How to Overcome the Fear of Playing (and Stop Playing Puppy Go)

A lot of players hit a wall—not because they don’t know enough, but because they’re afraid to sit down and play.

Maybe you're afraid of losing. Maybe you’re afraid of getting demoted. Maybe you’re just unsure if you’ll win, so you stall. But the less you play, the less you improve—and the fear just gets worse.

There’s an old saying in China:
“If your goal is to reach the top of the mountain, then you won’t mind a little dirt on your shoes.”

That mindset helped me—and it might help you too.

Have a Clear Goal

Let’s say your goal is to become 1-dan within a year. If that’s true, then losing in a DDK or SDK game should mean very little to you. You don’t belong at this level—you’re just passing through.

If you win, it’s a sign you’re improving.

If you lose, thank your opponent—they’ve just shown you something that’s holding you back. Now you’re one step closer to your goal.

Clarity of purpose makes defeat easier to accept. Without a goal, every game feels like a referendum on your self-worth. With a goal, it’s just another step forward.

But We're Still Human

Even with the right mindset, we’re human. We get tilted. We make excuses. We hesitate.

One trick I’ve used: multiple accounts.

Give each account a different purpose: main, test, drunk, bad day, whatever. Spreading your ego across multiple accounts helps you detach. A loss on one of many accounts doesn’t sting as much—and that makes it easier to keep playing.

Sometimes I just start a game without thinking. If I win, great—momentum builds. If I lose, I force myself to keep going until I win two in a row. That’s how I break through the fog of hesitation.

Don’t Play “Puppy Go”

“Puppy Go” is when you play scared—too passive, too respectful, like a puppy looking up at its master.

We do this when we’re intimidated. But think about your goal again. If your opponent is 5-kyu, and your goal is to become 1-dan in a year, then in your mind—you already are 1-dan.

Would a 1-dan cower before a 5-kyu playing aggressive nonsense?
No. You’d counterattack. You’d take initiative. You’d play with confidence.

As soon as you think of yourself as a future 1-dan, you don’t play like a puppy.

You play like the player you're becoming.

PS: I am aware that some instructors do not like their students having multiple accounts. But I am all about making the learning process easier, faster, and less painful. But I do see the merit of only having 1 account. Every game counts, so you'd play more cautiously. But what is the point if you don't play at all?