Respond to Cutting on 9x9

[Harry Dresden]

Hi,

I am new to go. Could you please explain on how to best respond to the following split by white?

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=4014

What should I do with the stone in the top right corner? It seems to be lost to me. So I could use connecting as a thread, but I am not sure when and how to do it. Hopefully you can enlighten me. On the net I only found answers concerning larger boards, but I think they cannot be transfered to a 9x9 board, since there is not enough space on the sides.

Thx,
DD

[Bill Spight]

Hi,

I am new to go. Could you please explain on how to best respond to the following split by white?

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=4014

What should I do with the stone in the top right corner? It seems to be lost to me.

Black started off with two stones, and still has two more stones than White. If the Black stone in the top right corner looks lost, that is an illusion. True, it has been cut off, at least temporarily, from the other Black stones. But in reply it is good to cut the White stones off from each other. Then it is the White stone on the right side that has to worry.

(;FF[4]GM[1]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]SZ[9]ST[2]CA[ISO8859-1]PB[ ]AB[cg][gc]PM[2]PW[ ]GN[ ]FG[259:]
;W[cc]
;B[gg]
;W[ge]C[*** Normally Black will have an eye in the top right corner. But the White stone on the right side has no eye yet. Which is in better shape?]
(
;C[*** This may not be the best move, but it is a good move. It keeps the White stones separated. Divide and conquer!]B[ed]
)
(
;C[*** This is unlikely to be best, but if you are worried about the top right Black stone, with this extension it sketches out a 2x4 rectangle. That is normally big enough for life.]B[ec]
)

(
;C[*** If Black plays here, . . .]B[ee]
;W[fd]C[*** This play keeps the Black stone separated and threatens to connect the White stones. It is difficult to keep White separated without giving up the Black stone in the top rig]
)

)

Edit: I have added a variation for on the center point.

[Harry Dresden]

@Bill Spight: Thanks, that is interesting. I probably would have played in the middle or one below. Your move seems to be a good attack and at the same time a way to protect the top right corner, if I am correct. Could you tell me a reason why one should not attack the white stone?

[Bill Spight]

@Bill Spight: Thanks, that is interesting. I probably would have played in the middle or one below.

I have added a variation for on the center point.

Your move seems to be a good attack and at the same time a way to protect the top right corner, if I am correct.

The Black corner can still be cut off.

Could you tell me a reason why one should not attack the white stone?

With a two stone handicap, the simple extension on the top side is probably good enough to win, even though it is more defensive than attacking. But in general it is better to attack than to defend, and even better to do both with one move.

[Harry Dresden]

Thanks, that helped a lot.