A beginner's journal of little interest

[Kirby]

with all these young ones on the servers us married 30+ year olds with kids need to band together.

Count me in. Darn whippersnappers with their plastic brains and rapid progress!

C'mon, 30 years old isn't that old :-p I'm 32, but I don't feel any different than when I was 21.

[Boidhre]

C'mon, 30 years old isn't that old :-p I'm 32, but I don't feel any different than when I was 21.

I'm 34, my sister-in-law is 20. I don't ever remember being *that* young and devoid of any sense of responsibility.

[sparky314]

C'mon, 30 years old isn't that old :-p I'm 32, but I don't feel any different than when I was 21.

Well, slightly more mature, with slightly better tastes, particularly in choice of drinks. I'll be 32 in May.

[joellercoaster]

41 in less than a fortnight

[Boidhre]

The rust is starting to come off. Played an EGF 1d on 4 stones in a very slow live game:

http://lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=7017

Adding it as it's my first win at this handicap against someone this strong in a live game. Any comments welcome.

[EdLee]

Congrats.

A big move; but I like a pincer-block better (say, G17).
( Same feeling for also. )
If W jumps into your UR corner, he has to pay for it (on the outside).
The local result here is has become a bit inefficient, it seems.

Probably no problem, but maybe I'd F4 instead.
( If we look at the whole board,
which side has more potential: left or right ?
Your is low. I feel the right and bottom are bigger than the left. )

Q11 vicinity is huge. ( R11, R10, etc. ) Or, start a fight: L17, etc.
If you take a big point (say, Q11) and
W spends a move to capture your C2 stone,
but hurts his own F3, B seems satisfied.

Maybe R8 direction.

A vital point, but maybe N10 first.

Locally, R4 very big for Black.

, A little strange.
Especially, R3 (or S3) is huge for .

Q2.

[Boidhre]

Thanks Ed, I agree, I wasn't happy with my play in the lower right overall. seems to be a constant "bad habit" in that I find myself consistently protecting the corner in this kind of situation lately if I look back through games. I think if I want to play on the right maybe R10 is better thinking? I just got confused about. was just an automatic "must connect" slow move that I need to stop playing mindlessly. I wasn't convinced white would respond to N10.

Cheers.

[EdLee]

I think if I want to play on the right maybe R10 is better thinking?

Yes, either R10 or Q10 direction.
( Q11 is a possibility, if you want to stress W's thin shape. )

[EdLee]

I wasn't convinced white would respond to N10.

Ah, and therein reveals a problem in your thinking.
Why must W reply to your move to make it a good move ?!
In an even game, when you open at Q16,
must W "reply" to it ( for @ Q16 to be a good move ) ?

( Somehow it seems and are related...
both sides of the same coin, perhaps ? )

[Boidhre]

I wasn't convinced white would respond to N10.

Ah, and therein reveals a problem in your thinking.
Why must W reply to your move to make it a good move ?!
In an even game, when you open at Q16,
must W "reply" to it ( for @ Q16 to be a good move ) ?

( Somehow it seems and are related...
both sides of the same coin, perhaps ? )

Part of the problem is I'm far too attracted to any kind of side ways movement I can get with a group on the side like that. I think I overvalue having a bit more eyeshape when the centre is still very open. So I really want to get Q7 in and then over estimate the issue if white doesn't respond to N10 and plays on the bottom instead. If that makes sense.

[Bill Spight]

:b4: seems to be a constant "bad habit" in that I find myself consistently protecting the corner in this kind of situation lately if I look back through games.

is OK in handicap games, although the jump to the second line is more usual. However, it is not so good if you think of it only in terms of protecting the corner, without thinking of it as preparation to invade the top side.

I think if I want to play on the right maybe R10 is better thinking?

It is true that high wants to develop the right side.

:b22: was just an automatic "must connect" slow move that I need to stop playing mindlessly.

If you are not going to play , don't play .

[Bill Spight]

Congratulations!

Some comments.

(;FF[4]ST[2]CA[ISO8859-1]GM[1]AP[GOWrite:2.3.46]SZ[19]PM[2]PB[Boidhre]GN[ ]WR[1d]RU[japanese]DT[2016-03-31]KM[0.5]FG[259:]AB[dd][dp][pp][pd]HA[4]PW[White]RE[B+4.5]
;W[nc]
;B[pf]
;W[ic]
;B[pc]
;W[fc]
;B[cf]
;W[fq]
;B[hq]
;W[cn]
;B[dn]
;W[dm]
;B[en]
;W[cq]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[dq]
;W[cp]
;B[co]
;W[bo]
;B[do]
;W[bm]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[cr]
;W[br]
;B[dr]
;W[em]
;C[*** Painful for Black. So many stones to surround one stone.]B[gn]
;W[qn]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[np]
;W[qh]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[qj]
;W[oh]
;B[oj]
;W[nm]
;C[*** Looks premature.]B[pm]
;W[oo]
;B[op]
;W[on]
(
;C[*** See variations.]B[mi]
;W[rf]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[rd]
;W[ng]
;B[ne]
;W[lg]
;B[ml]
;W[rp]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[mm]
;W[qq]
(
;C[*** Bad shape. See variation.]B[pq]
;W[qp]
;B[mn]
;W[in]
;B[hl]
;W[iq]
(
;C[*** This kind of play reduces the variability of the fight, but maybe it gives up too much. See variation.]B[hp]
;W[ip]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[ho]
;W[lq]
(
;C[*** Not so good. See variation.]B[mq]
;C[*** White is strengthened.]W[lp]
;C[*** Bad shape.]B[mp]
;W[lo]
;B[nn]
;W[hr]
;B[gr]
;W[ir]
;B[gq]
;W[db]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[cc]
;W[ch]
;C[*** Good idea.]B[ef]
;W[ld]
(
;C[*** See variation.

End of comments.]B[dj]
;W[cj]
;B[ck]
;W[dk]
;B[ci]
;W[bj]
;B[di]
;W[bi]
;B[ek]
;W[dl]
;B[dh]
;W[bg]
;B[gd]
;W[gc]
;B[hd]
;W[id]
;B[ie]
;W[je]
;B[jf]
;W[if]
;B[he]
;W[ke]
;B[jg]
;W[kh]
;B[jh]
;W[il]
;B[ik]
;W[fk]
;B[gk]
;W[ej]
;B[fj]
;W[el]
;B[fi]
;W[ob]
;B[pb]
;W[qe]
;B[qd]
;W[qm]
;B[om]
;W[km]
;B[cb]
;W[bf]
;B[be]
;W[cg]
;B[dg]
;W[ce]
;B[cd]
;W[df]
;B[de]
;W[cf]
;B[hc]
;W[hb]
;B[bs]
;W[ar]
;B[of]
;W[pe]
;B[oe]
;W[qg]
;B[oc]
;W[nb]
;B[jl]
;W[nd]
;B[od]
;W[im]
;B[ql]
;W[rl]
;B[rk]
;W[mh]
;B[rm]
;W[rn]
;B[sl]
;W[li]
;B[ji]
;W[rb]
;B[re]
;W[qf]
;B[rc]
;W[qb]
;B[qa]
;W[sb]
;B[se]
;W[oa]
;B[pa]
;W[me]
;B[sc]
;W[ni]
;B[nj]
;W[mj]
;B[eb]
;W[fb]
;B[dc]
;W[bd]
;B[bc]
;W[ae]
;B[fd]
;W[fa]
;B[ri]
;W[da]
;B[ec]
;W[ea]
;B[ca]
;W[ib]
;B[kf]
;W[lf]
;B[io]
;W[jo]
;B[ln]
;W[kn]
;B[pn]
;W[po]
;B[no]
;W[qo]
;B[qr]
;W[rr]
;B[pr]
;W[rs]
;B[lr]
;W[kr]
;B[mr]
;W[kl]
;B[kk]
;W[fm]
;B[fn]
;W[mk]
;B[nk]
;W[kj]
;B[jj]
;W[rh]
;B[ks]
;W[js]
;B[ls]
;W[hs]
;B[gs]
;W[jm]
;B[jk]
;W[pi]
;B[lk]
;W[lj]
;B[pj]
;W[ei]
;B[eh]
;W[ek]
;B[ac]
;W[ad]
;B[sf]
;W[sg]
;B[si]
;W[sh]
;B[qi]
;W[oi]
;B[pg]
;W[ph]
;B[sn]
;W[so]
;B[sm]
;W[nf]
;B[qs]
;W[hm]
;B[gl]
;W[gm]
;B[cs]
;W[bq]
;B[ki]
;W[kg]
;B[tt]
;W[fl]
;B[gj]
;W[og]
;B[ra]
;W[tt]
;B[tt]
)
(
;C[*** Better to attack five stones than one, no?]B[le]
)

)
(
;C[*** Better, eh? Black has room to expand both towards the top and towards the bottom.]B[ci]
)

)
(
;B[mr]
)

)
(
;C[*** Better, eh?]B[hr]
)

)
(
;C[*** Don't you want to play here?]B[ip]
;C[*** The fight is complicated now, but Black is strong in the area.]W[hp]
;B[ho]
;W[gp]
;B[jq]
;W[ir]
;B[jp]
(
;C[*** Not a good idea, I think.]W[go]
;B[fm]
;W[hn]
;B[cl]
;W[cm]
;B[fl]
(
;W[io]
;C[*** Surely White will not play this way. Too good for Black.]B[hr]
)
(
;W[hr]
(
;B[io]
)
(
;B[le]
)

)

)
(
;C[*** Another idea.]W[fm]
;B[fn]
;W[gm]
;B[hm]
;W[hn]
;B[go]
;W[io]
;C[*** Things look black for White.]B[hr]
)

(
;C[*** Hardly a success for White.]W[hr]
;B[le]
)

)

)
(
;B[pr]
)

)
(
;B[mn]
)

)
(
;B[qe]
)

)
(
;B[me]
)

(
;C[*** Aiming to give White bad shape.]B[qo]
(
;W[pn]
)
(
;W[qm]
;B[ql]
(
;W[ro]
;B[rp]
;W[rl]
;B[pl]
;W[rk]
;B[rj]
;W[pn]
)
(
;W[pl]
;B[ol]
;W[pk]
;B[qk]
;W[om]
)

)

)

)
(
;C[*** This play puts some pressure on both White stones.

See contiuation.]B[pk]
;C[*** And if White jumps out, Black is not so concerned about his right side stone.]W[oh]
;C[*** This play aims at a top side invasion, . . .]B[me]
;W[ld]
;B[le]
;W[kd]
;C[*** And at attacking these White stones.]B[mh]
)

)
(
;C[*** A pincer cum extension seems indicated, for a few reasons.

Firs,t it combines extension and pincer.

Second, it forestalls the right side approach by White in the game. That means that Black preserves the option of invading the top side, which was one of the aims of Black 4.

See continuation.]B[qj]
;C[*** If White plays a double approach, the Black strength in the bottom left will hinder White's development on the bottom side.]W[nq]
)

)
(
;C[*** Big. Still, the pincer is too close.]B[em]
)

)
(
;B[co]
;W[dq]
;C[*** Joseki.]B[cm]
)

)

BTW, you would do well to think more about shape. Count the number of empty triangles you made in this game, for example.

[Boidhre]

Thanks Bill, plenty to think about and study there.