This problem is not so hard if you know to hane first. If you got that, then the throw in practically jumps right out at you. Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-2815716816485987552012-08-05T13:00:00.000-04:002012-08-05T13:00:02.848-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's problem is an adventure in false eyes. See if you can kill White. This problem is not so hard for intermediate level players, but the tesuji can be overlooked in games.<br />
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<b>Solution to Last Week's Problem </b></div>
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If you saw Black 1, then great! This is a case where we might get confused by the throw in stone, but since we have 3 spaces next to it, we are assured of a real eye.Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-84018803331864576122012-07-31T17:49:00.000-04:002012-08-01T12:50:21.102-04:00Reached my funding goal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This about sums up my feelings.</div>
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So we've reached the $800 goal for Sunday Go Lessons, and I can't tell you how <i>awesome</i> that is. I've always wanted to bring the joy of Go to as many people as I could, and this is a great way of doing it. I started playing Go when I was 19 and it's one of the few things I can say that I've worked really hard at. I like it so much I went halfway across the world just to play it with people who are probably ten times as passionate about it as I am. Go honestly makes me feel content, and I know it can do wonders for other people in improving their lives as well, even if it's just another hobby on the shelf. I'd like to work towards a vibrant Go community in the U.S., and given the fact that there are now going to be U.S. professional players, it's important we create our own unique American Go culture to try and make that program a success as well. Again, a big thanks to the Go community for stepping up. </div>
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Now, we've reached our funding goal, but there are a few things I could use to make the videos really great. I can live without them, for sure, but living with them would be preferable :P</div>
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Here are the stretch goals. If you know someone that might be interested in any of the perks, from game reviews to personal tutoring, let them know, and thanks again!</div>
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Lateral Tripod $200 - If we can reach the $1,000 funding level, then I can get one of these bad boys. I've been using my own tripod, but it's really old and is being held together by duct tape and a prayer. A lateral tripod would allow me to do overhead shots, so I can point the camera <i style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">straight down</i> at the board. If you saw the videos of the professional games I did, a lateral tripod would make the shot a<b style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> lot</b> clearer. Here is the page on<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oben-AC-2320L-3-Section-Aluminum-Lateral/dp/B005Z63NYE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1343768066&sr=8-4&keywords=oben+lateral+tripod" style="border: 0px; color: #55a4f2; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"> Amazon</a>.</div>
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Anything over this, I'll donate the equivalent amount of free lectures to the American Go Foundation so that they can freely give them to Go Teachers who'd like to use them in their classes to teach children or really anyone else who wants to learn Go.</div>Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-71863327107132239222012-07-29T12:00:00.000-04:002012-07-29T12:00:03.234-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles!Last week's puzzle was on the harder side, so we're going to do something simple this week. This is a problem that tests how much you understand about eyes.<br />
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Solution to Last Week's Problem</div>
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The first move sort of jumps out at you, but the rest takes awhile to really work through. White has some liberty problems, so he has to connect at 4. What you have to see is that if White captures 5 directly then Black can come under.</div>
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<br /></div>Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-49032386341759983672012-07-25T21:03:00.003-04:002012-07-25T21:08:19.384-04:00Go Videos<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some of you may be wondering what kind of videos am I going to offer on the site. So far, I've put up 4 Go videos on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/yithril1/videos">Youtube.</a> They're not completed, as I'm still getting my Go studio setup and learning the ins and outs of video editing. Teaching myself a new skill is pretty fun. Currently, I'm filming at the Wixom Public Library in their recreation room for the low low price of $25. The librarians love me, so sometimes they let me use the room for free! The recreation room doesn't have the best light, but I can use my makeshift green screen and lighting, and can produce a few decent videos. For instance, I made this video to teach beginners the rules of Go:</div>
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Hopefully, I can get my home studio setup so that I can make it look as good as possible. I'm also going to try and use a lot of different techniques to show concepts in Go, like acting stuff out with friends so that it's interesting for people who are not hardcore Go types. My main hope is to get new players to give Go a try, as well as help clubs reach out to new people. One BIG thing I want to try for is to have materials for people who teach Go, but are not especially strong themselves, but want something for their class to enjoy. In any case, any feedback one what people would like to see or what topics they'd like covered, I'm all ears!</div>
<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-86845338160260674382012-07-22T12:00:00.000-04:002012-07-22T12:00:00.935-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This week's Go Puzzle</b></div>
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This one is a lot easier than it looks. The first move should stick out to you, but it will take some careful reading to get the correct sequence.<br />
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It's hard to connect to our friendly stones with liberties. I'd like you to read out the many different ways Black dies now. Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-11876646731295647512012-07-17T21:25:00.002-04:002012-07-17T21:25:39.528-04:00Malkovich Game<div style="text-align: justify;">
So I'm involved in a Malkovich game on the <a href="http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=6319" target="_blank">Life in 19x19 forum</a>. I really love Malkovich games because you can play at your own pace and it's nice to try and explain your thoughts so that others can gain from them. I've played a few Malkovich games before, but I thought I'd discuss this one because the direction of play is especially interesting. Here is how the game has progressed thus far:</div>
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I'm White. So far things are pretty groovy. Black has a monstrous amount of territory at the top. He has maybe 35-40 points easy. It's a lot of points, but I've got my moyo of justice! Black plays at 39 which is a good move to move into my moyo. So, my moyo is deep, but thin, whereas Black has locked up a lot of points, but in the process, his framework on the right side is largely broken up or has gaping holes. I have yet to decide how I'll deal with Black 39.</div>
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<br />In the game Black approached the upper left 3-4 point, but I originally thought he would take the top side. It's big from his perspective as it gives him a double wing formation, and Black 11 us a huge point to deal with White's territorial framework towards the bottom. I dunno, Black wasn't bad in the game at all, so this could just be another way to play. The standard sequence in the upper left was brand new to me though. I had never seen Black's kosumi there.</div>
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Normally it goes like this, and I thought it would be decent for both sides, but Black chose a good sequence and I think both sides were not too far off from one another. We'll see how the game progresses. I'll have to go into my arcane den of the dark arts of Go and figure out how to deal with Black's attachment...<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-8319391929310934532012-07-15T12:00:00.000-04:002012-07-15T12:00:02.140-04:00Sunday Go Puzzles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>This week's Go Puzzle:</b></div>
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This is a classic problem, you'll find it in just about every intermediate level Go puzzle book. Think about how to capture White!</div>
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<b>Solution to Last Week's Problem</b></div>
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Here's the solution from last time. Sorry that I missed the past few weeks of Sunday Go Puzzles, but I couldn't get to my computer in time. The solution to this problem may have been hard to see. The idea is you have to throw in once then start the ko with 3.<br />
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The direct route doesn't work because White can double back and prevent the three stones from being captured.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-88567267468528209142012-07-13T10:00:00.000-04:002012-07-13T10:00:05.172-04:00New Sunday Go Lessons Video: Professional Game Review<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GjoSK2OAbx0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Here is a professional game review between Rin Kaiho and Sakata Eiou. We focus on resisting your opponent's strategy and learn some useful shapes! If you think you would like to see videos like these, 24/7 for one month for only $1, consider pre-ordering 10 and get 5 free! Just click on the Kickstarter link to the right.Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-66086741144439854862012-07-11T13:00:00.000-04:002012-07-13T10:27:12.527-04:00Kicking off Sunday Go Lessons with CrowdfundingSo, I've put up some sample videos and have been talking about Go for awhile, but now it's time for me to actually get the Sunday Go Lessons Web series up! To do that, I'm starting a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, which you can visit <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/888396672/ancient-chinese-strategy-game-of-go-video-series" target="_blank">here</a>. The goal is to raise $750 so that I can finish fixing up my studio, get the website done, with some left over for advertising for outreach. I've paid for most everything so far and have taught myself the joys of video, but just need an extra push from the Go community to get me over the edge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29m5rleOUAKhcVnfkq4ca1WQhcN9X82759NOJ4XoFidKCv0c81RwI4dwYDyA-TbrC5DAf9WUCTLFpOKy-AnffOr15cq0FqUkHPOsk4GPqobdGPVx64mG4-vlaufA1Bp4tMpfVdJ1lqwQ/s1600/lesson.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29m5rleOUAKhcVnfkq4ca1WQhcN9X82759NOJ4XoFidKCv0c81RwI4dwYDyA-TbrC5DAf9WUCTLFpOKy-AnffOr15cq0FqUkHPOsk4GPqobdGPVx64mG4-vlaufA1Bp4tMpfVdJ1lqwQ/s320/lesson.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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My videos will have something for everyone. Game reviews, professional games, lectures on topics like common mistakes or attack and defense. Some videos will be conventional, some will be a bit on the goofy side. After all, we're trying to widen the Go playing community. The main thing that I focus on in lectures is changing the way you think about the game. The way I learned Go was to forget my mistakes and learn to focus on why certain moves were good. You literally just forget bad moves and stop considering them which enhances your play dramatically. It's a good system, and I want to reflect that in the videos.<br />
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The videos will be available in multiple languages, because I know from talking to some friends that there is not much out there for French, Spanish, and German speakers as far as Go stuff in their own languages, which makes it harder for them to spread it to a wider audience. <br />
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If you decide to donate I will shower you with free videos, review your games, give you awesome advice, and even personally tutor you if that's what it takes. Heck, if you want to be in a video and can get yourself to Michigan, have at it! <br />
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<br />Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984874415641951611.post-45601890362581276242012-07-04T17:48:00.000-04:002012-07-04T17:48:06.060-04:00Any Comments?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pw16Xpkup2A" width="560"></iframe><br />
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So this is a game review between two 6 kyus. I'd love some feedback, as you'll be seeing more videos like this when Sunday Go Lessons is launched in August!Jonathan Hophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08318757458544371287noreply@blogger.com