Big Brother Malkovich # 1 (continued)

Joaz Banbeck · **#41**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc B: 11 W: 11 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is just taking too long. I have other things to do ( or at least that is what my wife and the IRS tell me. ) So I'm truncating my decision process and playing F14.

We are going to get into some serious fighting here. Both lines ( F14 and G15 ) are complex, and every time I think that I have reached a position that is conclusively good for one side or the other, I look a few moves deeper and the position is uncertain or even contadictory. I'm better at direction of play analysis than I am at reading. So I'm throwing in the towel, choosing a move based on something other than deep reading, and Shapenaji reads better than I and can change to the other move if he wants to. ( Note that I am not even considering the idea that he might restore D12. The direction of play is too compelling. If he does restore it, he is making a mistake. )

The issue that finally decides it for me is the follow up connecting move. Since the direction that I have choosen is so important, we must be able to connect when things get rough. Let's see what those connecting moves look like.

For G15, shown below, the solid moves, a and b, do nothing but connect. Move c does short black on a valuable liberty, but it is not solid. Move d is not solid, and it attaches to a weak stone.
Beginners: see http://senseis.xmp.net/?Attach

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O a d X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X c b W . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Whereas, with F14, when a connection is neccesary, we can play E15:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It cuts down on the black liberties, and it is a strong connection. So I choose F14.

shapenaji · **#42**

Not approved, I'm going with this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . W . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

W:11 B:12

Joaz's picked the two moves I was thinking about, but I think there's a flaw in the one he chose, I don't think we can get around the shoulder hit, unfortunately.

if we play Joaz's move, I see this happening

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . 9 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . 7 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O 5 6 X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

black now plays "a" and kills

And we end up losing the 5 stones on top, we get a wall for it, but it's not a good enough wall imho.

the alternative:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . 8 9 . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O 4 6 X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X 3 5 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

and although we can live with "a" we're giving black a lot of power and our first move has now lost its meaning.

hence, we need to go with this, and get our fight going, black can get a little strength, but he's going to have a running fight on his hands, and we should still get a chance to counter-pincer.

assuming black makes the 1-2 exchange (which increases the power against our top stones)

I think the following moves are possibilities

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O b c X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . a W d . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

black isn't strong enough for 'a' yet (we can play 'b', and if he plays "c", we get to atari and push through his stones. "b" is an interesting move, but I think if we just cut the knights move we'll be fine in the upcoming fight. "c" allows us to respond simply with "a", and the natural "d" induces us to attack his stones by just extending

fwiffo · **#43**

Joaz Banbeck · **#44**

shapenaji wrote:

Not approved, I'm going with this:

Thank you. When the game gets far enough along, please unhide your comments. I want to see how you made this decision.

Chew Terr · **#45**

Man, this game is awesome =). I have to keep reassuring myself that no move I make can cost more than 3 points to my team. That way, when I see my moves get replaced, I get excited about what's happening, instead of feeling bad for my error.

Joaz Banbeck · **#46**

Umm.. exactly how are we recording prisoners?

Does "W:2" mean that there are two white prisoners? Or that white has two prisoners?

I ask this because I made a correction and added to one number, then my teammate made a correction and added to the other.

shapenaji · **#47**

Erm, well, it doesn't actually matter right now, since we both had the same number... but I assumed that it was basically like each side's bowl, so B:X is the X prisoners that Black has in their bowl.

No other stones have been captured yet, but I assumed that when they were, they would go under the name heading of whomever captured them.

Gresil · **#48**

Just a little note—due to non-unforeseen festivities (and

) it may take until Sunday afternoon for me to play the next move.

Joaz Banbeck · **#49**

I may be a bit irregular in my posting for the next 10 days. Wife and I are taking scuba gear, going to Mexico to play tag with manta rays. Internet connections there may not be reliable.

shapenaji · **#50**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

I may be a bit irregular in my posting for the next 10 days. Wife and I are taking scuba gear, going to Mexico to play tag with manta rays. Internet connections there may not be reliable.

Only irregular? Cmon man, game can wait! Viva La Mexico! Have a great time!

Gresil · **#51**

Thoughts:

I don't want to lean on either white group, so the options are:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . a b . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . B . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . 1 2 4 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If

were white, white would have superb shape; I feel white's shape is potentially compromised here, but I'm unlikely to come up with a way to take advantage of it. :b3:

weakens

;

at

is worth consideration if this 1-2 exchange ends up occurring.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X 6 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X 4 3 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 7 5 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . B . 0 . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X 6 2 1 8 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . 7 5 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I can't tell if :bc:

can push out. This looks powerful for white. The two-space jump was my favorite before I started reading... tuff cooquays.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . B . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 3 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

looks like a shape point. After :w4:

I want to pull :bc:

out, but the gap between two unsettled black groups worries me just as much—thus :b5:

as a forcing exchange before shifting to the top. This has a somewhat similar feeling to the second diagram, but with better reach.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . B . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 3 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is the other white response I see. :b3:

still seems forced and in turn forces white to play on the side. I'm going to go with this because it feels like I have more of a chance to exit with initiative.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

W 11
B 12

(edit: forgot w/b points)

Harleqin · **#52**

Gresil · **#53**

Let me guess—you've got a parlor game running where the first to call out that a move will be changed gets a point.

daniel_the_smith · **#54**

Now we do!

Joaz Banbeck · **#55**

Gresil wrote:

Let me guess—you've got a parlor game running where the first to call out that a move will be changed gets a point.

[/hide]

topazg · **#56**

Not approved:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm29 Move 29 - W: 13, B: 12 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Violence · **#57**

Approved.

Chew Terr · **#58**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm30 Move 30 - W: 13, B: 12 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, that side group looks like it needs support. This is a battle of weak groups, so I'm told it is important to not have the weakest.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc If white defends the top somehow... $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O W . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . a O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | a a O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 2 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 4 3 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

We can't afford this, and I think we have too many stones invested to sacrifice it easily. So we really need to defend the group. If this diagram occurs, black can keep our group to zero-one eyes around 'a'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm However, if we try the hane... $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . X . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 4 O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 3 1 W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 5 2 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black wins the race to kill. (They have 3 liberties, we have liberties, but it ends on their turn). If we atari from :b3:

... we are forced to crawl on the second line, with no assurances of life anymore.
As far as I can tell, this means we 1) need to play on the left, and 2) cannot hane. So we extend. I would love to help defend that top group, but I think we cannot yet. Shapenaji's shoulder hit should help it run if necessary, though it may not be enough. We shall see, but this is urgent.

Joaz Banbeck · **#59**

Net access is - as expected - flaky here. I approve. Another pro-quality move by my teammate.
Will post before the connection dies. More later.

shapenaji · **#60**

I approve

Big Brother Malkovich # 1 (continued)

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