Hello go lovers on RTK.
I've seen references to go on this site a few times, and being a big fan figured I'd start a thread as a place for us to gather.
Until recently I was playing as 4k on KGS, and then I discovered RTK and got addicted to learning kanji (what's up with that?) so I've slipped to 5k, with 4k still in my sights.

I was never a big fan of manga, but I picked up the first book of [kana]ヒカルの碁[/kana] and I'm enjoying the story, though some of it is above my level.

Recently I watched [kana]茶の味[/kana] because one of the characters plays go. The amount of go in the film is small, but it's cute, and the film is quite different and a fun watch anyways.
Does anyone know other films with [kana]囲碁[/kana] in it?

As well, I picked up an introductory go book in Japanese, [kana]みんなの囲碁入門[/kana] The ideas, of course, are very simple, but the text is Japanese for Japanese speakers, the sentences are relatively short and there's lots of diagrams. Since it's an introductory text, you can understand what they are talking about from the diagrams, so it's a matter of figuring out the Japanese. It's a fun way to improve kanji reading.

Anyway, I play on KGS as newsman. Maybe we've played before, maybe we'll play soon.

じゃね

I play on KGS as yoyoma. Anyone feel free to PM me random Heisig keywords if we're on at the same time. It will be my task to answer back the primitive keywords. I've been updating my profile with which one's I'm studying.

I've not played seriously in 2-3 years. I went up to about 6kyu on KGS back then (Nukemarine player name, go figure). Then, I just stopped playing. College began to make much more precedence. Now it's Japanese and exercise.

I get a big kick out of knowing how to write the kanji for Igo, when in 2003 I was walking around Yokosuka showing a slip of paper with what I hoped meant Igo (someone else wrote it). Never did find that parlor.

That said, A Beautiful Mind has two brief scenes dealing with Go. And like EVERY scene dealing with Chess, the winning move comes out of nowhere (seriously, if you can't spot a mate move in one, you're not good a chess ditto with large stone loss). Of course, subtle wins would go over the audiences head, so what can you do?

PS: I loved Hikaru no Go.

Woelpad, 5k, a few years ago. Still trying to win my first game in the yearly Chiba-Funabashi city tournament event as 3d (scales differ), and occasionally watching the NHK-tournament on Sunday, but that's about it. I've reregistered with KGS just for the heck. Byoyomi was never my forte and these internet games tend to be nothing than that.

woelpad Wrote:Woelpad, 5k, a few years ago. Still trying to win my first game in the yearly Chiba-Funabashi city tournament event as 3d (scales differ), and occasionally watching the NHK-tournament on Sunday, but that's about it. I've reregistered with KGS just for the heck. Byoyomi was never my forte and these internet games tend to be nothing than that.

What is the tournament like? Is it lose one and done, or does everyone play every round? Are there handicaps?

Shaydwyrm on KGS, but don't play much there. I play around 2d here in Japan, according to my results against Waseda Daigaku players.

There's an interesting Go Filmography on the European Go Association website.

killerducky Wrote:What is the tournament like? Is it lose one and done, or does everyone play every round? Are there handicaps?

One day event somewhere in Fall. Three rounds, 45 minutes per game (no clocks), after that a ref comes and imposes a 30" byo-yomi (if my memory serves me right). You play every round, normally against someone from the opposing city unless there are not enough opponents. Handicap based on grade difference. Next round is decided on the result of the previous. There's an income fee (2000 Yen? I forgot) and for that you all get a bento, a drink and something to take home. Those that win all of their games get something extra. The winning city takes the trophy home. I believe you need to reside in one or the other city in order to participate. Make a phone call in advance to register. The local paper usually runs an advertisement, or ask city hall or the local go-club. Very relaxed, all. Lots of old people, some kids, hardly anyone in between. Popularity of Go in Japan, right?

woelpad Wrote:

killerducky Wrote:What is the tournament like? Is it lose one and done, or does everyone play every round? Are there handicaps?

One day event somewhere in Fall. Three rounds, 45 minutes per game (no clocks), after that a ref comes and imposes a 30" byo-yomi (if my memory serves me right). You play every round, normally against someone from the opposing city unless there are not enough opponents. Handicap based on grade difference.

I'm not in Japan so I can't come to one of these tournaments.

But I was interested in how the grades and handicaps work. If you haven't won any games, why not enter as 2d the next time?

Then what's the challenge? Since the promotion to amateur dan-level (which is unrelated to pro-dan) is much faster than in the West, there's a much wider range of capabilities in a single grade. So you meet all sort of people. Add to this that most of these guys are 60+ who just cling to their grade even if their performance changed. Most of my games are fairly on-par, but lack of play and a bit of luck prevented any victory so far.

To put it in perspective, the first time I played here was in a go-club, and after two games (wins) they put me up as 4d. That was 4 years ago. You see, I already lowered my grade. Once is enough.

Here's a list of Go terms in Japanese/English, from a site many here are likely familiar with:

http://senseis.xmp.net/?JapaneseGoTerms

Edit: The site also apparently has articles about learning Japanese for Go. (Links at the bottom of the page.)