Defend while making territory

Knotwilg · #1

In the topic "What are the worst mistakes" I hinted at a heuristic I have discovered - at least for myself, calling it a "proverb" would be presumptuous - defend while making territory. In close association to that I dare suggesting another one:

Here's the position at move 120 in the 1d-2d game I talked about in the same topic.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Move 120 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . b . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O a X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White has played :w1:

as a reduction. AI Sensei calls it a decent move, still an inaccuracy of -2.5 pts (which is however not sustained in subsequent analysis, i.e. it's probably a better move than AI Sensei computes in my basic version)

Let's assess territories first, using multiples of 5

Upper left: a white corner which might still be invaded or reduced by a lot, depending on Black's strength; let's estimate it conservatively at 5
Upper side: a stable 10 point territory for White
Upper right: a stable 5 point corner for Black
Right side: a stable 15 point territory for White
Lower right: a 40 point corner for Black, including the 4 captured stones, which induce some aji (see below)
Lower left: a stable 15 point corner for White
Left side: depends on Black's response; if passive defense it's a 15 point territory; l
Let's count 5 points komi for White

Both have a somewhat floating group in the center: Black's dragon on the upper side and White's group on the lower side.
Let's not count any points for them yet. Let's not discount anything either, for they're not weak. Black's has some eye shape and has moved out towards friendly stones. White has an eye at A in sente and central influence

This puts Black +10 which is indeed AI Sensei's score estimation.

Obviously :w1:

is looking for a way to disrupt Black's advantage by also aiming at a separating move around B, while also helping her own group. It's a multi-purpose move.

Now, how do you assess this situation? I'll discuss the proceedings and my newfound heuristics in later posts.

Knotwilg · #2

18 moves later and the action has been mostly in the center. The players are arguing whether Black can indeed capture the original reduction stone, without getting into trouble with his top group:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W Move 138 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . O . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . X . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . O O X . X O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , O . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . X 1 . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . . . W . . . . . . X . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . X . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . . . O . . O X X . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . . . . O O X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . O . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The argument is complex, as usual with central fighting. Analysis with AI Sensei points out that both players may be missing out on simplifying the problem while also ignoring another important area.

Looking at the black dragon differently:

The neglected area

jlt · #3

Knotwilg wrote:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Move 120 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . b . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . c . 1 . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . d . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O a X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In this position I would play :b2:

at b to help the upper group while attacking :w1:

. If then White c then Black can play d to continue the attack and at the same time run towards his friends at the bottom. If White plays elsewhere (like around d) then Black can play c at any time if in danger.

Knotwilg · #4

jlt wrote:

Knotwilg wrote:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Move 120 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . b . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . c . 1 . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . d . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O a X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In this position I would play :b2:

at b to help the upper group while attacking :w1:

. If then White c then Black can play d to continue the attack and at the same time run towards his friends at the bottom. If White plays elsewhere (like around d) then Black can play c at any time if in danger.

Your reasoning is perfectly according to my own intuition but it's precisely what I'm trying to correct. I/we have a tendency to think about central connectivity and separation, while in such situations small looking moves at the side are more profitable:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Move 120 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . 7 O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . 2 . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 6 . 1 . 5 . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . 4 . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O a X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . 3 . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is not AI Sensei's "best for both" but it drives the point: if Black bails out of the surrounding maneuver started with :b2:

and

to defend the left side with :b6:

then

and

have made endgame profit against Black's stones becoming neutral.

Black can surely continue the chase but it's a difficult quest. Instead

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Move 120 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . 4 O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . b . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 2 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . d . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O a X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . 3 . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black could defend first, then take one of the big points for himself.

kvasir · #5

Defending like this looks like a fallback move to me. Something you can play if you don't figure out the situation. In this case it's accepting that white played a forcing move, probably a badly timed one but we won't challenge it and instead just get on with the game, he could probably have played this earlier anyway. I have argued with people if this is the right approach, I think it often is for the reason that a game like that is usually only some practice and the risk of losing a long game because of a fallback move has to be weighted against the benefit of playing to the end. Being able to come up with good fallback moves is probably a useful skill, it helps with keeping your chances alive.

My mind might be contaminated since after seeing the comments about point losses in the game in another thread I looked for the game and checked it in katrain. Still I will offer my understanding.

I want to play like this, admittedly I saw :b1:

in katrain. To me this looks like a brewing double attack but it might be risky if black is clearly ahead, which is what was claimed.

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

I think white would be overly optimistic to jump down and separate black, that could be much harder for white than black. One should probably read farther than 5 moves :-?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm4 White overplaying? $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 1 . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . 2 . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Of course I get stuck checking some trouble variation if I try to read it to the end. For example I considered push and cut and I will make diagrams for the amusement value.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm4 Black seems fine here $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 7 . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . 9 8 . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . 0 . . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . 2 1 O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . 5 3 X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . 6 4 . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm14 White can't cut $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X 5 O X . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X 3 X 2 . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O 6 4 7 . . X O O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O 8 O . O O X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . X X . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White seem too busy in this case but then there is a different way for white too.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm10 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 5 . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . 1 . . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X 9 6 8 . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , 0 7 3 4 X O O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O 2 O O X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . X X . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm20 does save the day? $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . 5 O . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . 4 . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X 1 O . . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X O X X . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O 2 X O O X X O O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . 6 O 3 O X . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . X X . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So maybe this way instead which could mean the push and cut is no good.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wm10 This isn't any good for white, I think $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . X . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 4 . O . 3 . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . 2 . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . X . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . X O O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O 1 O O X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . X X . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My conclusion is that I agree with the suggested move because I can't do more than consider a few trouble variations (and realistically accept that there must be some errors) and it is a sort of a move I'd maybe make anyway if white had timed his move better. I'm not sure this is an example of defending while making territory, maybe black position is weaker if we can't help simply defend territory and I doubt black is "making" new territory by simply defending. I think it is an example of falling back to a safe move, which risks losing a long game instead of risking to lose in a few moves.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B I can't figure it out move $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . O X . X O . . . . O X O X . . | $$ | . . O O . X . O X O O O O X X X . X . | $$ | . O X O . . . X X X X X O X . . X X . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . O X X . O O X O | $$ | X . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . O O . | $$ | . X X X . . . X . . . . . O O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . O O X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . | $$ | . . 1 . O . . . . . . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . X . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . O X . . . X . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . O . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . O . O . X X . . . | $$ | . . . O . O . . . X X O O O X O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X X O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Knotwilg · #6

You are right, the fallback move is a "can't figure it out and I'm ahead anyway move". It's not AI Sensei's suggestion. That is:

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

Play on the sides and let White figure out how he wants to continue in the center.

Myself I had another idea

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

I played

because I saw the aji of White going there and I thought I had more leverage on this group than I actually had. (not in the game order) White has :w2:

and

so Black loses tempo here.

It's tempting to draw generic lessons from a specific case but I see a pattern in my analyses, that when the center is too complex to figure out, it's probably dame in a way and the sides are not only simpler but also more valuable.

gennan · #7

Knotwilg wrote:

when the center is too complex to figure out, it's probably dame in a way and the sides are not only simpler but also more valuable.

Ineed. I think this is one of the lessons I got from being a member of InSeong Hwang's go school a few years ago: 3rd line endgame moves are big, bigger than center plays in many cases. it's just that 3rd line endgame plays (like H3 in your position) are often gote and they just don't look as flashy as center plays.

Also, good endgame is more important than many players think. A good opening may be more interesting, but a good endgame probably makes a bigger difference in practice.
For decades, I didn't care much about the endgame. I felt it was boring. But I started to pay more attention to my endgame in recent years (by advice of InSeong) and I'd say that pays off more in terms of results than playing a "brilliant" opening. I have even come to the conclusion that the opening is overrated.

Defend while making territory

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