The Only Way To Become A Real Go Player

Collected Quotes To Improve The Enjoyment Of The Game

First some words from Takemiya Masaki:

Takemiya Masaki was invited as the guest at the 2008 US Go Congress. At the congress, he gave the audience “the way to be stronger”. He asked the audience “When you sit down to play a game is your aim to win the game or to become stronger? You probably think you can do both,” he continued, “but these are quite different projects.”

“The problem with trying to win – besides the fact that it makes it hard to enjoy the game – is that you don’t trust your feelings about where to play. When you look over the board there’ll be a place find you want to play, but if you’re concerned about winning, you’re not going to trust your feeling. You’ll think and analyze and nervously play somewhere else. This is a terrible way to play go. You should look at the board and play wherever you want to. This is the way to get stronger. I say this everywhere I go, around the world, but no one believes me. Nevertheless it’s true. Of course, when you do this, you’ll lose a lot of games. So you have to review the games. That way your feelings about the game will get better and you will not only get stronger, you’ll also find that playing go is a lot of fun. And you’ll win more often. This is go the natural way.” Takemiya said.

(Found here: http://www.millerk.net/)

 Now here "Bill Cobb" wrote about the Takemiyas advice:

 "THE EMPTY BOARD: The Real Go Player"

 At a lecture at this year's U.S. Go Congress, Takemiya Masaki (right) 9P insisted that it is very important in go to play where you want to, not where you think you ought to. He said that no one believes he is serious about this. It's easy to understand why. The issue here is what it means to be a "honte" go player. First, think about why we play the game. Surely it's because we enjoy it: no one is forcing us to play. Those of us at the Congress paid a lot to attend. Takemiya assumes we all agree with this, but he notices that a lot of players often seem to find playing an unpleasant and frustrating experience. He suggested this is because we are worried about where we should play next in the game. For many of us this worry is based in a concern about our ratings, which is what drives us to worry about winning the game we're playing. It may well be that the excessive focus on ratings so characteristic of the current AGA culture - player rank was the most visible part of Congress ID badges -- is the greatest barrier to enjoying playing. The solution is to quit worrying about ratings and winning. Instead, look over the board carefully, and play wherever you want to. Of course, this approach may lead to losses, but it's the only way to become a real go player, playing your own style of go. This approach requires two essential things, which is where your feelings for the game come from: studying seriously and reviewing your games carefully. Seeing what does and doesn't work shapes your feeling for the game in the direction that leads to better play. So don't worry, be happy. Follow your feelings when you play and you'll not only enjoy the game more, you'll be a real go player and not someone who only thinks they are a go player.

(Found here: http://www.usgo.org/)

Here another pro, Yasumasa Hane 9p,  visting the U.S. Open in 2010 said similar things:

He loves go because “it’s an art” and says that the current focus on winning makes him “a bit sad; the games we play will always be there, and we must leave art that we can be proud of.” These days, Hane said, “there’s no value placed on the opinion of the loser; winning is all.” Like Takemiya Masaki 9P, he urges players to “play where you want and don’t be afraid. If you’re chasing the dream you must take the risk.” His advice to go students is to “play your best move and don’t be afraid to make a mistake; the pro will correct your mistake and you’ll learn.” He also strongly advises those looking to improve to record their games and review them with stronger players, and was “very impressed” with the number of players he saw recording their games at the Open on Sunday. “


(Found here: http://www.usgo.org/ )

Here a good post at "Life in 19x19"  which is related to the topic:

"It kind of depends on what you enjoy about the game. For example, one of the things that I like about go is feeling like I am learning new things. As a result, it is satisfying to finally master a technique you have been working on, or to handle a weak group well with sabaki, or any other difficult technique. I agree that I should certainly focus more on enjoying games, win or lose. Lately I've been losing a lot of games against stronger players, for example. There are many ways I can lose to a stronger player, such as getting into a complicated situation where I am more likely to be outread. In that you are saying that I should enjoy these losses because they are still go, I agree that I should be focusing more on the simple pleasure of the game. However, changing how one thinks about things at a base level is not easy. Additionally, it is also important to not lose the joy of learning new things, as mentioned above. Similarly, it is harder to enjoy a game where I know I made a lot of mistakes. All in all: yes, it is definitely possible to be too competetive and focused on winning. Yes, I would prefer to enjoy losses more, as long as it didn't prevent me from also enjoying things like learning and winning."


  (while the quote is a bit out of the context, click here to read the whole  thread  at: http://www.lifein19x19.com/ )

Oomori Yasushi 8p teaches similar things in his book: 

"Oomori's goal, as he explains in the preface, is to move his students away from a rigid reliance on narrowly understood go proverbs and josekis. Instead, he says, they should cultivate a habit of playing "as they please," subject to their best whole-board judgement. He likes to call this "playing a personal style" --maybe in English we would say "playing your own game"-- and he feels that it is the most enjoyable approach to Go. Furthermore, if students combine this with conscientious review of their games, especially of the mistakes, then they are bound to become stronger. (Note that this agrees with Takemiya's "Play the move you want to play" philosophy, as expressed in his 2008 Go Congress lecture and elsewhere.)" 


(Found here : http://senseis.xmp.net/?AchievingAPersonalStyle )

“You should look at the board and play wherever you want to. This is the way to get stronger.” Takemiya Masaki