Malweth’s Metablog

A Guide to Getting Stronger is not much about magic… it’s a guide on how to study go. Studying go always implies that you will become stronger, though Go can be studied for other reasons (game theory, programming, economics, etc). No matter your reasons, continuous, religious study of the game will eventually lead to improvement when the correct methods are used.

So what are the correct methods? Well… I can’t be completely sure, but I’m putting together a series of guides on good ways to study certain elements of the game. The first guide is completed on Analysis of your Own Games.

Head to the entire listing of articles.

The reason discussion chat boxes or channels are available during games is for kibitz. You’re watching the “game of the hour” on KGS - you know, that high Dan level game with relatively long time limits. And a lowly 11 kyu starts voicing their thoughts on the current situation. Of course they’re completely off base - you, as an 8k, know that the move White just made is a tesuji and lets the group escape. Voice that opinion! It’s the only way that 11k will be able to see the situation and it will help that 11k’s reading ability.

It’s important to kibitz… it’s the only way you can help others in a high level game, and the only way you can be helped yourself. When Black ignores the White tesuji because it doesn’t work, it will be helpful for you to see it through the eyes of the 5k player above you.

Not all kibitzers have the best of intentions, but for the most part everyone’s just trying to figure out what’s going on in the game. However, it is necessary to protect yourself from being mistakenly grouped with the malcontent kibitzers.

Firstly, always use a positive attitued when speaking about the game. Saying something like “K10 was bad” or “white is a bad player and should resign” only give others a bad impression of you. Not to mention that you look extra stupid when people see a kyu player making generalized statements about a game they cannot fully understand.

Secondly, don’t insult others. Explain to others. If a DDK says “White should atari” and you, the SDK know that the atari is bad, refrain from saying how stupid the DDK is. It’s also less useful to say “no, that’s bad” than to say “no, that’s bad because….” It’s a subtle difference, but it is a big one.

Finally, don’t spam. Chatter is generally regarded as ok (even if not about the game or even Go), but this type of conversation should be kept to a minimum, especially if others are providing some techincal kibitz. Absolutely never spam mindless gibberish. Most find this distracting and annoying, which will give them a bad impression of you.

“Get Strong at Kibitz” really is an important book, but the points given are those to be refrained from.