A few comments:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 6 b . . 4 . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 3 . . . . a , 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . 7 . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

This black 17 is too passive IMO. a was my first thought, and checking pro games I see this played once, and also the more excitingb.

But then I don't like white's 18 etc. He takes gote to get 4 inside stones whilst black gets 2 outside stones. Yes this settles his group, but black's right side is significantly strengthened (and with q-r-s-t press for later the invasion at b looks hard). White can now play a, but black can just answer underneath now and white's group feels rather overconcentrated.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm18
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O r . O t . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . q . s . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2 X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . a X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

I would prefer to play a lighter, more flexible move, perhaps this aiming at a and b:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm18
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . b . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . a X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

If black attaches to stop white pressing him down, it makes white get stronger on the outside, and white has better outwards facing influence that in the game (but 21 crosscut might be fun):

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[go]$$Wcm18
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . 4 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

If black just defends with the knight's move, white could tenuki to the top left as it's not so easy to severely attack the group I think, or make shape at a or b. If black plays kosumi rather than knights move then the a attach doesn't work so well, but it leaves a 3 space gap (though perhaps less of a problem given the pressing sequence above). Also directly playing b looks quite nice for w18.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm18
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . b . . 1 . a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

And black's approach at top left is good, no need to keep playing on white's group, its own inefficiency is punishment enough for now (but 17 slack too so not sure who I prefer overall).

See post #36. Now to see if he feels he owes a move or not.

Hoping/expected black to play d14 is hoping he is a pathetic loser. Maybe this:

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[go]$$Bcm31
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 3 X X . 5 . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . 1 O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . 2 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 6 . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Hey! If my opponent is not a pathetic loser, how do I win?

Black now has 3 pretty secure corners. I don't think that I can afford to give away the fourth. I was tempted to play something like a, b, or 2 straightaway, but In all of those moves, the possibility existed that B could take either the corner or sente. After I am thinking of the cap. I am getting a little uncomfortable about the territory balance, but I do think that W has more potential on this board. B's positions, while large point-wise and secure, are pretty flat, and he has nothing going on in the center. So far, it has been a peaceful game, which has been to my advantage as the weaker player.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 3 . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 2 b . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . a . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Mmm, that's a relief. I was just thinking I was going to play where I just did (instead of where he just did) because all the excitement has moved to the middle. I was a bit worried what I'd do if he played @ .. Will see what his next plan is, but I'm thinking my biggest priority now is making sure his left doesn't balloon into something huge.

As planned.

I want sente to try and build something in the center. I couldn't find a variation that was definitely sente, but if B wants the most of his sequence here, It looks like it ends in gote most of the time. If he just connects under I can tenuki, if I need to. I am not sure yet of that is best though.

So, not sure if this is best, or if the timing is all that good, but having played I sort of need to connect, or the exchange was bad for me I think.

So, why this, and why now? Either White plays again, or I have a couple of good followup reductions of the left side, and more importantly I can make his big group in this corner float. If I need a plan of managing it, it's nice to have that option. I also need to consider how to manage the "central" side of his moyo, but that will depend on his next move.

Upon reading a little farther, tenuki looks really dangerous. At first, I though play would follow the diagram below. I don't mind giving a little more side territory, and W's center looks even stronger than before.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | 1 O O 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O 5 8 . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

But then I saw the possibility of this. It is really had to respond to the double hane. It encourages a tough fight in what I hope to be my territory.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | 1 O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O 8 . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 7 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 5 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Lots and lots of complicated reading went into this, which means it's probably going to have a few lines missed. However, it also means it's probably complicated enough to be exciting and interesting. Time will tell!

This is a complicated move. The fight could go in so many ways it is hard to know where to begin my reading. I might take my time in responding. I just got my new kaya floor goban today too, so it is a good excuse to use my board

I like this move. It feels good. I read out several variations, but I wasn't too exhaustive. I think Black move was a little bit of an overplay. This fight seems to be advantageous for White. Here is one possibility.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 X . O . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . 2 O O . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O 1 . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Here goes!

Well that is a clever little move. Looks like he can get better shape in my area than my reading showed.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . O . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . 6 7 . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 4 O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O 3 . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 X . X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

So many variations here, and some of which seem really awkward for at least one side.

The idea of was to either use as a fairly severe reducing move, or if he attempts to swallow whole, a pretty big aji creator to allow me to get into the left hand side. I've found a couple of sequences for White that I hadn't when embarking on the idea, so I'm not sure it's as clever as I'd originally thought. However, there's so much room for both White and Black to go wrong, that .. well, yeah, watch this space I guess!

I got a little worried when I saw that a sequence I had read no longer works with a Black stone at D5.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . O . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . 2 3 . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O 5 . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O 6 1 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

But this response looks like it keeps Black separated and keeps my strength in the center. Black can take part of my corner, but it looks like it is still alive. After 10 it follows A, B, C.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . O . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . 2 1 . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O 4 3 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X 5 X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . 9 O 6 . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . a 0 8 . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . c b O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+

Black can't connect directly. W has a choice of 2 cutting points.

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

Also this formation doesn't seem much better.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Continued...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . 7 X . O . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . 6 5 O . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . 1 O X . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . 3 2 X . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 4 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

[/go]

I got off very lightly there I think. White seems to have played that very passively. I was worried about White playing above where I just played, but now I have lots of neat little tactical moves to give myself a very satisfactory result. I think the only way for White to stop Black from connecting is to lose a large chunk of the left hand side.

I'm feeling a lot happier now, albeit the possibility it could be due to poor reading on my part!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . . . . O . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . X O O O . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | 1 O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 3 . 4 . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . b 7 O . . . . . . O . O . . . . |
$$ | . . O e a c . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 5 . X . . . . . O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O d . . . . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

My move might look a bit passive in return, but I think it's the best I can find. I rejected "a" to "e" above for various reasons (and ask if you want to know why for any of them), so I felt happiest with this move in the end