(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Liao Xingwen]PB[Lee Sedol]WR[5p]BR[9p]DT[2016-09-08]EV[21st Samsung Cup]SO[Go4Go.net]C[Commentary by Meng Tailing 6p (live) with Liu Zijun 5d. (90 mins)

Translated by Daniel Hu 4d

These two are teammates in the Chinese City A League

Lee Sedol's last game against Fan Yunruo he lost by 3.5, a very spectacular game, with lots of killing. But felt like Lee was far below his best years, making lots of mistakes. Near the end, he had a won game, but fought lost of kos. The kos from my professional perspective were pointless to fight over, but eventually he lost. 

Let's see if he can adjust his emotions to focus on this game]RE[B+Resign]
;B[pd]
;W[dp]
;B[pq]
;W[dd]
;B[fq]
;W[hq]
;B[qo]C[10 years ago this used to be so popular]
(;W[fp]C[This is more active]
(;B[fc]C[It doesn't matter what you play in the opening, as long as you have a plan, and a sense of direction of play]
;W[cf]
;B[mc]C[If you try to explain B's move as a necessary sequence, it's very hard.

At least I wouldn't play like this - the structure is not clear

I guess Lee feels W can't do much on the top, and is satisfied]
;W[hc]C[still this shape W's shape is similar on the top and bottom

most likely B will play on the top rather than the bottom as B's support stone of N17 is closer]
;B[db]
;W[cc]
;B[ed]C[I wouldn't play like this, as I feel it's unclear with the N17 position]
;W[gd]C[So this shape has directly started a fight]
;B[de]
(;W[ee]C[I didn't expect this!

Well, this local fight is quite filling [not sure about this translation\]]
(;B[ce]C[only move to fight

This starts a sequence of moves that is basically forced, to settle this area]
;W[df]
;B[bd]
(;W[be]C[good move]
;B[cd]
;W[bc]
(;B[dc]
;W[ad]
;B[dd]
;W[bg]C[It seems like W has accomplished his strategic goal, making it awkward for B to get out.

We can learn from W's play here]
;B[fe]
;W[ef]
;B[fd]C[W's profit is to hurt B's shape and make it harder for B to get out

This is a bit of an original variation, very rare, though I can't say its never been seen before

This is quite hard to judge though

W didn't really get any points, and W has spent more moves in this area, so W should have an advantage.

It's very hard to kill B locally - B is quite solid]
(;W[kc]
;B[id]C[at  this point, maybe we see that W's position is thin and weaker than B's

it maybe awkward for B to escape to the centre, but he can defend by attack]
;W[ic]
;B[jd]
;W[kd]
(;B[ge]C[But B thinks that he is the one on the attack, doesn't need to defend

He wants to pressure the white group as a whole, to expand the right, not just capture three stones]
;W[ke]
;B[pj]C[taking a big point is logical]
;W[eq]C[its a pity B couldn't do something here first]
;B[lp]C[oh!
"schoolmate little Lee (a nickname, big Lee is Lee Changho I think) is playing interesting today"
(schoolmate is just a casual honorific)

So far B is playing unlike I anticipated. Why do it say this?

How do we judge the top left?

W has a solid wall on the left, B's group is quite solid, and though W's top group lacks eyes, it does still have the solid head sticking out at L15

So in the centre, we have game where the players are mutually checking each other in. So not much potential.

But at this point, Lee Sedol plays 2 high moves in a row.

This is naturally a double wing structure, but is it really appropriate?

That's why I wondered if B could have done something on the lower left

So I await to see his intention. He must still be eyeing the top W group.

Otherwise he would definitely not play like this.]
(;W[cn]C[Continuing to take points

A bit indifferent

but I would play on the right side first

He thinks the left side is big. It's true that even if B just plays the simple move at C5 in sente, it is very big.

So he decided to protect.

He played so solidly, it must be to do with building the left side potential, he doesn't want to leave the aji]
(;B[me]C[So what is Liao's style of play?

Actually I don't really know. I know him quite well as a person, but not his style.

Well he doesn't really have a special style, he is quite balanced. He's not a player with lots of aggression. If he has problems, maybe in global judgement he is more easily satisfied, when his opponent is pursueing higher standards.

His progress has been neither lukewarm nor fiery. He started in the Chinese City A League in 2007, at the age of 13

He's still a hopeful. When Chen Zude was still alive, he said Liao was a hope for the future, but later he has never broken from the crowd in an international tournament, still neither lukewarm nor fiery. He's not really so young anymore. Though he does look very young

Hopefully he can break through today.]
;W[gg]C[clearly Liao's hopes are on the left, let's see the oncoming fight]
;B[if]
(;W[jf]C[From G13, W needs to pressure B's shape]
;B[ig]
;W[he]
(;B[fg]C[wow, B counters]
(;W[hd]
;B[gh]
;W[hf]
;B[ff]
;W[fh]C[necessary]
;B[eg]C[correct, B needs to get out

actually the last few moves from H15 were pretty much a forced sequence]
;W[fi]
;B[ch]C[at this point, I feel W's shape isn't great]
;W[bh]
;B[cj]
;W[cb]C[This seems a bit painful, W having to crawl on the 2nd line, though it's hard to say that W has lost much, B is locally dead]
(;B[bi]C[ah! This looks like overplay?

Hmm, wow, this tiger mouth is a tight play. It's a bit rude

My earlier judgement was that W got something in the centre, and B didn't really get much territory, but now?]
(;W[cg]
;B[dh]C[but certainly here, locally W has lost out

W doesn't have many points, but B has so much potential on the right, it's so broad and big

Essentially, the result of this fight is simply that W's potential on the left has been eradicated]
;W[kh]C[B can tenuki here]
(;B[gi]C[ah, well this is Lee Sedol's style

certainly this fight does not seem like W is the attacker]
;W[fj]
;B[gj]
;W[fk]
(;B[cl]C[huh?]
;W[bk]C[wow, this move is so fierce

it's so bold, it loses so much (locally)

normally you can't consider this move, it's loss is truly extreme, W really wants the D9 sente]
;B[bl]
;W[ii]
;B[gk]
;W[dk]
;B[ck]
;W[ik]C[really?

W lost so much with B9 to get the D9 peep and this is all?]
;B[fl]
(;W[gl]
;B[el]C[W must have misread somewhere earlier, still can't see much meaning to B9

This fight has ended up with W just dying (one liberty)]
(;W[qc]C[so let's see how W can reverse this position

Let's count points (see variation)

On the top left area to the centre, B and W points + komi are similar, so W's bottom left corner needs to make up for B's whole right side.

It's a bit too much right?

There are still problems in the bottom left.

Though this game can still be played.

Does W have anyway to reverse this.]
(;B[qd]
;W[pc]
;B[od]
;W[oc]
;B[rd]C[this descent, not even hane connect shows B is playing very simply, confident in his advantage]
;W[nc]
;B[md]
;W[mb]
;B[lb]
;W[nb]
(;B[mh]C[This leaves an obvious weakness]
;W[ni]
;B[nj]C[what?

such a strange way of thinking

The N12 O11 exchange is clearly good for W but that doesn't mean N12 was worse than O10 as W can play more severely than O11]
(;W[of]C[Liao starts to fight]
;B[oi]
(;W[ql]C[this move? I don't understand anymore

What I do feel sure about is that W must be able to do something above]
(;B[lf]C[B doesn't want to follow W's intention]
;W[rj]C[this is big though, both sides are playing for different parts of the board]
;B[rk]
;W[qk]
;B[ri]
;W[rl]C[this result seems balanced]
;B[lc]
;W[rc]
;B[hg]
;W[gf]
;B[hh]C[W couldn't really kill this in sente earlier but it is very big
]
;W[jg]C[W's whole group is a bit weak]
;B[sc]C[double sente]
;W[kb]
;B[rb]C[normally you would preserve the aji to attack the centre W group, but B just takes the solid points now

]
;W[la]C[now W is all alive]
;B[rn]C[but B thinks he has won anyway

counting points again,

B has 23 points on the left

W has 7 on the left, 13 on the top

W's bottom left is similar to B's bottom right, slightly larger.

so W needs to make the upper right B group less than komi (7.5)]
;W[nd]
;B[ne]
;W[rh]
;B[qj]
;W[sk]
;B[si]
;W[oe]
;B[qg]
;W[qf]
;B[rf]
;W[og]C[good move, simple and easy. B can't stop W doing something here]
(;B[qh]
;W[mg]C[so W finds something

and it's not a matter of making B's territory less than komi, now it's more like W's territory is bigger than B's here by komi.

W's combination here is brilliant.

this is a Liao's golden point this game.

W has clearly done much to claw back this game, and has opened the possibility of a reversal]
;B[mm]C[W is dead, but thinking back to when B played O10, W gained so much.

R8 was in B's area anyway, but W not only broke into B's territory above, but captured so many B stones]
;W[nq]C[W still needs more, and it seems difficult for both. The aji here is not good

This will be the deciding fight of the game]
;B[lr]C[of course, B starts by cutting W off]
;W[qq]
(;B[pr]
;W[nm]C[It feels like Lee Sedol's style to be raising the dead, is he really B not W!

Maybe Liao has learnt a lot from being Lee's teammate

so difficult to decide here - can W make 2 eyes, can W cut, etc

can B kill everything etc

surely B can't kill everything, so the priority is to kill R8, and see what profit B can gain on the bottom]
(;B[lg]
;W[mf]
;B[nl]
;W[pp]
;B[qp]
(;W[mp]C[wow, not even M5, W wants to live with even more

maybe in the opening, it was not so interesting as Park Jungwhan vs Xia Chenkun. But now? Maybe we are looking at the most interesting moment of the whole round.

W's play at S12 onwards can already qualify for top 5 moments (another series by weiqitv), and if W makes a success here, it might be twice there, or at least number 1.

Some comments say there will still be 400 more moves. Ha ha ha That would be a glorious record.]
;B[lo]
;W[mn]
(;B[nn]C[If W can reverse this, this reversal will be extreme. Yesterday's match Lee Sedol vs FanYunruo wasn't really that extreme. Lee's lead was not that big and much was his miscalculations

In Lee's era, his strength was his calculation, and using the aji in a position together. His judgement is not that great. And yesterday his loss was much due to misjudgement

But today if W wins, this reversal will really be because Liao played well

He totally confused Lee Sedol on the top left with his strange moves, and once Lee build this big area, again he invaded deeply, not even trying to escape, but trying to live on the inside. The most severe style.

I am so enthusiastic now.

Of course, he could also die everywhere, and then it will just be a mouldy story.

So I'll look at the game first.

If it lives, that would be so great, if it dies, at least we had our glorious time.]
;W[om]
;B[on]
;W[pn]
;B[ol]
;W[pm]
;B[po]C[wow, B needs to retreat here]
;W[mo]C[wow, W's made such a huge success here

though lets see about the points.]
;B[oo]
;W[ln]
;B[lm]
;W[kn]
;B[lh]
;W[le]
;B[mq]C[after counting, B still seems to be in the lead, but there are still potential complications in the centre

B's lead before must have been so huge!

W's play on the left was a complete disaster but the play on the right was spectacular

B seems to be ahead by 20 points on the board still with normal play.]
;W[ie]
;B[gm]
;W[hl]
;B[ek]
;W[lk]
;B[mk]
;W[kq]
;B[lq]
;W[nr]C[this is the sequence we just played where it looks like B is still ahead by 10 points, and sente]
;B[np]
;W[kr]
(;B[jp]
;W[ls]C[W still has some hope of cutting off B

hmm, no, not really if B is calm

soon there won't be anywhere left to play]
;B[jo]
;W[ms]
;B[hp]
;W[gq]
;B[gp]
;W[fo]
;B[km]
;W[jn]
;B[jm]
;W[in]
;B[hn]
;W[im]
;B[fn]
;W[lj]
;B[oh]C[we don't really need to discuss this anymore, this is B+8 or so]
;W[en]
;B[go]
;W[bm]
;B[dn]
;W[do]
;B[dm]
;W[al]
;B[cq]
;W[cp]
;B[iq]
;W[ir]
;B[fr]
;W[jq]
;B[bp]
;W[bo]
;B[dr]
;W[br]
;B[ip]
;W[gr]
;B[gs]
;W[hr]
;B[er]
;W[bq]
;B[fs]C[Liao is a Protestant, others have religions too, I don't but I do like to understand about these things.

In go, we play and don't learn about much beyond go.

... (some stuff about basketball, and how he is glad the go community have a supportive, friendly environment when they play)

Park Junghwan is also through, we look forward to some Chinese - Korean battles])
(;B[oq]C[if Lee's brain suddenly switches off and he plays this]
;W[no]
;B[op]
;W[ls]
;B[ms]
;W[ks]
;B[or]
;W[kp]
;B[ns]
;W[ko]
;B[mr]
;W[fm]C[then W can win

Liu: you're dreaming
Meng: calmly, calmly, actually maybe it's still too close to call

hmm, actually B can win

so that means W can't really win

and we won't have a 500 move game]))
(;B[ln]C[B didn't dare to play here, there must be a reason

I need some time]
(;W[ml]
;B[lm]
;W[nk]
;B[ol]
;W[mj]C[This won't be enough])
(;W[lq]
;B[kq]
;W[mr]
;B[kr]
;W[po]
;B[pn]
;W[on]
;B[pm]
;W[rr]
;B[qr]
;W[rq]
;B[rs]
;W[qs]
;B[ps]
;W[or]
;B[rp]
;W[oq]
;B[sq]
;W[os]
;B[sr]
;W[mo]C[W gets 5 points, B has cuts

This would be easy win for W

so this local area is a real headache for B])))
(;W[lo]C[at O8, B hane is even more of a problem here]
(;B[mp])
(;B[mo]
;W[mp]
;B[mq]
;W[mn]
;B[np]
;W[lm]
;B[ml]
;W[no]
;B[mp]
;W[om])))
(;B[ml]
(;W[mn]C[can W make 2 eyes?]
;B[ln]
;W[mo]
;B[lo]
;W[pp]
;B[qp]
;W[po])
(;W[lo]C[if not, then this is still a problem]
;B[mo]
;W[mp]C[W still has this]
;B[mq]
;W[mn]
;B[np]
;W[no]
;B[mp]
;W[lm])))
(;B[pp]C[B can still let W live in the corner but no, B wants everything]))
(;B[lh]
;W[rg]C[deep trouble]))
(;B[rk]C[It looks like W's plan is this]
;W[mf]))
(;W[mf]C[this can save the stones]
;B[lf]
;W[mg]
;B[lg]
;W[lh]
;B[og]
;W[nh]
;B[pf]))
(;AE[mh][ni]C[but W has deeper moves]
;W[nh]))
(;B[ni]C[not sure if this is better]))
(;B[da]
;W[ca]C[in this position, W still needs to fill a move to prevent the seki/ko with A18, so W only has 7 points]
;B[ab]
(;W[ac]
;B[ba]
;W[ae]
;B[af])
(;W[bb]
;B[ba])))
(;W[hk]
;B[hg]
;W[gf]
;B[hh]
;W[ie]
;B[ek]
;W[hj]
;B[ej]
;W[hi]
;B[ei]))
(;W[el]C[W here is so painful]
;B[em]
;W[fm]
;B[gl]
;W[dm]
;B[en]
;W[fn]
;B[ek]
(;W[dl]
;B[ej]
;W[dj]
;B[ei]
;W[di]
;B[eh]
;W[ci]
;B[bn]
;W[co]
;B[bj])
(;W[ej]
;B[dl]
;W[ek]
;B[eo]
;W[fo]
;B[dj])))
(;B[gk]C[I don't see any reason B doesn't press again, or any fear.

The only thing I can think is that B thinks it doesn't profit, letting W connect up to lower left

So he even wants to attack F9

but this still seems the balanced more]))
(;B[qe]C[this is so big]))
(;W[dh]C[doesn't do much]
;B[eh])
(;W[di]C[the first feeling is that there is a  problem here.

But B has a response]
(;B[ci]
;W[dh]
;B[dg]
;W[cg]C[W is alive, B is dead])
(;B[dh]C[W is not alive but ]
;W[ci]
;B[ei]
;W[dj]
;B[fj]
;W[dk]
;B[gi]C[this is an exchange])))
(;B[eh]C[I guess B needs to protect?]))
(;W[ie]C[W doesn't care too much about just the 2 stones, though this is an alternative to consider, later K13 is awkward, G17 too]))
(;B[hd]C[well it's true B can't play this]
;W[ie]C[now B has fallen apart]
(;B[hf]
;W[je]
;B[gf]
;W[gc])
(;B[gc]
;W[je]))
(;B[ie]C[this might be possible]
;W[hd]
;B[hf]
;W[lb]
;B[fg]
;W[mb]C[this looks good for W]))
(;W[kg]C[If W just plans to jump, G13 is clearly misplaced, it just helps black]))
(;B[lb]C[next I expect an attack, there's nowhere else to play]))
(;W[]
;B[co]
;W[cp]
;B[bp]
;W[bq]
;B[cl]))
(;B[jc]C[B could push and cut, W can't really do anything about it.
B would do it if he thought F15 was weak]
;W[jb]
;B[kb]
;W[lb]
;B[ib]
;W[ka]
;B[hb]))
(;W[gb]
;B[bb]
(;W[ab]C[necessary to kill without ko]
;B[cb]
(;W[ea]C[only move]
;B[eb]
;W[ac])
(;W[eb]C[doesn't work]
;B[fb]
;W[ea]
;B[ba]
;W[ae]
;B[fa]
;W[da]C[seki]))
(;W[cb]
;B[ca]
;W[ac]
;B[ab]
;W[ae]
;B[ba]
;W[eb]
;B[fb]
;W[fa]
;B[ea]
;W[da])))
(;B[ad]C[of course this is impossible]
;W[dc]
;B[bf]
;W[bg]
;B[ae]
;W[ef]))
(;W[bc]C[W can kill the top 3 stones, but it probably won't be a good result.]
;B[bf]
;W[bg]
;B[cg])
(;W[dc]
;B[bf]
;W[ec]
;B[ef]
;W[fd]
;B[dg]C[this would be rubbish for W, W's two stones are much bigger than B's 3

If W's efficiency doesn't seem much better than B's locally, it can't be good as W has an extra stone]))
(;B[df]C[impossible]
;W[ce]C[this is hopeless for B - cannot save both groups]))
(;W[ce]C[normal shape]
;B[dc]
;W[cd]
(;B[fe]
;W[hf]
;B[fg]
;W[kc]
;B[ch]C[maybe W didn't want to see this])
(;B[ff]C[this shape would look strange here


we can also use similar theory to analyse the shape at N17. Almost always it is at O17. Almost never at M17, sometimes further away though.
With N17 large knight's enclosure, we can't say it's bad, just not so solid

With this knight's move at F14, when the time comes to spend another move to protect the shape, whereever you play is very painful]
;W[hf]
;B[fh]C[B doesn't have a good follow up]
;W[eg]C[this aji])))
(;B[ep]C[This would be expected, and very popular then]
;W[eq]
;B[eo]
;W[fo]
;B[dq]
;W[er]
;B[fn]
;W[gn]
;B[en]
;W[cq]
;B[gm]
;W[hn]
;B[hm]
;W[in]
;B[im]
;W[jn]
(;B[cf]
;W[fc]
;B[di]
;W[nq]C[perhaps Lee didn't feel comfortable with this move])
(;B[mq]C[or this, the follow up at K3 is still sente

seems very big]
;W[]
;B[jq]
(;W[]
;B[fr]
;W[dr]
;B[gq]
;W[hp]
;B[hr])
(;W[iq]))))
(;W[cn]C[another balanced way to play, saying that B can't really do much locally anyway]))