A Retrospective on 2013

As the new year is about to be upon us, I thought it only be fitting that I write a retrospective post on how my go has gone in 2013. Seeing as this might be a long post, let’s get started shall we?

#1. How strong have I gotten? Well, based on KGS ranking, I started 2013 with a whopping rank of 6k. And after 12 months, it seems I have only gotten 2 stones stronger. Haha. Most will probably disagree with this rating though since the frequency of me playing ranked games dropped dramatically sometime in the middle of the year. So it’s probably more accurate to say that I gained around 3 stones. =)

#2. What is my proudest accomplishment? Though not necessarily about my actual progress as a player, I think 2013 has been a success in regards to the go blog! Though you are free to correct me if I’m wrong, it has been quite productive and I’m proud that I’ve managed to have been writing consistently throughout the entire 2013. As a result of my blog, I have met many new friends and forged new bonds that I have deeply treasured!

#3. What is the biggest lesson I learned this year? I’ve been through quite a few ups and downs this year in my go, and so if I can pass on one lesson it is this: Play for fun. The moment you get so deep in the competitive nature of it and the obsession over gaining another stone, you’ll find the game much harder to enjoy and you’ll be burnt out before you know it. And for those who really want a lesson in regards to the game itself, I would say it is this: Before every move, check to see if you have any (important) weak groups.

#4. What would I have done differently? In hindsight, I think I pushed myself too hard this year overall. Whether it was trying to crank out book reviews or churn out post after post, it put me through a lot of grief that was probably quite unnecessary. So if I could go back and change one thing, it would be to have approached things with more a relaxed and carefree mindset.

#5. What are my final thoughts before 2014 is upon me? Though I might not have progressed as much as I would have liked in 2013, it certainly has been a rather interesting journey. I am hoping that the I will be able to learn from my mistakes in 2013 and approach 2014 with a new passion and energy that will burn brightly for the year to come.

I hope that you all have enjoyed the blog in 2013, and I only hope to exceed your expectation in 2014. And as always, but especially today, please be sure to leave comments below if you have any ideas or suggestions for things I can do for 2014 so that I can continue to improve this blog for you! So for now, good-bye to 2013 and I look forward to seeing you on the other side in 2014! Sayonara!