How Many Weak Groups Is Too Many?

[@piershanson1784]

Ok, but hear me out. Let's say that both Me and my opponent have 20 weak groups...

[@GoMagic]

That's definitely a wild situation to imagine! 😅

[@d314159]

Great advice. Loved the video!

[@GoMagic]

Thank you so much! 😊 Glad to hear the advice was helpful.

[@myboy_]

What a good way to start my morning

[@Dark_Souls_3]

I would appreciate a video covering the mindset I should have as the game evolves (DDK). I understand territory in general, but in my games I don’t know if I should be hugging up against their territory versus closing gaps in my own… one game yesterday I was black and AI said I had +60 in my favor. A couple moves later, white was +70. I thought I was helping myself but lost it all!!

[@paulswenson5035]

I'm ~5k so take this with a grain of salt. In my opinion, reviewing move sequences with AI isn't all that helpful at a DDK level. It's usually best to review your own games with maybe just a tool that shows scores and try to figure out where things went wrong. Ask yourself what the biggest moves are every time you play and that will help you improve.

[@tome343]

I think as you become stronger you'll understand the difference between playing passively and actively and strike a better balance between the two. Passive territorial moves often tend to be, like their namesake, passive. In go terms I guess that means a move which doesn't provoke a response (doesn't have to be a sente move just one which leaves weakness that the opponent would like to respond to, even if they choose not to). This gives the opponent an opportunity to turn the tides and take control of the game

[@tome343]

Beyond that, a 130 point swing is rarely accomplished without a group dying or some really massive tactical error. Kinda hard to say more than that without seeing the game in question tho but if either aligns then I suppose that's where you'll need to look first

[@GoMagic]

When it comes to territory, it's always a balance. Hugging up against your opponent’s territory can sometimes be good for reducing their points, but you don’t want to lose sight of strengthening your own groups. Such big swings often come from losing a group or letting your opponent build something massive without realizing it - we all have been there at some point.

[@adcyuumi]

Generically speaking, two weak groups is already at/past the limit. You can use sente to attack, then when out of sente moves go back and erase one weakness. The opponent will then use sente moves and attack your remaining weaknesses, and the more weaknesses you have the longer the opponent is in control of the game. And you can't just leave a bunch of weaknesses, because as the board fills in there aren't enough big tenuki moves - your weaknesses will eat you alive, because you can't erase them all quickly enough when you have so many just lurking on the board. So if you want to push it, maybe you can get away with two weak groups at a time. You save the more meaningful one, then tenuki when the other is attacked. The opponent has nothing elsewhere to exploit, so they are compelled to either double tap the weakness or leave a lot of aji on the board. And then at the end of the middle game as tenuki becomes unviable as an option, you stop leaving a second weak group out there.

[@GoMagic]

Thank you for sharing your insight! You're right - juggling two weak groups can be risky, and managing that balance of using sente and knowing when to go back and defend is key.

[@studentofsmith]

Two weak groups is one too many. You can sometimes handle it if your opponent also has at least one weak group but otherwise you're going to struggle. It's a very bad position to find yourself in and, as the video explains, it's almost always caused by a refusal to give up on some stones you should probably just let your opponent have.

[@GoMagic]

Absolutely, you're spot on! 👍

[@ambion19]

Could we get a video exploring bad habits that newer players develop when they're mostly facing one another, and why work at that level only to backfire against stronger opponents?

[@GoMagic]

Great suggestion! We'll definitely consider making a video on that topic. 👍

[@otakuofmine]

just asking under the newest vids as i couldnt find a fitting one: where did you got your board from? and/or where would you recommend getting a board from? I would love to watch a video about that too to hear your insight.

[@GoMagic]

Well, even Vadim himself can't remember the exact place he bought his board, but it was a small shop in China. Sadly, if you don't live in Asia, finding Go shops can be challenging. Therefore, it might be best to purchase a Go set online from a marketplace.

[@otakuofmine]

@@GoMagic was my hope you would know some about as there doesnt seem to be a guide on youtube, but well. still thx for response. :)

[@osXcanada]

That guy sounds like my playing!! 😅

[@Zololil3602]

when did you start playing go?

[@GoMagic]

I think Vadim will probably share this in an upcoming video.

[@Zololil3602]

@@GoMagic nice

[@ogradus]

I have no idea of this game's mechanics...

[@Brasbu]

This channel has a playlist called "Go Rules and Basics" that you can find under their playlists.

[@GoMagic]

In this case please check our basics video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYu3lYdugraYrs0

[@JustACuteFox]

Good luck trying to sell monotasking to the last generation or two of people that have been media-conditioned with ADHD.

[@GoMagic]

Hey! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Well, sometimes taking a step back and embracing monotasking can be a nice break from all the chaos-it’s like giving your mind a chance to breathe. Worth a shot.

[@JustACuteFox]

@@GoMagic I totally agree! And as you mentioned, science agrees, too. I try to encourage it in as many people as I can. Which is why I say good luck! People -- especially younger people -- are extremely resistant to the idea. By the way, a great system to practice monotasking is the Pomodoro Technique. It is what I use when I really need to get a lot done.

[@ateistaeletszemlelet3492]

I think, you misslead your viewers, because they got the impression that having many weak groups is only a problem because of multi-tasking. And they would react, like, even if you warned them, they take the challenge, and they will show it. Btw. I don't think, it is the multi-tasking the problem here. Since my opponent usually clearly attacks one of my weak groups, and I can answer to that quite focused. It is not real multi-tasking, my groups are usually not attacked all by one move. To be sure, you told one other reason that weak groups create not much territory. But on the other hand, those weak groups, if they survive, took away so much territory from the opponent. Or maybe a cut is weak, but if it survives, it may weaken 2 groups of the opponent at one time. Now, the opponent has to do multi-tasking! I think, the right explanation is that having 2 weak groups, while my opponent has only one, in the middle, cutting my 2 groups, creates a situation, where I have to run away with 2 groups, and my opponent only with one. So, I can run away only with half speed. More preciselly, if my opponent also has another group on the side, to run with, then the speed ca be equal, but that is the case, when my opponent is continuously creating terrotory, and I am not. SO the math is in the end much more complicated, and it would be nice to have an explanation on this level.

[@GoMagic]

Thank you for such a detailed and thoughtful comment! You’re absolutely right-the issue goes far beyond just multi-tasking.It’s a much deeper concept, but we wanted to focus on this specific part for now. But it's definitely worth exploring in greater detail.