Star Point

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Star Point is a podcast all about the game of Go (aka baduk or weiqi)! When you're away from the board, you can listen to Star Point for weekly discussions about how to improve, personal anecdotes, and general appreciation for the beauty of the game. Hosted and produced by Justin Oh. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

Justin Oh


    • May 12, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 86 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Star Point

    85: Black Box Thinking

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 52:58


    I recently read Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn From Their Mistakes—But Some Do, by Matthew Syed and harvested all the Go-related nuggets of knowledge just for all you Star Point listeners! Thank you so much for listening and supporting the show :)Pokémon Go Board Clip (Full Episode)The Devil's Plan Season 2 Trailer w/ Lee SedolBlack Box Thinking by Matthew Syed⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    84: Should you give up on Go?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 55:20


    Some of us have a rough time getting into Go. There's something about this game that attracts us, but it can be really discouraging at times. Is this game just not for everyone? What does it take? At some point, do you keep trying to tape Jell-O to a tree or is it time to throw in the towel?⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    83: Blunders, Treating Each Rank Equally, Cho Hun-hyun's Thoughts on The Match

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 45:22


    This one kicks off with a casual update of my Go life including some musings about proverbs and removing “rank bias.” Then I read a translated article featuring the legendary Cho Hun-hyun who gave his thoughts on new Korean Go film, The Match.Cho Hun-hyun Article (Korean)⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    82: Study Plan Workshop

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 66:16


    I see you. Go “player.” Do you even play? Do you even study? It's time to get serious and finally make some progress! Good study habits make good Go players, so listen up and make a study plan with me!Polyominoes Video⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    81: The Four Houses of Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 35:01


    In the Edo period of Japan, there were four houses of Go. They were… the Four Houses of Go. And there were four of them. And they were houses. And they were of Go. Come on in for a short history lesson!Kendall's Pro Game Memorization App⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    80: Go-Adjacent Board Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 64:00


    Let's look at how modern board games reflect our beloved game of Go. From Carcassonne to Ticket to Ride, you can find Go-like elements hiding in plain sight at your local game store!Also... Lee Sedol designs board games now??Games mentioned in this episode: CarcassonneHiveBlokusOnitamaRiskHexTicket to RideTakYinshStrategoOthelloKing's CrownGreat KingdomNine Knights⁠Dice Tower Video⁠⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    79: The Holistic View of Improvement

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 55:17


    I am always chasing the secret formula for Go improvement. But what if it's not a singular magic bullet? What if it's a collection of habits that eventually come together to synergize into an overall understanding of the game?⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    78: Empty Triangle Math

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 47:22


    Why is the empty triangle bad? Go is a game rich with mathematical and geometric ideas. Let's do some light math and counting to see what we can find out about shape efficiency! Plus, a new analogy to introduce the game to friends who aren't sold on the usual war comparisons.⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    77: Escaping Learned Helplessness in the AI Era

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 40:22


    Let's talk about some unsettling experiments conducted during the 60s and 70s that revealed how limitations can be internalized and learned. Can we unlearn our limitations in Go and break through our ruts? Plus, some bonus futurology ramblings inspired by the AlphaGo documentary.All Things Go Podcast: The Surrounding Game Interview⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    76: Magnus Carlsen talks Go, 1st Nanyang Cup, Cheating, The Stone (2013)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 45:52


    Lots of happenings in the Go world recently! A world chess champion talks Go, an inaugural world major tournament in Singapore, and a spicy cheating incident.Korean Search Terms:바둑 - Baduk조훈현 - Cho HunhyunLinks:Vadim's Travel VlogShin Jinseo Drinks from the MerlionGo Set for the Visually ImpairedThe Stone (Full Movie)1984 Cho Hunhyun Game—⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    75: The Match (승부) Trailer, Feeding Your Passion, Listener Go Variants

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 47:06


    FINALLY. The Match (승부) will see the light of day! I'm so hyped. I do a full recap of the long road that this baduk film has traveled to get here, adding a brief thought on feeding your passion for Go. I also had lots of fun reading about all your Go variants!The Match Trailer (Eng Sub)Cards GoQuantum Go Video TutorialQuantum Go Rules---⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    74: Have I lost my respect for Go?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 40:19


    I start with a rant about why I prefer the old way of broadcasting professional games. Then, I explore what it really means to show respect for our beloved game and why respect is such an important theme in Go.⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    73: Rating Go Variants!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 53:11


    Go with no vision and Go on a cube,Ever play Toroidal Go on a tube?⁠Support Star Point⁠The Star Point Store

    72: My Go Equipment

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 46:33


    You might be thinking, how could anyone possibly talk for a whole podcast episode about their Go equipment? You underestimate my ability to ramble about Go topics. Here's a rundown of all the Go equipment I collected over the years. Yellow Mountain Imports store.baduk.club Camille Lévêque (aka Stoned on the Goban) -Amazon Affiliate Links- Go Stone Bowl Bag: https://amzn.to/3CBiEKU Frixion Erasable Pens: https://amzn.to/4goBH99 Shin Kaya YMI Go Board: https://amzn.to/4aKpCtE --- ⁠Support Star Point⁠ The Star Point Store

    71: Lidgate - The LG Cup Rules Controversy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 56:31


    Prisoner stone placed on the table instead of lid. Chaos ensues. Let's talk about all the hubbub from the LG Cup finals between Ke Jie and Byun Sang-il. What happened? What could have been done better? The Star Point Store Support Star Point

    70: Sean & Tin play Blind Go!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 58:24


    Sean and Tin are back! This time, they square off in a game of blind Go, embodying the spirit of true "Go fans away from the board." We also share our thoughts on a recent r/baduk post from someone who loves Go but finds actually playing it to be a chore. ⁠Support Star Point⁠ The Star Point Store

    69: What Go Teaches You About Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 33:35


    What does learning Go teach you outside of the four corners of the board? Listen to my ramblings about how Go helps you think creatively, set priorities, and even build character, all while diving into its rich history and cultural roots. Support Star Point

    68: Evolution of Greed & Scorched Earth Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 30:07


    Go punishes greed better than any game I know. Because it also punishes advanced greed :0 In this episode, I talk about my "Scorched Earth Go" tendencies and why it is a setup for failure.

    68: Evolution of Greed & Scorched Earth Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 30:07


    Go punishes greed better than any game I know. Because it also punishes advanced greed :0 In this episode, I talk about my "Scorched Earth Go" tendencies and why it is a setup for failure.

    67: How to FEEL Like a Pro

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 52:41


    Why do some pro moves seem so alien to us amateurs? Listen to what Eric Lee (not the top US Amateur) has to say about how to improve our intuition. Thank you again to Eric Lee for your insightful email! Eric's Pro Study Example Materials: Download SGF Yoon 8p's review --- Support Star Point

    66: Reacting to Myself from 2023, End-of-year Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 59:05


    It's time to react to a message I left for myself last year! Also, this is the last episode of 2024. I'll be taking a 2-week break so I'll see y'all Jan 6, 2025. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! @maximelesage399, this is the pro game memorization app, it's called ScribeGo: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scribego/id6476177124 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    65: Correspondence Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 40:57


    Correspondence Go is how you “keep playing Go”... no excuses! I love correspondence Go for allowing me to stay connected to Go even when my life gets a little busy. But it's far from perfect. Enjoy the ramblings of all my love and hate for this peculiar time control of Go. Support Star Point --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    64: Why I Love Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 56:33


    It's pretty simple. I love Go (if you couldn't tell by now). Here's why! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    63: The Classic of Weiqi (Chapters 7-13)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 57:36


    This is part 2 of episode 47: The Classic of Weiqi (Chapters 1-6)! The Classic of Weiqi is an ancient Chinese text about Go so listen in as we take a look at some more general Go advice and proverbs that are over a thousand years old. Read the Classic of Weiqi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    62: Don't think! FEEEEEEEEEEL

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 58:11


    This week's episode is all about intuition and how to hone our quick judgment of situations on the Go board! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    61: Cognitive Development of Children Through Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 51:24


    An interesting 2018 study seeks to find out the effects of Go learning on the cognitive development of children, if any. Let's talk about it! Polgote Article Try the Schulte Table Test --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    60: What Go Teachers Get Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 38:09


    Don't get me wrong! Go teachers are great! But if I had to give a few pointers... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    59: Psychological Barriers to Ranking Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 48:21


    I ponder a listener's thoughts on why simple study may not be the key to unlocking your next rank, the limitations of SGF game reviews, and the dangers of identifying with a style. Thanks again for the insightful writeup, Eric! Dusty's Digital Go Magazine: Go Times --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    58: Go as Art, The Mystery of Learning w/ Sean

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 76:23


    Sean's back again for another Go discussion! This time we talk about Go as a form of art, ranging from a conversation about the aesthetic quality of Go to the mysterious process of understanding that we all experience as Go students. The Protracted Game Hanayeol's Big Sacrifice (Korean) ABC Podcast Episode About Go --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    57: How to Take Study Notes for Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 45:39


    Here's how I personally use notes to extract problems from my games and solidify my Go knowledge using glorious SGF technology. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    56: Why Do We Play Go? w/ Sean & Tin

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 58:19


    The first ever 3-man episode of Star Point! A meandering discussion of why we play Go, how Go appears to non-players, the "style fingerprint" we leave on the board, and more. Hope you enjoy! Dsaun's Shape Lecture --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    55: My First Go Tournament

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 52:09


    Come gather 'round players and hear ye a tale of olde: a post-pandemic Go tournament and the first of this soul! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    54: How to Get to Single-Digit Kyu

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 44:20


    Do this and you'll be SDK... I think. Here are my surefire* steps to achieve SDK! *Not surefire but I think they will work. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    53: Is it Bad to Play Against AI? w/ Tin

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 60:42


    Tin (aka IndieSn) and I talk about the origins of the Mission Viejo Go club as well as the pros and cons of playing against AI. Thanks for coming on the show, Tin! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    52: The Complex Problem of AI Cheating

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 41:13


    I (allegedly) lost to a cheater! What cases of cheating have there been in the Go world? Can we do anything about it? Why do people cheat? This is a tough one. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    51: Breakthrough to SDK w/ Sean

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 54:12


    Sean and I chat about the quirks of hosting a Go club, adapting to different play styles, and the importance of tsumego in this super special guest episode of Star Point. Thanks so much for coming on the show, Sean! Hanayeol's Very Essential Life and Death Lecture --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    50: The Girl Who Played Go, Japanese "Aesthetic" Play Style

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 38:07


    A review of the gripping coming-of-age historical fiction novel, The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa, followed by a discussion on the "aesthetic" and "spiritual" Japanese play style. Kolybi Go --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    49 (Season 2 Premiere): Honinbo Dosaku

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 47:43


    We're back! Honinbo Dosaku was an unrivaled Go player in the Edo period of Japan. He made great contributions to Go theory, laid down the framework for the Japanese ranking system, and is still revered today by professional and amateurs alike. The Art of Sacrificing Stones of Honinbo Dosaku by Michael Redmond 9p Clossius Teaches Go to a Chess Player --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    48 (Season 1 Finale): OGS Rapid Time Discussion, The Queen's Gambit – Go Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 64:54


    Do the current options for auto-match on OGS make sense? Also, what if the Queens' Gambit were about Go? Thank you all who have supported Star Point during its debut season, I am looking forward to more Star Pointing with you guys when the podcast returns on August 19th! OGS Forum Post: Revisiting Automatch Time Settings --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    47: The Classic of Weiqi (Chapters 1-6)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 47:19


    The Classic of Weiqi is one of the oldest texts about Go. Written by Zhang Ni in the 10th or 11th century, it's chock full of ancient wisdom that has stood the test of time. Can such an old piece of writing help us improve our game? The Classic of Weiqi --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    46: Why Go Isn't More Popular, Exciting OGS Updates

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 40:48


    Go is great! It's really great! Why don't more people see how great it is? Also, OGS also launched some really great updates! Here are the updates: OGS Updates --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    45: 7 Reasons to Get a Go Teacher

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 50:19


    Have you ever considered getting a Go teacher? Sometimes we need that extra push from a stronger player to get to the next level. Here are seven benefits of getting a Go teacher and a short story about Korean Go legend, Cho Hunhyun. https://www.britgo.org/bgj/bgj.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    44: Finding the Story of the Game

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 32:16


    Have you ever realized in the middle of a game that you and your opponent had wildly different perceptions of what was going on? You can find truth on the go board, but until then we are lost in our own unique storylines. Also, I propose a new kind of Go problem to assess our story evaluation skills. My Sample "Story" Problems on OGS --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    43: How to Do Tsumego (Life & Death) the Right Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 53:34


    Hate doing life and death problems? Here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your tsumego problems and perhaps even enjoy them! Go Board from "Puzzled" in Albuquerque Telegraph Go 101Weiqi Guide Takumi Go 101Weiqi Guide --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    42: Go vs. Chess Listener Mail

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 70:42


    This was a popular topic! It's another listener mail party, let's talk more about Chess and Go! Thank you all for your thoughtful contributions :) Silver's "Stones" Play More Go IndieGoGo Play More Go YouTube --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    41: Evaluating Verb vs. Noun Quality with Telegraph Go

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 64:13


    Recently, Telegraph Go (Nate Morse) caught wind of my interest in Rocket League and invited me to play a few games on stream with him. I happily obliged, and our resulting conversations about Go during the stream were quite thought-provoking. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    40: Otake Hideo's Opening Theory Made Easy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 49:10


    A quick bio of Japanese Go legend Otake Hideo and a book review of his "Opening Theory Made Easy," what I've found to be the quintessential handbook for beginning to intermediate Go players. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    39: Go vs. Chess

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 50:37


    Abstract strategy game showdown! Go and Chess are very different games, but I can't help but compare the two. Let's dissect the pros and cons of each game to find the ultimate abstract strategy game. 13th Annual San Diego Go Championship Info (GoClubs.org) AGA Meeting Update Ben's Onyx & Agate Stones --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    38: Listener Mail Catchup! Jigo Discussion, Go Tournament Nuances, and More

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 60:09


    It's a Listener Mail catchup episode! Lots of interesting thoughts shared by Star Point listeners regarding draws, weebs, the benefits of Fischer time, and even a little history lesson. Thanks for listening! Links: AGHS Writing Contest Entry Form Syracuse's Salt City Tourney (Tsumego Cake) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    37: Field Interviews at the Los Angeles Open!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 47:48


    In this special edition of Star Point, listen in on a collection of interviews and conversations with Go players participating in the 2024 Los Angeles Open tournament. Go players of all ages share their thoughts on becoming a pro, the correlation between Go and tennis, and more. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

    36: My Experience at the Los Angeles Open 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 52:43


    I played in a tournament! I met a lot of really cool people and had so much fun playing the game we all love. This episode is a bit of a debrief of my games at the tournament as well as my overall experience. Also, stay tuned for next week's episode where I share with you some of the field interviews I was able to conduct while at the tournament! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/starpoint/support

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