I really don't want to play microChinese, but I really do want to see if emerus will deny it.

Specifically I kind of want to try this as a way of pressing my first move advantage:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm5 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . 3 . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . 1 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Actually a few database searches seem to suggest this whole idea is a mistake.

Recently, I've been taking some lessons and reforming my play. I'll investigate my style by first identifying my instinctual/conditioned moves and then analyze and apply my lessons in order to find stronger moves.

For the opening, I try to play simple patterns and stick to what I'm familiar with. I do try to avoid specialized openings where I am out of my comfort zone. So I am glad we're going to avoid the usual Chinese fuseki.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 4 . . . . . , . . . . . 3 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I wound up here. I think a frequent failing of mine is "trying to get something" too quickly (which tbh mini/micro chinese does successfully). Instead I want to do this with a feeling of 'waiting'. I don't think emerus can eg. make a white Chinese because of my enclosure (if things go this way anyway).

Black's choice. From experience, I expect that his style is d15.

I think Go Seigen's Way of Play for the 21st Century had something on this position, I hope it comes up (and I can find the book...). I think white must play on my side of the board, and I can think of how I can (slowly) play that to my advantage.

Probably the most played position in my games.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I've played a mix of a-d, but my natural style tends to be a or b for territorial and drawn out games. Previously, I've been trying to expand and play for more frameworks but I am considering just embracing my opening preferences and staying consistent. I get a lot of conflicting advice on which approach to use; should you practice your weakest strategies or become solid in your own style of play?

In this game at least, I'm going to stay in my comfort zone until the middle game where I will try applying new ideas from my lessons.

Still "waiting". I think emerus could either attach or pincer here. Against the attachment,

I may take up a position on the left. Unless I am gripped by the urge to play a short avalanche.

Against a pincer, I should be happy to move into the centre and clarify what should be done on the right.

Edit: Waiting time is over, this is avalanche country.

I study a high % of current games and click through almost all others. This pincer is being further developed and incredibly common currently. I've always been drawn to it.

So yeah, again just playing comfortably in the opening.

An unterritorial move, I feel inconsistent with playing the split on the right.

I am happy to get a secure group in the centre and probably get something like f3.

All things being equal, I would prefer top or to get an attack top : conversely what emerus wants is a stable position on top.

My first feeling was 'a' rather than the joseki 'b', attempting to get the corner while still leaving white unsettled on top. However, a database search suggests the following is joseki here, with somewhat the same effect.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . a b . 1 . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |[/go]

cf eg.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 2 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . 6 . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |[/go]

Blacks move forced me to think. While f16 is vital because it effects shape and thickness for both sides, black usually makes the d16-d18 exchange first. I tried exploring the why's but I'm way out of my depth with theory so I gave that up.

Instead, I read out the move that isn't possible for white if black plays d16 first:

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[go]$$Wcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 5 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O 4 . O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Pleased with myself for guessing (or remembering) one professional line of play. I moved onto the next line and failed horribly.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . 2 O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 , . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . 4 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Owch. is a natural follow up but my first instinct of is a bad move!

Moving on to the more simple response for white, I came to two simple diagrams that I would potentially play in my live games.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . 6 . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is simple. I would consider it in my game and be uncomfortable after . Where is white's territory going to come from? If I pincer, I give black potentially four corners. But I don't see any mistakes for white either so it's probably not bad for white. In my actual game, I would panic in order to avoid that diagram and play this:

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[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

And this diagram sums my style up perfectly. I don't know how to describe it but it's probably just greedy and jealous. It doesn't seem to be playable at all but I would like opinions on this diagram.

Anyway, I searched my database to learn correct way to play my first instinct move so I will avoid these diagrams to play that.

edit: lol, erased diagram where I gave black two moves in a row

Top side for me ! I hope I get enough sente for a forcing move from my shimari on the right, too. I think his plays on the second and third line and mine on the fourth are broadly making this novelty good for me.

To reply to a second line move in the corner after my forcing the connection seems unthinkable.

So, I couldn't guess this move in a real game and resorted to looking at a database. This is the sequence I came up with.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 , . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 2 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It seems like black will get a sizable wall when he jumps ahead of white in the push/crawl battle.

After = , the result seems very good for Black. = has completely lost its meaning.
= also seems like wrong shape ? Isn't it better for W to atari directly at (a) ?
The exchange ( - ) seems good for Black.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . B Q . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . a W . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Well, I found this joseki on josekipedia, however I am diverging from it here.

The plan is to take an extension with in sente and then get an extension from thickness / second wing for my enclosure at .

From there I want to aim at invading bottom left to maintain parity in corners ; make some kind of sabaki bottom right and try and win a moyo game.

Not sure how to continue around 'a', maybe 'a''s fine.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . 9 . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . 6 X 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black is compromising instead of fighting. I'm very satisfied locally.

Black doesn't have much continuation in the area but he kind of needs both an extension on the top and at r12 but locally, it looks like white has strong follow-ups.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X 2 . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Defending the top looks really slow.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . 1 . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

As planned : I will try and gain some perspective before my next move, though.

Edit

In an attempt to vindicate my existing choices research this position, I found:
This relatively comparable position that arises:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$cm11 fig 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In a similar vein:

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[go]$$Wcm1 fig 2 + white next moves
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . d . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Compared to the fig 1, white gained about six points and some aji on top at the expense of top being sealed.

Cf. fig 2, white gained about 6 points at expense of sente; perhaps a shred more invasion aji on top.

Black's shape on top is worse though not hurting for liberties. I think an extension on top is comparatively urgent, though ignoring an approach at bottom feels a touch unneccessarily desperate.

figs 3 & 4

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[go]$$Wcm1 fig 3 : Black's potential followup at the triangle is tantalizing
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

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[go]$$Wcm1 fig 4
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Possible moves:

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[go]$$cm11 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X c . . , . . . b . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . a . . . . . . . a . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

As I mentioned before, starting a fight with g16 would be my over-the-board move. I'd play it relatively quickly to conserve time. That is not an issue here so let me break down the position.

• Profit areas: Lower corners
• Open potential: Blacks potential on the top and right side, open bottom side
• Weaknesses: r10 and g17 potential

Now, my logical first step is to determine which of these is the largest. I will identify my choices for each area and then attempt to judge them. Going in reverse order of my instinctual judgement. (Top moyo>Right>Corners>Bottom) I will dismiss the lower left corner and approaching on the bottom(a) outright.

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[go]$$Wcm1 on the top would be complicated
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 8 O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . 5 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This way is better for black. Black's moyo is solid and large. White has some cash and the chance to attack black on the bottom. I usually over-estimate the depth of moyos in the center of the board but even considering that - I estimate black +4-5. I wonder if this is actually an accurate estimate for players who are stronger at reducing frameworks?

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[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . 2 . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Worse than the previous diagram.

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[go]$$Wcm1 Can white gain in sente?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 5 . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X 1 6 8 , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

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[go]$$Wcm1 Early complications.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 6 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . 9 . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X 1 . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X 8 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 7 0 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I spent almost two hours on this position. Mostly about the first two diagrams. I really want to play out the game following at r6 as that style of game is more appealing. I am often fighting because I'm pessimistic in judging my position. Should I temper my pessimism and try to play these uncomfortable positions I keep considering? That might be the best way for me to try new ideas.

Well! The best laid plans of mice and all that. I think emerus will either leave this group heavy or not extend from the splitting stone on the right : Both not bad for me.

Locally, I wonder if I have a device:

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[go]$$Wcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O . 2 , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . 1 . 2 . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . O X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |[/go]

Also there is some kind of shape problem here

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[go]$$Bcm1 Black: 0 , White: 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 7 5 4 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 O . X O . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . 2 O X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |[/go]