Comment Re:And this is why I stopped playing SC. (Score 2, Interesting) 200
There is a go proverb that states "Learning joseki loses two stones strength" which would apply. (Joseki are "are generally agreed-upon sequences of play resulting in what is considered a fair outcome for both players.") The basic idea is that you'll handicap yourself out of learning why and how to respond to your opponent if you focus too much on standard patterns. It's generally accepted that you shouldn't spend too much time on joseki until your understanding of the game is at a level where you can actually analyze the moves in a joseki, understanding as you go WHY each move is the best in the situation and HOW it depends on other factors.
http://senseis.xmp.net/?Joseki
http://senseis.xmp.net/?LearningJosekiLosesTwoStonesStrength