Clarity

Clarity.

Now that something seemed completely unrelated to go, weiqi, baduk, or whatnot.

But seriously, what is clarity? It is actually something important to the game. It's able to be see what is going on on the board. It's to be able to handle what is going on. If you proceed with clear idea of what is necessary, then you will play necessary moves, not extraneous moves. Basically, play toward the idea.

One game, against 3d on oro, I tried to play with clear mind, trying to see what I can do. See what I am planning. The game went by very well, and I was like, I can try this, and do this, and that, by which all meshed with a plan that fits the board.

At one point, I was like...hmmmm...I'm not even sure what to do. I have ideas, and plans in place, but there is no place to really implement them. So I paused. It's hardest thing to do...pause to just save yourself, and take a breath, and face the board with clear mind.

Then I found the move I needed. It was a very nice move, handling a delicate situation, and created a minimoyo in middle...during early endgame. Minimoyo in middle at so late of the game? It's a mark of flexibility, and ended up exchanging it for reducing the corner, which is equal, probably worth more than what minimoyo was worth. And also, this minimoyo made that black didn't really get anything from the thickness.

Needless to say, I won the game handily. There were unusual exchanges, but overall, I'm very happy with the game, because I played with clear mind, clear perspective. Though, I wish that my yose would have a bit more clearer mind.

Clear mind...really simplifies the game, because you're playing by ideas, not by moves. Clarity lets your mind find moves that fits the idea.