Bki wrote:skydyr wrote:Well, arguably it (the main line) is disadvantageous here. White has close-ish support with the G4 group, while black has a low stone at R16. As a result, I think that fighting with multiple weak groups should favour white. More to the point, there is a time for all things. Complication is good when you are behind, and when you would otherwise be forced into an unfavourable position, but it can be a little like putting the game up to a coin toss. Uncomplicated is predictable, and predictable makes it easy to plan to build, maintain, and secure a lead.
Good points. I tend to underestimate the influences that groups relatively far away can have on the fighting.
I'm wondering now if I came across as too strong in my earlier post. When I say that the fighting should favour white, I don't mean that black should collapse or would otherwise throw the game away by playing into this line. Just, on balance, I think it's likely that white will come out slightly ahead of black as a result of the fight, assuming neither player blunders. Not game ending by any means.
I think should have been one intersection lower. He can break out, but doing so would destroy his top side territory.
should have defended the cutting point, my preference being H6. That peep of his was extremely annoying.
126 : I considered to attack either the middle white group or cut off the right side group. I think I chose wrong. H13 is what I think for an alternative.
196 was silly.
, or more solidly with 
looks too deep to me. Black's stone is low, so he can't build a moyo too efficiently there in any case. What if you just played a checking extension, followed by a corner enclosure if black jumps? If you're really worried about black's potential, something lighter like a cap or maybe a knight's move reduction may be more apropos, but I don't think white needs to worry about it yet. A border point like G14 may also work well, as following up with M17 would be nice for white. Straightforwardly building a shimari in the lower right may also be fine. It stabilizes the right side a great deal, and locks in territory, while it's not clear that black has a single killer move as a followup. The only thing I can think of for black as a followup to white's shimari is a gote checking extension that leaves black quite low on the bottom.
. Here Black can't expect so much from the 4-4 point. So I think just enclosing the lower right is correct. The Shimamura-style formation on the right side isn't bad in itself, but the upper side becomes no-man's-land, with the top left strong white group hardly coming into the game.
, Black's poor shape is not really punished. White should have pushed harder.