My go strength is somewhere between 1-kyu and 4-kyu - it periodically moves up and down. I can't break out of this cycle, which is bothering me. I buy go books and magazines, and at first, because I make a big effort to read them, I score successive wins, but this doesn't last long. Am I doomed to repeat this cycle all my life? Please give me some advice about how to acquire explosive power. Consultation Two : Mr. Tanaka Hello, Mr. Tanaka. Thank you for your consultation. I've also had periods when I couldn't overcome a barrier to progress. But I'm sure you are getting stronger, if you are studying properly with books and magazines. What you study in go will build up, without fail, so please don't worry. I had a period when I just couldn't put together successive wins. When I look back, I realize that my desire to win was too strong, so I tried too hard. I realized that I should relax and play my own style of go, and then I was able to keep winning. Perhaps when you play you are too intent on making use of what you have studied. You are doing enough study, so next time you play, try to relax a little and focus on enjoying the game. Go is a profound game in which your feelings are faithfully reflected in the way you play. It's a truly marvellous game. I sincerely pray that you will be able to overcome the barrier and improve to 1-dan and 2-dan and even further. Please keep on enjoying playing go!