I'm looking toward a jabberwocks opening.

Do you normally play openings like this? And if so, what are the big reasons why you like to play it?

I'm not sure if I'm nervous about trying different things, but I've always stuck to 4-4s and 3-4s for my opening moves. Just interested to see kind of what you are thinking. Thanks for the link, as that gives some good descriptions of at least what you are initially aiming for.

Greetings to all observers!

So far, in the games I've played, I've tried to keep the game as simple as possible ... and failed to do so. Invariably, my Malkovich games come down to a huge fight, or a series of fights. I'm not very good at keeping calm, even in so slow a game time. So I will continue to try and play simply and see if I can gain an early lead and keep it.

In that respect, I need to try to drive the game to my own pace. I'm quite comfortable with the 3-4 as an opening move, so that's what I'll play. Lately in my games on KGS, I've offered the option of a diagonal fuseki to my opponent. I like to fight in my games, and am comfortable in that. However, my opponent has decided on the 3-5. To me, that feels like a move meant to begin fights. Let's not let my opponent dictate this game too much. I should be able to get a calm opening going. From there, I think I want the fighting to come to me first. The theory goes that I can gain a lot through attacking. Let's see if I can apply that to the game.

Please, feel free to ask me questions throughout the game.

I don't really have a usual opening as black. I've played chinese, kobayashi, orthodox, and mini chinese at different times. This opening is what I do when I want to have fun. Also, since most people don't have much experience with the 5-3 point, it can give you an advantage if they panic. For an example of this, see my second game against Redstick in the Kuchinashi tournament. If you're uncomfortable with openings like these, I'd recommend getting an alternate kgs account, and then looking at some joseki for 5-3 or 4-5 or whatever is giving you trouble, and then playing them in a couple games until you actually understand the reasoning behind the joseki.

According to plan.

Hmmm, Black wants some sort of whole-board fight ... I can feel it.

Does he know the 3-5 well enough? I know I haven't played against it very often. The Black corners will, for me, come down to reading ability. My reading has been a bit lax as of late, so maybe he's chosen a good strategy against me.

For my own move, it's still time to play simple. A 4-4 is nice and flexible.

I expect him to approach at E3 or E4.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm5 Move 5 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 2 . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This makes the press at a a good move if white approaches the upper right.
White could also approach at a, and then I'll be content to take a large corner.

If white tries to split, I can attack and get a position on both the left and right.

I also considered approaching one of white's corners, but couldn't figure an approach that worked well with my 5-3 stones.

Well, that's more normal. I still have an extension to either side from here, so there's no worries. I wonder if he'll push me towards his shimari, or if he'll push me towards his lone stone.

This doesn't feel very good for Black. His P17 stone feels out of place, given the direction of his shimari. His 3-5 naturally exerts more power towards the top side, as does his shimari. This makes K17 all the more valuable, at least in my opinion.

Oh well, all this is pretty theoretical. We'll see how well the two of us use our stones.

Ok, so he went for the split. I can roll with this. I'm taking profit now in front of my shimari.
I expect this to happen.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm7 Move 7 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . a . 1 . O . . 2 . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 3 . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There is a weakness at a, but I don't think white is strong enough in the area to do anything. If he plays there without first reinforcing his group, I can shoulder hit the two space extension to prevent him from connecting underneath and then start a running fight.

I now have my first weak group. Gotta make it a bit stronger. This move give me a tentative base to jump out from. Black still has the option of removing that base by playing L18 or M18, but I'm not too worried. Black needs to fix his lone stone, I think.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm9 Move 9 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 1 . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I was going to play this. But just as I was about to post, I looked it over, and what I played just looked better to me. It does leave more weakness in the corner, but it pressures white a bit more. If white tries to invade too early, he will give me great thickness with which to attack his extension.

I also considered the 5-5 point. It puts even more pressure on white, and I could then play r15 to enclose a large corner.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm9 Move 9 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . a . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I don't like this. Later W can play one of the A's, his group is secure, and he can invade the corner. Meanwhile, B does not really have a good third move to secure the corner.

Hmmm ... his corner enclosure isn't finished. He's left both an invasion point at R17 and an outside attack point around R13.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm9 White can still attack the corner
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . X . O . . O . X . a . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

However, there's a huge board open to me. I think I'll grab Q10 now, while I can.

His corner could become big, but it needs at LEAST one more move to secure it. To me, that makes his move less valuable than if he had simply played the safe enclosure at R16 as I had expected.

I had planned on taking Q10 anyways, even if he played the normal enclosure. It's big, and my Q4 stone wants to play out towards that side.

I realize that I've left my 3-4 stone at C4 all alone throughout this opening. The common theory I've heard is that after the 4 corners are taken the next priority should be creating and preventing enclosures. However, Black's normal approach moves towards C4 give me the opportunity to play moves on the bottom side that work well with my Q4 stone. Like in a Chinese opening, I am inviting my opponent to jump into my side of the board so I can gain from attacking.

The downside to this, being White, is that I'm missing a stone at L3 or L4 to make it a true Chinese formation. I have to remain flexible, and expect that Black will gain more from his approach that White would making the same approach to a Chinese Fuseki. Still, there's plenty that White can do to profit from Black's next attack. I've been waiting since move 5 for it to come, but Black must eventually approach my lower left.

Interesting tenuki. It's a big move, but now I get to make this box shape while attacking him. I also considered doing a one point jump instead of the knight, but this is more severe. I expect him to either run, or defend his group in gote.

I'm also looking at an approach to his 3-4 soon.

Ok ... he's still attacking my weak group. I guess I'll have to strengthen it. Typical move, since I can't run easily. H18 allows me to make more eye space. I'm glad I played Q10. He's going to seal me in on the top side, giving him some nice influence to play with. Q10 should allow me to play for some influence on the right side, keeping my influence in balance with his.

I want the following, but so far my opponent isn't seeming to want to oblige me. I'll even live in gote in this sequence, allowing my opponent to approach C4 finally.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm12 Move 12 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 2 1 3 . . 7 . 5 6 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 4 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There's really nothing urgent enough yet to make me want sente too badly. My games over the last few months have really helped me understand a little more about "big" moves and sente. I could have squirmed a little more with my weak group, but it was unlikely that I would gain sente at the end of the fight ... which is to be expected. Black has a lot more power on that side of the board than I do. Since my group was in no immediate danger, I looked at the board and decided that I didn't want my opponent to have the big point on the right side. Going up that side from my 4-4 corner stone is worth a lot in the game, and playing on the 4th line will help offset the influence I'm giving my opponent by allowing him to seal in my group.

I have to be careful, of course. My opponent has two moderately strong groups (though, as stated earlier, his upper right corner is incomplete). I have three attackable stones and an attackable weak group. I need to do some management to patch up the weaknesses I see in my own formations.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm13 Move 13 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . a 1 O 2 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . 3 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm planning on this sequence. Note that the clamp at a does not work, although I have to remain conscious of the agi there.

White knows that his opponent's corner is incomplete, but plans to strengthen it by living nearby on the second line during the opening?

Doesn't sound like such a good plan to me...

According to plan. This is the first move I've been able to accurately predict from my opponent. Let's see if he connects.

Now, let me think ... too often I simply follow a plan without re-evaluating the board. What if I left the local area and played another big move?

I keep thinking about Bill Spight's "When in doubt, tenuki." There's wisdom in that. What happens in the local situation?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm14 White tenuki at W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 5 4 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 7 . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

That looks alive ... either I make small life, or I jump out to the center. Wow. I can deal with that.

What if Black presses down instead?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm14 White tenuki with W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 9 . 7 8 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O 5 0 O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 4 6 . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If I finish with a move at a, I'm positive I have enough space for two eyes. This is a more likely sequence of moves, as Black seals me in completely. However, In exchange, I can take yet another big point.

Where should I move next, then? Let's look at the whole board ...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . a . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . c . . . b . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Four possible big points. What are the merits of each?

Note to all observers: PLEASE ask questions if you want to know more about anything. I talk a lot about different ideas in this post, and I'm trying to keep to a reasonable level of generality. Things like Direction of Play are also new ideas for me, so I find it difficult to explain my thoughts without direct questions.

A) Left side. Once again, to make up for the influence I'm giving to my opponent, I want to play high to try and limit that potential. D10 is far enough away from his influence to be relatively safe (as safe as a single stone can be), and it will help me when it comes time to press down against what will undoubtedly be a fairly large corner in the upper left. The downside to moving here is that there's no reason for Black to respond at all. Black can play around R12 to both attack my Q10 stone and further secure his weak corner. Black can also approach my 3-4 and jump right into the middle of my growing influence. Still, I'm leaning towards this move as a countermeasure to the influence Black has already built. The remaining direction of play for his upper left corner is (theoretically) down the left side. Black will want to be able to play as far away from his influence as possible, so placing a stone on D10, an ideal point for a Black stone, I'm looking to counter his influence and build a little of my own. Currently, this feels like the best move.

B) Low Chinese formation. It would be interesting to play something like this aw White. Black plays it often for a reason ... it's very flexible. It loosely protects the 3-4 at C4, it's a good distance from my growing framework on the lower right, and is difficult to attack without strengthening me on some part of the board. The downside is that there are numerous known ways to deal with a Chinese formation. In particular, Black can press down on the left side (likely with a move around C7), extending far from his own thickness in the upper left. That would be a very good use for his thickness. I don't think the timing is right for L3.

C) Complete the shimari. This move is solid, no question. It also gives black no easy ways to invade, as there is no longer any easy approach to the 3-4 stone. Again, the idea is to play a move that Black would like to get himself. However, Black can respond to the shimari at E3 with a light move at F4 to handily press down on my framework, or take C10 or D10, extending from his own influence and stealing a move in the direction of play that the shimari is facing towards. Still, it takes solid profit. The problem is I need to watch that I don't give up too much influence in exchange for my territory. Right now, I still don't think I want to complete this corner yet.

D) Attack the upper right corner. I put this as an option, but it seems too early for this. All I would be doing is pushing Black into my weak group. I have no desire to do this right now, even though it is a big approach, and will squish the corner into a smaller space. If I get the option later, I will take it, but I expect Black to make a move at R12 before I get to come back to this area. That fight can wait until things are a little clearer about who wants what on the board.

So, if Black connects (which I expect him to do ... though I'm prepared to be surprised if he does not) I will tenuki (likely to D10), leaving my weak group yet again to the mercies of the two "strong" Black groups. If Black continues to attack, all he's doing is settling my stones for me. By then, I hope to have made using his influence difficult for him.

One possible game continuation from here (using a joseki I know vaguely that would at least suit me ... who knows what my opponent might choose to do?):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 6 . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . 4 . 5 . . 0 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In this continuation, Black doesn't continue to harass the White group up top. I'm not sure if Black should continue the attack or not. As shown above, the group is not easily contained or killed.

I wonder what effect my constant tenuki plays will have on my opponent? Will he be happy to take his wall of stones, even though I got two big points out of it?

I'm really wondering if this is the right shape here. I also considered the tiger's mouth at g16. However, this still leaves just as many forcing moves.

After I see how he responds, I'll take a look on what areas of the board are interesting.

Well, I think that might be a small mistake by Black. He left a cutting point. It's not exploitable directly, but later I may be able to exploit it by playing at F16. If he tries to enclose me, the clamp at F18 suddenly works. I have to watch for the right timing though, because if he defends the cut in response, I have to jump out. So, F16 is a move for early in the middle-game, I think ... if it stays viable.

My choice of move hasn't changed. Let's see if I was wrong, and see if my opponent finds a way to kill me up top. That would be embarassing, but likely not the end of the game. I've played two very big plays. So long as I don't die in gote, I will get a third big move if the group dies, plus likely a number of threats for a later ko.

Yeah, yeah, I know ... what happened to the idea of a calm game? To be honest, this is probably calmer than most of my online games. I'm thinking about the board position BEFORE playing. Guess I'm just not that kind of player.

I'm playing a distant approach because otherwise a tight pincer is too good. It would run me into the stone he just played. I'm playing high because he has a lot of high stones. He's playing for a moyo, it seems. This high move should help reduce the amount he can get. Also, I know absolutely no joseki for this. I guess I'll have to read