Big Brother Malkovich # 1 (continued)

Violence · Post by **Violence** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:55 pm

Approved.

Gresil · Post by **Gresil** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:38 pm

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:04 pm

Going to have to have a think about this.

Harleqin · Post by **Harleqin** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:41 am

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:37 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 54A: W 28, B 21 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . W . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, as I said in my previous comment, there are three areas being influenced by this one move. I didn't see this move coming, and I really like it (except that my opponents played it). Okay, so I think I will start with the most minor area (to get it out of the way), then go to the most l&d area, then think about the heavy top. As an aside, I think black is ahead in this game, because they have the bulk of the thickness and we have at least one weak group.

The South

The West

Okay. The only way the west would matter is if black has a follow-up to kill. The obvious attempt is a monkey jump, because it fills up so much of that space.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc After a, the b's are miai. $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | 1 . O X . . . . C . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 2 O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 9 a . b B . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | b 3 8 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 6 7 4 . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X 5 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, so it LOOKS like we can live in gote, even if black does their best to kill. Not that this is great, but at least it's not game if we tenuki. One other thing I want to consider: the concern is that we will get shut into the west. Black has a slightly tenuous jump there, and I'm curious about pushing and cutting it. Since we're threatening their top middle group, this is at least very sente.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc The atari makes the push-and-cut better than hitting the waist of the knight's jump $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . 7 8 . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X 5 . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X 4 6 . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

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

This is actually really tempting. If it were to play out, it would give us two weak running groups, but black would have at least one and a half weak groups as well. Violence and Shapenaji are both particularly high-level fighting-types, so they could have some fun if this goes down.

The North

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc Can we pressure from our weak group first? $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . 3 . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . C . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X 8 . 9 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X 6 7 . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This looks possible also. It seems like there is a fair chance that we could either kill something or capture F16 in something resembling sente, stabilizing our group. This is assuming black 3 in the diagram is tenuki. If it isn't, then we just got our safety jump in sente and are happy.

So, we have two options. Start with our weak group and jump, or start in the west and cut into the center. It seems best to me to jump from the weak group. That buys us stability, even if I misread. By the way, I'm jumping south mostly because our followup on that side is more threatening. Jumping east would reduce black's potential in the area, but I think that black could more easily force us to keep jumping that way.

Team, if I misread something stupid, I apologize! =D

Post by **Joaz Banbeck** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 9:43 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 54B: W 28, B 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . C . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

While most, if not all of younger brother's reading looks good, the overarching logic troubles me.

Chew Terr wrote:...I think black is ahead in this game, because they have the bulk of the thickness and we have at least one weak group.

Here he notes that having a weak group is a liability, but then is perfectly willing to allow the opponents to make a move that connects two of their weak groups. I agree with him. of course, that having weak groups is bad. So I think that we should make moves that keep the opponents' groups weak.

My first inclination is to do exactly that, splitting the opponents' groups like this:

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

But we end up with several weak groups ourselves, and the result is hard to predict. So I'm going to go for some of the weaknesses of their group, and when the running starts, we may have an extra stone to help.

I have not read this exhaustively. It feels good. ( Some of the details were posted here: viewtopic.php?p=15834#p15834 ) If I made a mistake, it won't cost us much for Shapenaji to correct it.

shapenaji · Post by **shapenaji** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 11:50 am

Not Approved

I'm switching it back to Chew Terr's move

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 54B: W 28, B 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . W . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Of Joaz's and Chew Terr's Moves, Terr's is actually better, it threatens both sides, whereas Joaz's is aji keshi, it's peeping at a cut that we already have, via "a", and inducing black to fix himself, I'd much rather build power in the center and let black spend a move trying to fix himself. Then we trade "b" for "c" and can aim at black's upper side:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 54B: W 28, B 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | c X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . b O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . C . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Violence · Post by **Violence** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:50 pm

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 54B: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . W . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Added a point for us.

Yay! Free points!

Gresil · Post by **Gresil** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 12:51 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . B . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This was my first instinct. The move seems to complete shape. White's response is obvious (unless there's a more obvious one inside my shape in the spirit of the one seen at 54B, but I don't see it).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . 1 . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After

a white jump into my shape as in 54B doesn't seem to be very meaningful. Just blocking it one space above seems to defend adequately.

I'd have liked to reach out further toward the center here, but I'm afraid this can be cut to shreds starting with something like E9.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 12:26 pm

Approved.

Gresil · Post by **Gresil** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:45 pm

Post by **Joaz Banbeck** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 4:35 pm

Hehehe...this is way too passive for Violence's tastes. But 4 points???

Violence · Post by **Violence** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:28 pm

Huh? I was going to play there.

Approved.

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:46 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 56A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . , . . . . . , W . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X 1 X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . W . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . 2 X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O a b . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X d . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought about doing something like this. At first, I thought black would have to let us capture a few stones, giving our group stability. However, it looks like they can just barely cover it. We get a forcing move or two around 'a' and 'b', but not enough to get the cut we need. Cutting directly also only seems to buy use 'a' and 'b'. We could use that to cut off the group below (at d), but that group is easy enough for black to settle. The way I choose to take all of this is that we just got our top group's jump in sente. So it looks to me like we should tenuki to the next largest place.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X . d . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . B . . , . . . . . , a . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . c , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I looked all over the board for things that looked big or urgent. The most urgent things are helping either the middle group or the bottom left group. The best things I can see off the top of my head are 'a', 'b', and 'c'. 'a' was my initial best bet. It is a huge point, and it also offers the center group somewhere to run to. 'b' buys stability for our bottom group while making more framework on bottom, but it looks smaller than 'a'. 'c' did not originally appear to me, until I realized that in all likelihood it is sente. Remember how I just said we could cut at 'd' in the previous diagram, but the group below had too many options for stability? This takes most of them away while giving us points. Since we can get the cut (or kill a group), this move seems to have a fair sente value, while taking the corner points. If we decide this option, perhaps we should not take it right away. Perhaps we should first use the prior diagram's moves as a probe, to give black the option to sacrifice 1-2 stones. If black refuses, then we get the cut and black has no way out.

So... should I play 'a' now, while it's safe and I'm sure we can get it, or should I probe the weak group while threatening to cut off the tail? If I am entirely right, the 'c' may be bigger. However, there are a few things that could happen. The worst of these is probably that black will sacrifice a stone or two to defend the cut in sente. Our running group would get safe, but black could then take the big point on the right and make it hard to catch up. So I'll take 'a' while we can, and eye the stuff I mentioned for later.

'd' in the second diagram looks okay, but is too optimistic. I am concerned that black could split that stone from our running group, and we would be running with two weak groups.

As an aside, for my teammates... I can communicate to you guys all I want, but you guys are a black box to me. The only way you guys can communicate back is to make moves. I can, however, set up backup plans that I set into place if you override my move. If you guys play at 'c' or play the first moves in my first hidden diagram, I'm going to assume that you want me to aim for that cut, and play moves like that sequence.

Gresil · Post by **Gresil** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:54 am

Life In 19x19

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