Mistakes

Some of the biggest or most interesting mistakes I've made in past games.

Should have made life at a instead of pointless defense at 2. [SGF]

2022-01-20: https://online-go.com/game/40539049

I'm playing white, and losing this game anyway, but I lose it badly because of this mistake. For some reason I'm nervous about the lower-left when it's perfectly secure, and comfortable with the right side even though it's vulnerable. The right group would have been alive if I'd defended it. OGS says -36 points.

Should have captured at a instead of self-atari at 5. [SGF]

2022-01-22: https://online-go.com/game/40565876

I don't realize that I'm in a capture race, and - having put the white group in the lower-right in atari - I try to save some stones and connect at 5 instead of capturing at a. In the process I self-atari and lose my whole top-right group, 37 points, and the game.

Should have captured at ''a'' instead of 4. [SGF]

2022-02-04: https://online-go.com/game/40958751

I'm playing white. My opponent and I have both played pretty badly up to this point, but the weak black group in the lower-left means the game has swung in my favor. Black has just captured a white stone at a with 1. I can't immediately recapture because of ko, and I probably should have just sealed at b but I'm flustered at this point and try to make progress elsewhere with 2. Black makes a big mistake answering with 3 instead of capturing at b, and then I make an even bigger mistake by not recapturing at a which would have allowed me to take entire lower-left corner on my next turn. -39 points, and the game.

Should have played almost anywhere but 2. [SGF]

2022-01-13: https://online-go.com/game/40341102

After white closes at 1 I think I'm defending my territory with 2 but I'm actually setting up a self-atari that gives up the lower-right corner entirely. OGS says -43 points, and suggests I should tenuki at a, but making a little life at b would also be fine since I'm ahead.