#055 compendium I
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<2018-08-18>
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<2018-08-15>
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<2018-08-14>
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<2015-07-22>
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<2015-07-21>
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<2012-02-12>
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<2011-09-13>
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compendium I
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Creator's comments
You can now order a colored print of the compendium series here.

There are various types of people.
And therefore, it naturally follows that there are various types of go players, too. Everyone who attends tournaments regularly, like I did for the past three years, will, after some time, notice that there even are some certain types of players that seem to occur again and again. It's quite compelling (especially for me and my love for the scientific method) to try and make a small catalog, a compendium of the most common player types that you may, in one form or another, already played against at some tournament.
I will need your help for this! Now that the comments are enabled, please leave ideas for particular types of players for me to incorporate in the compendium. I will probably not be able to use all of them, but I am really curious what others have observed.

The ONLINE PLAYER
I have encountered just two or three of this very easy to spot species, but a bit asking around always led to the same reason for these players to occasionally climb onto their chair in the middle of a tournament game to survey it attentively from above. They claim to be used to see the board that way, since that's the point of view one gets accustomed to when playing online a lot.

the LATECOMER
A very widespread species with many subgroups, depending on the various reasons for their lack of presence when the round is starting. There are some specimen who made this into a true mastery, some managing to sleep in for two rounds straight. Can become quite annoying especially for congress organizers :)

the CONTORTIONIST
Fascinating species. These players redefine the simple act of sitting on a chair into something that equals yoga practice. I did not made up the pose you can see on the picture, I actually saw someone sitting like this at the last tournament I visited. Wether these peculiar sitting patterns have some effect on playing strength has yet to be investigated.
add comment
Name_symbol mike <2011-06-05 07:15>
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  master-highly skilled player. slams down stone with one quick desicive, practiced, fluid movement. move little with arms in lap. has eyes that seem to penetrate your soul(both kinds).
\m/('.')
 
Name_symbol Arhiman <2011-05-26 00:55>
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  I'm pretty sure The Contortionist is Ondrej Silt ! :p
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol Alexx Roche <2011-02-17 13:30>
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  Sharpshooter type: I think of these players as hawks, ready to strike.

Machinegun type: I think of these as squirrels hording nuts for some imagined winter.

Moles: constantly digging in their bowl for a different stone, until I find myself wanting to shout, "Please stop digging, THEY ARE ALL THE SAME!"

I was told by a pro that all three are bad. He explained that part of your brain is being used in each type and you should leave your hands empty until you have found The Move.
 
Name_symbol ZBass <2010-12-28 01:47>
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  Damn you. Am heading to my first tournament tomorrow, and due to this i'm now gonna be really self-conscious whilst playing.
 
Name_symbol Jonathan <2010-11-28 21:29>
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  I am a "serious minimalist"; I only move when placing stones, the rest of the time I usually have my hands in front of my mouth, think Ikari Gendo:
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs30/f/2008/082/4/b/Gendo_Ikari_by_Darthval.jpg
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol Isildur <2010-04-13 02:52>
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  I laughed, assuming the online player one was just a joke.

...then I read the comments.

o_O Wow. Most of my games have probably been online, but it has never occurred to me to do that.
 
Name_symbol xedover <2010-03-15 22:11>
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  I'm a kifu writer. I can't help it. I *have* to have a record of my game, even if it means I lose on time trying to write down that last endgame ko play because I've forgotten the next move number.

And you're right, there's never enough room on the table :)

What about the OCD player? Always straightening the stones or flipping them over so that the clean side is showing. Brushing the fuzz from the board.
 
Name_symbol <2010-03-09 18:39>
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  I am only a contortionist when playing on the computer...
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol Marco <2010-02-12 10:56>
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  hehe i'd be propably the sharpshooter xD
 
Name_symbol BaghwanB <2010-01-29 23:54>
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  Don't forget that subset of Chatterbox: the Mumbler.
Also derives from too much online play. Constantly mutters to self about positions and possible moves. Also frequently seen holding their head and tracing ladders above the board with their fingers.

And yes, I have to watch myself to keep from turning into this...
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol tana-kana <2010-01-28 20:14>
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  Ty jsi se s tÄ›mi komixy rozjela :D (promiň, že ti sem píšu česky, já tohle anglicky napsat neumím ^_^') každopádnÄ› bych takhle chtÄ›la kreslit T-T
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol chidori <2010-01-28 15:50>
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  Koffein, I saw that a couple of times live, and he may have inspired a player type about people with certain attitude :] not sure how to name it yet though..
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol chidori <2010-01-28 15:41>
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  hi folks!
whoa. overflow. thanks for sharing all the ideas! I will not be able to draw all of them probably, but you definitely widened my spectrum. fabu, the stroller has been drawn already, and is called the wanderer :) insecure fighter pilot is hard to draw, I'll try. chatterbox and kifu writer are quite common indeed...
Ximane, I have no idea how to draw a fidgeter ^^" Kaiko, that is a good example of a species of player that is definitely unwanted :/ lucky me, never had one.
Hi rain, nice to hear from you! It probably isn't me, whatever pictures you might be referring to, since I have spent most of my life in Prague in complete isolation :)
Perfectionist is one of the types that I belong to, though I don't think that qualifies as a behaviour type - it's mostly in the players head :)
Andreas, I've got a related one already drawn, also concerning stones handling, he is called the architect ;)
 
Name_symbol Andreas <2010-01-28 11:09>
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  There are two distinct types of managing your stones.

Sharpshooter type: after playing, gets one stone from the bowl and keeps it in his hand until his next play.

Machinegun type: always has a big heap (sometimes a row) of stones in front of him (Ammunition). When he has less than ten, he needs to recharge, getting another batch of stones from the bowl.

Sharpshooter type is more common, but ive met Machinegun type on several occasions. Of course there are players who pick their stones from the bowl only before playing, but these are boring ;)
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol Koffein <2010-01-28 06:53>
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  not really a "contortionist" but another interesting way to use a chair ;)
http://www.pokspace.goverband.at/players/gump08/gump08_1.jpg
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol rain <2010-01-27 10:26>
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  Nice to see you back chid0! (btw, you look really cool on pics from Prague... IF it's REALLY you! ^^)

As for a type of a go player I suggest PERFECTIONIST. It's the type of person who always tries to do his best and thinks that a lost game=failure. Luckily, being mad at himself doesn't last very long, cause he "knows" it's a waste of time and he should spend it in a better ("perfecter") way. I guess I also fall in this category :)
 
Name_symbol Sigilus <2010-01-27 04:15>
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  I am the contortionist.

Another common type:
The Absent-minded. Turns occasionally to the board to discover it is their turn!

Another vote for the insecure fighter pilot too!
 
Name_symbol Joke Renting <2010-01-26 08:00>
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  People play better when they are comfortable, and believe it or not. i think that those akward poses are more often than not comfortable ^^
 
Name_symbol Kaiko <2010-01-26 02:25>
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  The Aggressive: Gets angry at you even when you lose. And don't even ask about when you win.

I have met this type. He swore at me and called me stupid. -sigh- Some people...
 
Name_symbol Ximane <2010-01-25 01:08>
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  The Fidgeter: Usually young children; can't seem to sit still or pay attention to the board, and then asks where the last move was.
 
Name_symbol Ter <2010-01-24 19:36>
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  The Kifu Writer: seems to spend more time with his kifu than with the game, never finds enough space on his side of the table to put down his papers.
 
Name_symbol fabu <2010-01-24 18:04>
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  The Chatterbox: Keeps commenting on the game all the time

The Stroller: Can't help getting up and walking about every five minutes

The insecure Fighter Pilot: Hovering their stone over the board unsure of where to place it , even taking back the move as long as they still have their fingers on the stone.

 
Name_symbol f <2010-01-24 18:03>
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  Hasty player - seems to rely entirely on intuition, spending as little of his time as possible. Common in high kyu areas :)
 
Mail_symbol Name_symbol Pogo <2010-01-24 17:19>
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  AWESOME!
 
Name_symbol <2010-01-24 17:10>
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  -the jitterbug
always plays with the bowl,in the bowl,out of the bowl with his stones

-the heavy hitter
slams clock and stones.brutaly!

:3
 
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