I lose won games in the endgame when I go wrong with simple connections or have stones captured. I get really downhearted when this happens in tournaments and I feel like screaming that I’m going to give up go. Do you have any good advice for me? Mistakes in the endgame, when a win is in sight, are a real shock and they really make you angry with yourself. Go is like a mirror that reflects your mental state at different times. When you are ahead, you become optimistic, and the opponent takes advantage of this, or you play too fast and slip up. I’ve experienced this myself, so I know what you mean. Even when you have the lead, it’s important to play carefully and not to let down your guard. In order to eliminate problems in adding reinforcements when the liberties are filled in or in making connections, one good method is to study endgame books on a regular basis. Studying the endgame will increase your knowledge and self-confidence; it’s killing two birds with one stone. Another good method is to look at the position from your opponent’s point of view. Even if the opponent is behind, he or she will play patiently and wait for a chance right up until the end. That means you can’t relax until the game is over.