A closed game

[BaoTran]

Hi! This is a game I played recently on Tygem after a few months of inactive. I've put my thoughts and some questions in the sgf. It'd be really great if I could receive feedback and comments about how I and my opponent played, and thank you in advance

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=5462

[EdLee]

It's helpful to know if you were B or W,
and your levels.

[BaoTran]

I was playing White, sorry for not mentioning it. And I chose not to reveal my level because I think it will prevent weaker players hesitate from posting their thoughts; that kinda defeat the purpose of the discussion which is meant for everybody...

[Joaz Banbeck]

Moves 24 + 26 were aji keshi. They accomplish nothing for you. It would be better to leave the aji until you have something on the lower east side - maybe R6. Then you can play them followed by the cut and extend, and he has two stones disconnected and floating.

[EdLee]

And I chose not to reveal my level because I think it will prevent weaker players hesitate from posting their thoughts;

Hmm, interesting. That has never stopped them from broadcasting their ideas in kibitz in high dan or pro games.

Very considerate of you.

[ez4u]

White 1 below (28 in the game) is interesting. White's shape in the upper right is not very good. But how weak is it? White stakes out a position on the left and invites Black to do his worst. What would White have done if Black had invaded at 2 (K17) instead of J17 in the game? It now becomes difficult to pincer from the right side. However, if White plays 3, Black can just jump out and White is going to have to do something about his upper right position.

Instead of 1 in the game, White might have extended along the top around K10 (or even L10) to stabilize the upper right. If Black caps the 3-3 next, for example, White patiently responds and looks for opportunities in the future. But this would be a radically different strategy than the game.

$$Wc How weak is the upper right?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . 3 . 2 . . . . O X X X . |
$$ | . . . , . 1 . . . , . . . X O O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . O . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc How weak is the upper right?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . 3 . 2 . . . . O X X X . |
$$ | . . . , . 1 . . . , . . . X O O X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . O . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black's invasion in the game seems to allow White to make a reasonable pincer from the weak position in the upper right. Black's subsequent play is heavy. It helps White strengthen the upper right position but without making eyes for Black or even getting out into the center. White's understanding of the potential in this position seems much better than Black's based on the subsequent play. I can't agree with White's comment after Black 41. I think that White did well, especially White 40 was a patient but good move that maintained a nice balance across the board. White has no weak stones. Black looks thin and Black 41 does not make the upper side completely safe. So we can say that Black has taken gote to create a heavy group that will be subject to attack in the future. White should be satisfied. As mentioned above, I think Black should have played closer to the White position in the upper right. Once having played in at J17, Black should have played more lightly. Since White started with a stable 3-3 in the upper left, Black has to be able to play against the upper right in the future.