#159 - opex vs Nome

Nome · Post by **Nome** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:31 am

If hidden things are addresesed to me am I allowed to read them now?

So this position gives me a lot to think about (and were at the part of the game where I never really know what I should do

) What I'd really like to do is just abandon the top right corner for a play on the left at any of the lettered points below, although I'm not really sure which one I would play. But at the same time the more I look at the board, the more I realize how uncomfortable the top right might become later on, so I have ultimately decided that I need to find a play in that corner.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm11 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . c d . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . e f . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . a b . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I considered playing a or b, but I think white can just not respond here and I'll again be allowing my opponent to develop elsewhere on the board with little compensation for myself, so I decided to go for the kick hoping for this sequence. Now my corner seems a little less pressured and if black follows up and tries to make a base for his two stones I can now make my move on the left. Of course, black might simply ignore my move and play elsewhere, but I think this leaves a nicer follow up than a or b would. I know there are still weaknesses in my corner, but I think that is unavoidable for now. I'm also aware that this is probably not a great move, but it seems to me that I should play it now.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm11 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 2 a . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . 4 . . . 3 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm11 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 2 . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Uberdude · Post by **Uberdude** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:40 am

Nome wrote:If hidden things are addresesed to me am I allowed to read them now?

Yes

opex · Post by **opex** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:39 am

Oh, i was afraid of it

Usually this attaching means that he wants to make my stones heavy and attack them. Moreover, r14 is already in place, so he is strong on the right side, but what will he achieve with this attack?..

I can think now of two answers:
(a) instinctive o16.
Pros: 1. usual; 2. it seems i can aim at r17 later. Cons: 1. if black k16 or something, what should i do? Definitely i don't want to allow him an easy base, so i'll play a pincer around h17. Then it'll be a running fight. Do i like it? I don't know, depends on how it goes. Though i may try to build the left side in process...
(b) planned k16.
Pros: 1. develop hoshi; 2. black o16 - white n17 seems not much loss. Cons: 1. m17? Will it develop into that same running fight? Should i abandon o17 at all and try to build double wing? I like double wing

Hard choice...
Well, as for o16. What if black plays f17 then? Unless i pincer, he'll build a base and it will hurt the two stones. If i pincer,

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 2 . 3 7 9 . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . 6 8 0 . . 1 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 3 5 . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . O O O 2 1 . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . 6 X X X 4 . O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

I don't like his wall. Also, my corner is dangerously open. Not a great feeling.

With k16 i may let him have too much... But he already has an extra stone... Naturally i'm feeling behind...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . 1 . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

EdLee · Post by **EdLee** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 3:07 am

Nome wrote:If hidden things are addresesed to me am I allowed to read them now?

Yes. If a hidden text is meant to be read later, the poster will mark it with something like
"after this corner is settled," "after the mid-game," "after

," or "after this fight is over," etc.

Sometimes, people will also un-hide text, e.g. "

notes unhidden."

If a hidden text is addressed to you but no restriction is specified, then you can read it now.

opex · Post by **opex** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:05 am

EdLee, i thought that by default (if no restriction, i.e. nothing is specified) the hidden notes cannot be read until after the game. To let players read them, the poster has to write something like "@player".

EdLee · Post by **EdLee** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:34 am

opex wrote:EdLee, i thought that by default (if no restriction, i.e. nothing is specified) the hidden notes cannot be read until after the game. To let players read them, the poster has to write something like "@player".

That's right. Nome asked (my emphasis):

Nome wrote:If hidden things are addresesed TO ME am I allowed to read them now?

I see the confusion. I added "addressed to you" in my reply to Nome, thanks.

Nome · Post by **Nome** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:43 pm

@Ed, Uber:

So, I have a lot of thought about this position, I don't know which of them, if any, are good but I'll go ahead and write everything I'm thinking about this move.

So the first move I've considered is playing a folow up in the the top right corner because if black plays a, its in a good position with 13, but I think it's to slow for me too play yet, because it's gote for white so I don't think he can come back here yet, so I will just let this area be, especially since I'm not sure how exactly I would want to follow up in this corner. There is also a reduction at b if I am not mistaken, but again, this would be gote for white to fix, so I'm not worried about having to make this reduction yet. So my attention now goes to the other parts of the board. An invasion up top seems premature at this point so I've ruled that out as well, I don't think jumping into a pincer makes much sense with so much of the board remaining open. Similarly, the bottom seems to be much smaller than the left, and as I've said before, I've been wanting to play on the left for a while, so I am definitely going to play there this turn.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . 1 . . . a . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My question then becomes whether or not to approach or just take the star point. It's times like these that I wished I studied joseki more often, because then I would feel more confident in approaching.

The simplest approach would just be the 1 space low, but I am pretty sure white would pincer. I don't want to jump in the corner and give white a wall in either direction, so I'd need to jump and this just seems like it's helping black make the top more secure. I don't really want to play this way.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . 5 . . . O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Similarly, if I play the two space, I think white can just back off and be happy and of course the possibility for a pincer still remains.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

For these reasons, I'm chosing to just go with the star point for now. It leaves me options in white's corner later, and since it's a 4-4, approaching it isn't my highest priority. I'm also thinking that white might come into the bottom after this move. If he does, I will probably try to force him to settle and give me sente so that I can approach his corner. If he plays a move to defend his corner, I think I'll take a move on the bottom somewhere.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm13 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

EdLee · Post by **EdLee** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:54 pm

Nome, after the top is completely settled (which may take the entire game

),

Uberdude · Post by **Uberdude** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:02 pm

opex · Post by **opex** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:54 am

So, he prevented my double wing. Now the bottom side seems pretty urgent. Wedge at j3 is not an option:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm15 too good for black. $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . 4 X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . 2 . 1 . . 3 . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Next, kakari at f3. I like it if black pincers. But attach seems too powerful.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm15 $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . 2 3 . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . 6 5 1 . . . . 7 . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black is strong everywhere and is ready to go and destroy white's top.

I thought about often seen in handicap games d7. It may be too adventurous though interesting.

I can play calmly and just defend that weakness from before at o16 (this is a weakness, right?) Black then undoubtedly plays k4, i go for san-san and start reduction. Quite nice? Though i hate to play against big zones... I think i'll try this and hope to learn how to do it properly from comments

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm15 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . 1 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Nome · Post by **Nome** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:29 am

Being forced to reason through your moves at my level just helps you realize how much you don't really know... but this is still pretty fun.

I'll be the first to admit I don't really like the move I am playing this turn. It looks odd to me and seems like it my be slow. My only justification for this move is the shape in my corner has two main weaknesses that I know of, marked at a and b. I've done some reading with these moves and while I think I can live, I think I'd end up gote, and I would lose most of my corner. I think my move removes these weaknesses and if I am not mistaken secures a good number of points for me. At this point, I think I am maintaining my lead and removing my problems in the corner seems large enough to be worth playing.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm15 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . a . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . 1 . X . b . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm15 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . O . X . 2 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Sur · Post by **Sur** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:36 am

Sur · Post by **Sur** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:42 am

@Nome

opex · Post by **opex** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:52 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm17 Captures: black - 0, white - 0. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . O . X . X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Unicorn · Post by **Unicorn** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:21 pm

Mostly for black to read after the game.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc A more multi-purposed move. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black's last move was very single minded. It's tough for black to defend here, but if he does, he absolutely must play something that affects the center and the rest of the board. Truth be told, it is painful for black to have to respond in this area at all because it means that white got a beautiful moyo building, strengthening move in sente. Which really shows that black's last move should have been there. It was the definition of urgent that goes before big.

Nonetheless, you should only play a move such as the one that black played if you are already entirely surrounded and you will die if you don't play something in your territory. And you must only play this move if you have a giant lead and the only way the opponent could win is if he played in that corner and killed your group. So, playing a move like that is either a declaration of victory or cowering in fear hiding under a table from your opponent.

If it's a declaration of victory, it's too brash. If it is cowering below a table, you should change your entire mindset. You should resolve to never lose because you lack fighting spirit, but to be proud to lose after giving it your all. Then eventually, you'll go through a phase like I did where I learned that constantly fighting and never playing honte is also not a good way to play until you find a good middle ground. But because you played this move, I can tell you that your mindset is flawed in that it is too passive.

Life In 19x19

#159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome

Re: #159 - opex vs Nome