Recently I’ve been having a lot of trouble with my opening strategy. Maybe one can make a game of it no matter how one starts, but my feeling for the opening is so bad that I lose a lot of points in the opening. Recently I’ve started playing on the Net and I’ve played quite a few games, but most of my losses come from my bad openings. My friends have given me various pieces of advice. Can you tell me a good way to get better at the opening? from Mr. Horigane Hallo, Mr. Horigane. Thank you for your question. As you indicate, the game is not necessarily decided by the opening. Any way you start you should be able to make a game of it. People have different preferences in the opening, and there are not many cases when you can say ‘this is the only move’. So maybe you shouldn’t worry about it too much. I often make a bad start myself in the opening, so it’s a bit hard for me to give you advice. One method is to find your favourite professional and to imitate his or her style. For example, focus on the opening with three star-point stones in a row or the Chinese Opening. If you decide your strategy in advance, it makes playing easier. The important thing in the opening is to play the biggest points first. If the opponent has a weak group, aim at attacking it. Develop your own style and believe in yourself. Try to make your stones work efficiently. Play lots of games, study the games of professionals you like, and try out different strategies. Playing freely, play where you want to play. The main thing is to have fun. Good luck!