Guo Juan schools the newbs Yesterday was the final day of the seminar, but after the lengthy two day long focus, it was time to have some dinner with the family and allow things to simmer in the back of my mind. I also had to work afterwards, up until 4am early monday morning. I got in late of course, and then left early since Monday late afternoons I spend time alone with my son while Mom is out and about for at least an hour or two every week.

This weekend firmly solidified my love of Go, and was a wonderful success. If you are ever ever able to receive in person instruction from this lady, I highly recommend that you take the opportunity. She has a wonderful and very personal style, that guarantees everyone receives benefit. She peruses the world of students as a teacher of the highest order, and gives freely of her personal wit and style, recounting stories and anecdotes while we play, making us all laugh and smile. I have some pictures of her speaking on the couch at the Seattle Go Center talking to the kyu-level class. I took a rare break to get up and get some stretch time, and get some more tea when I took this shot, as there are many intent Go-players eagerly watching the game and listening to her.

I was quite happy with the outcome of the weekend as a whole, and received special commentary from Guo and others assembled there that I had noticeably improved my game in the short period of her analysis this weekend. She challenged each of us, and me in particular, that if we wanted to improve for certain within a single month, that we should work tsumego each day for a small amount of time, without fail. Just 5 a day, hard enough to be worth looking at, but not so difficult that you are unable to solve them in a half an hour of straight through study. This daily excercise will improve your reading ability, and your analysis skills will thereby profit as well.

She is quite certain of the utility of exercises such as this for us Western players who play for fun, and within a culture that promotes free exchange of ideas and less strict discipline. She was speaking to us as a group and told us in a segue about the students of her youth in China who were strongly drilled every day without particular effort made to explain or justify or convince the children; it simply wasn’t necessary… Young Eastern students grow up within a culture that promotes conformity and regimented rigorous study, Western players contrast with this strongly.

We benefit most from increasing our efforts in the areas we are weakest, this gives us skills and tactics that sharply contrast with the lack of these talents happening organically around us. Eastern players are advised to be creative, break joseki, and think freely to find new and exciting avenues of competitive Go playing, Western students are encouraged by Guo to obtain the discipline and regimentation of our neighbors to improve our reading and lend strength to our otherwise creative but weak endeavors over the board.

I will post SGF files of the games as I record them from the kifu when I have time, and put up links to the pictures as well. In the mean time, namaste’.