For seniors at Cistercian, every day is a half day during the fourth quarter. However, that time is supposed to be used for an independent academically related project. To come up with a project, each student must write a proposal and seek the approval of a faculty advisor who tracks the student’s progress and grades his results. Typical projects include preparation for a difficult AP exam of choice, learning pieces of music and setting up a recital at the end of the quarter, doing off-campus scientific research, directing a one-act play, or reading and teaching oneself a specific academic topic (like set theory for Joseph Simmons).

I’m analyzing Go games. I’m glad that Dr. Hahn, a mathematician and Go player of currently about my level, started teaching at our school this year. Previously, I would’ve thought such a project unthinkable. Long ago, I dreamed of building a synthesizer for my senior project, but that would probably prove too difficult (for a good, satisfying one, anyway), and I don’t think I actually want to explore in-depth those kinds of things anymore. Well, it’s not like I can major in Go or anything in college, but I really want to improve my skills, and I haven’t found much time to do so, so as a senior project, I think this would be pretty beneficial (and fun)! Besides, I may even put the finished paper up here.

If I weren’t doing Go stuff for my senior project, I’d probably end up doing cyber law stuff, which I’ve recently found a lot of interest in and want to pursue after my undergraduate education (more to come on this subject later). See, doing Go for a senior project and writing a lengthy academic paper on it is just so cool, and I couldn’t pass the chance. I can always do the law stuff some other time.

So, in any case, here’s the body of the pretty much approved proposal:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Analysis of decision-making in three sets of recorded matches in the game of Go— first: Honinbou Shusaku (c. 1850s), second: Go Seigen (c. 1920s), third: a to-be-selected modern top player (c. 2000s).

PROCEDURE: (Optional: Read a book or two beforehand, or read and study game commentaries and analyses, ie: on Shusaku.) Then begin analyses of about four games per era (the three mentioned above), at a rate of about two games per week. Make conclusions based on each game and over all games to develop a better understanding of how the most advanced professionals choose and prioritize moves— either a question of style or technical anticipations. Compile a paper based on these results.

METHOD OF EVALUATION: Paper detailing analyses and conclusions.

I’m going to be spending time making lots of diagrams like this:

I really look forward to spending a lot of time studying and improving my play during the fourth quarter, which begins after spring break (which starts on Friday at noon). For now, I have to work on a lot of tedious (but somewhat interesting) stuff.