Kirby's Study Journal

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 12:25 am

A little while ago in another thread, EdLee asked me a bit about my study habits, and I was sad to say that I'm not really studying anything these days.

I decided that it might be time to change that up... But after such a long hiatus, where should I start? I set about my usual tactic of listing subject areas that I wanted to study, prioritizing them, and then identifying a way to align those items with my schedule. But a meeting I had at work made me second guess my approach.

Perhaps I should give a little bit of background. Recently, our team created a list of items that we plan to work on in the near future, and we presented it to my second-level manager. For each item that we identified, we selected a headline - something that indicated the purpose behind the task (why work on items that have no value)? One piece of feedback that we received from my second-level manager was that our headlines all pointed to good purposes - but they were not concretely tied to real tangible benefit (e.g. customer X benefits specifically in this way). I felt he had a point...

Fast forward a couple of days where I'm planning out a schedule of things to study, prioritizing them by importance. I looked at the list, and remembered what my second-level manager said - and came to ask myself for each item on the list, "practically speaking, what tangible benefit can I expect to receive from this investment in my time?". So for each of those items, I listed things that I could reasonably expect to receive from investing my time in those areas. I then prioritized this list, and tried to identify if my study areas were the most efficient way to reach those goals.

Needless to say, studying go made "the cut". I won't detail what my personal expected benefits are, but part of my time is worth studying go, and posting here. However, in this study, I try to keep in mind the goals that I have from that exercise (which are not simply to "get stronger"), and I base my study time on this. This splits my study into several categories.

Anyway, the bottom line is that today's activity was to review, memorize, and analyze a professional game. In my allotted time for review and analysis, I only memorized up to move 133 so far. Since I was kind of memorizing and exploring as I went along, I branched a few times from the main line. But anyway, here it is:

I'd still like to continue with this game, but I'll do so the next time I have time allotted for studying pro games. I have to stay organized with this to maintain willpower.

In my usual fashion, here are a few "areas of interest" that I found from my personal study, before looking at any sort of commentary:

Position 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O B . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black's move is simple, but it's not one that I think I would play in a game. I am very set on the idea of pincering, to help the black formation in the top right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I like this kind of move because it seems consistent with the formation on top. My guess as to why black plays as he does in the game is because the corner territory is worth enough to make the move worthwhile.

Position 2

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

I probably wouldn't play this move in a game, either. I'm stuck with this type of move:

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

However, I think I understand the intention... Maybe. If white plays as I would have, then black can get this move in, which pressures a response. White might want to respond, or else suffer a little bit from black's invasion at 'A' (though it's kind of a joseki, I think):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White's intention, I think, with the move he played, is to get a high position of influence, and take sente - even if black checks on the right side, white isn't looking for territory on the right side, so it's OK!

This somewhat matches with how the game proceeded, so I'm thinking that explnation might be acceptable to me for now.

Position 3

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . . B . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black's move looks sharp, but I am too used to playing like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . 2 . . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I suppose that white has more of a base in this variation, so black's move in the game was more severe, I think. Also, black gets some nice territory while hitting white's vital point.

Position 4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . a W O O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White's move here surprised me, but maybe it's necessary to get out. I really feel reluctant to play the move since black's response at 'a' gives black very nice shape.

Seeing that white played it, though, I can imagine that the value white gets from strengthening the weak group is greater than the value black gets from getting good shape. It's not like black is weak in the area anyway. So maybe it's not a big deal.

Nonetheless, I feel some pain in playing this move as white.

Position 5

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

This move is interesting, and made me consider the crosscut, which seems bad, but is my first intuition:

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

So if that's bad because of being cut off, what if black tries to cut white off anyway?

This is what I came up with:

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

or

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . X O O O 1 X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 5 3 2 . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . O 8 X X 4 7 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O 6 9 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bm11 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . X . X X 3 O O X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . X O O O X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X X O . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . O O X X 1 X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 4 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think it should be OK for white in any case.

Position 6

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

This peep looks like aji keshi to me a little bit, but I think it had a purpose. Later on:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O X a . . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . X . . . O X X O O O , X . X | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . O O X . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X O O O X X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X X O O O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . B . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

When black played tenuki with the marked move, the cutting point at 'a' is still available, and white took it shortly after.

Position 7

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O X O . . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . X O . . O X X O O O , X . X | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . X O . . . O O X . | $$ | . . O . . X O . . . X O O O X X O O . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . . X X O O O X X . | $$ | . . . . . B X O . . . . . X X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . O . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This move surprised me a little bit. My first instinct is to double-hane, and since that doesn't seem to work, I'd want to play this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O X O . . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . X O . . O X X O O O , X . X | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . X O . . . O O X . | $$ | . . O . . X O . . . X O O O X X O O . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . . X X O O O X X . | $$ | . . . . . . X O . . . . . X X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . B . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . O . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My guess as to why this isn't good is that, later, white can have forcing moves like the one here to threaten to cut black:

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

Perhaps just playing solidly like that eliminates this possibility for white, even if it doesn't move out quite as much as what I would have played.

Position 8

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

I really don't get why this white move is big. My biggest guess is that it makes the black group a bit weaker, so it's harder for black to pressure white that strongly.

If it were my game, I'd strongly consider this move:

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

However, that kind of ignores the weakish white group in the center, so maybe that's the fundamental problem :-ST

Position 9

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . O X O X . . X . X X . O O X . | $$ | . . . O . X O . . O X X O O O , X . X | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . X O . . . O O X . | $$ | . . O . . X O . . . X O O O X X O O . | $$ | . . . . . X O . O X W X X O O O X X . | $$ | . . O . . X X O . X O . . X X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . O a . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . X X O O O O O . . O X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . X X X X . . . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . O . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . O . . . . . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think this move is awesome. Clearly, the intent is to get sente, since black cannot play 'a' immediately. I would never consider it, though, since it seems to throw two stones away for nothing.

Really cool move.

---

So that's that. Those are the positions I've found to be surprising or interesting so far. I'll continue study on this game next time, but my next scheduled pro game study isn't for a little while (I think I have some game playing and other study before then).

Good to be back!

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:51 pm

Long time no see... Per my plan for this week, I visit L19 once in the week, primarily to post reviews of the games I've played and/or gone over.

Today, I will review 3 games:
1.) The first AYD game of this season, which I played on Tuesday.
2.) A simultaneous teaching game I played against Inseong.
3.) A game I played on KGS on Thursday.

I'll post each in a separate post, because the text is above the post limit.

So without further ado, let's get started.

Game 1: Brian vs. KimchiGo
I played a game on Tuesday against a new member of the AYD. I was intimidated prior to playing the game, because his initial rank was listed as 6d (this was his first game in the AYD). I shouldn't have been intimidated, and I think I could have had a reasonable position. Anyway, I made a big mistake, and the game ended quickly.

Here is the game (I was white):

I'll leave comments directly as diagrams.

Position 1

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

Inseong noted that it was typical to continue along the bottom side, since it's somewhat sente:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Position 2

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

I was unfamiliar with the joseki above. The reason I played this way was because I suspected that his intention was to gain influence from the 5-3 point. I decided to prevent this by giving him corner territory and gainin influence myself.

The problem was, I didn't follow up properly.

Inseong explained that it's common for black to continue first:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O 1 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The reason is, white has a way to take advantage of the tenuki:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 2 3 c . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . d X 1 X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O b . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The reason is pretty simple: if black defends at 'a', white can nicely wall off the area with 'b'. If black blocks with 'c', white can move out at 'a' and later expect to be able to play a powerful move at 'd'.

Compared to the, joseki, white can get a nicer shape on the outside, which results in a more powerful wall.

I should have done this.

Position 3

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O b . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . O c . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I considered a pincer around 'a'. I felt uncomfortable with this for two reasons:
1.) Black can still enter the open area around 'b', which means that white cannot make that big of territory on the right side at this point.
2.) A play around 'c' becomes big, especially if black gets to double approach. The bottom would be pretty big for black.

Because I felt black could profit more on bottom than I could profit by pincering, I decided to defend the bottom.

I'm still OK with this choice.

Position 4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . B . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There are a few options I considered here.

1.)

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . W W W W . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . a . . O . . . . . . O . . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I could play in a simple way like this and take sente. A move around 'a' is still big, and approaching the top left isn't small either. It seemed that this type of move made the marked wall less valuable.

However, in retrospect, since the wall cannot create a lot of territory anyway, perhaps taking the 3-3 is better - I get sente, too. I'm starting to prefer this option, even though I didn't play it in the game.

2.)

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . 9 6 7 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 X 8 . | $$ | . . . . . B . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 . | $$ | . . O , B . . B . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This type of shape is something I thought about, but the black stones seem in a good position to reduce white's potential. It didn't seem that good.

3.)
In the game, since I didn't like the above two options, I wanted to play the attachment:

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

The problem with doing this immediately is that the ladder doesn't work:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6 . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 2 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 X 3 . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 7 9 . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Hence, I played the way I did in the game to approach, while simultaneously creating a ladder breaker.

In retrospect, I prefer the first option that I've listed in these hide tags - simply taking the 3-3 seems effective, doesn't lose too much, and lets me keep sente. It seems better than doing something complicated like attaching, where the outcome was somewhat unclear.

Position 5

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . a W . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . O . X b . X . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O O O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X X . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . O X . O X . . O . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This move was a mistake, I think. The reason was simple: I wanted to probe black's response. If black responded at 'a', I could move up at 'b' and make a nice connection with the awkward wall of stones I had. Conversely, if black first played 'b', I could play the 3-3. Because of the exchange of the marked stone and black 'b', I felt that I could live easily on the top, thereby getting both the top and the 3-3 point.

This was a greedy strategy.

I think it's better to simply play this way:

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

I think I'm playing a calm game, and I don't feel that far behind.

Black might try funny business, but it should be OK:

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

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

Should be OK.

Position 6

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

Inseong seemed to think that this was alright, given the situation, but nonetheless, it seems to have somewhat of a desperate feel to it. A big fear, which I actually had in the game while my opponent was thinking, is if black simply ignores the ko for now, and leaves it as my burden. I'll have to keep worrying about it. Doesn't seem good.

I think the situation is already somewhat difficult due to the thickness I gave black from invading the 3-3 - so probably, things are already difficult. I can't see a great way to make a better result after invading the 3-3.

Taking the 3-3 like that was too greedy.

Position 7

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

I think Inseong called this the losing move. I didn't realize that I could play as per his suggestion, which was actually something I considered:

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

My reasoning was as follows:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . X X . X X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X O X O X O O O O . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X O O O O O X X X . X . . . . | $$ | O . O X 8 X 3 . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . O X 9 7 X O X 4 . X . . O O O O . . | $$ | X O X . 0 5 2 1 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X X . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . O X . O X . . O . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I didn't have enough liberties to kill black.

But Inseong pointed out that it takes away the ko:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . X X 6 X X 5 . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X O X O X O O O O . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X X O O O O O X X X . X . . . . | $$ | O . O X . X 3 . . , . . . . X , X X . | $$ | . O X . 9 X O X 4 . X . . O O O O . . | $$ | X O X . . 7 2 1 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X X . | $$ | . . O , X . . X . , . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . O X . O X . . O . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Now it works. I had shallow reading here

Position 8

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

This was another bad move. I played it because I was afraid of black moving out:

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

But it's not a big deal, because I can keep the corner this way. As seen in the game, I lost the corner after this, and my group was weak... Not good.

Position 9

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

The game is alreay difficult for me now, but the bottom left is bigger than the area where I threat up here. The game ends shortly after.

Highlights of AYD game

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

I should push through and cut!

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

Keeping things simple here seems fine!

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

Taking the 3-3 was greedy. Just playing simple, again, seems fine!

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

Should have recognized this move.

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

Really bad move.

The last two moves are kind of reading-related mistakes. Hopefully go problems and more practice playing these games will improve this.

CrazyStone Analysis

For fun, I ran the first game, which I lost, through CrazyStone.

The software points out alternative moves, which it thinks would result in a better winning probability. Here are some of the bigger alternative moves:
Delta 1

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

This move seemed pretty natural to me, though, I felt I was losing. CrazyStone prefers this move:

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

I suppose that CrazyStone thinks there's a better chance that white will live with this shape. Seems like a reasonable option, but it wasn't in my intuition.

Delta 2

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

CrazyStone suggests this:

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

Still seems difficult for white, though.

Turning Point?

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

Interestingly, CrazyStone thinks that white was winning the game until around this point, where CrazyStone felt the game was about even. I disagree. I feel about 15 points behind.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:53 pm

Game 2: Brian vs. Inseong

I played a simultaneous game against Inseong. I think it was pretty early in the morning in his time zone, and he was playing 3 other people. Anyway, here's the record:

Position 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My rationale here was, white seemed somewhat solid on the left. So I shouldn't approach too close. Inseong pointed out that there can still be benefits of playing close later:

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

The marked stone is in a better spot compared to where I played in the game.

Sounds like a reasonable benefit to me, but I don't mind the move I played, either, because it's somewhat solid and keeps things simple when his group is somewhat strong. The drawback is that I can less easily move out the stone as he explained.

Position 2

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O a . O . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The marked move is a joseki mistake, and white punished it. I should play at 'a'.

Position 3

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . O X B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I was pretty silly here. I misread and thought that this was sente to capture the 3 white stones.

It's bad shape, but maybe I should force capture in this way:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . 2 X O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , 3 . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Or maybe it's simply bigger to approach the bottom:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . B . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not really sure. I leave a weak group in the former case, so maybe it's an over play.

Maybe I should just do a simple net:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . O . . . . . . X . . X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X . B . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I guess the last one might be best - just fix from my mistake and be calm.

Position 4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . B . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Considering that there are a good number of ko threats in the top left, I think ko is a reasonable way to play here for me.

Position 5

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | O O X O . . . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . B O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . O . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Inseong pointed out that he had actually made a mistake, and that it would have been pretty big for me to just squeeze him in the top left;

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

This was sente, and I do recall distinctly imagining this possibility when I played the marked black stone. But my mind was set on thinking of these as ko threats. I didn't realize how good it was, especially since it's sente.

This was a big chance that I missed.

Position 6

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | O O X O . O . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . B . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . O . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Inseong pointed out that this is kind of an overplay. I am falling behind, but maybe I should just be calm.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | O O X O . O . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . O . B . . . X . . . . | $$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought it wouldn't be enough, but maybe it's better than doing an overplay so obviously.

Position 7

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | O O X O . O . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . B . . O . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . X O O O . . , X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . O O X X O X X . . . . | $$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought this was a way to connect and move out, but white's response was so painful!

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

Probably it's better to just connect, but it's a difficult fight, since I kind of overplayed already:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . O X . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . O . . . . O . X X . X X . | $$ | O O X O . O . . . , . . . O . X . O . | $$ | . X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . B X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O . . . . . X O O O . . , X . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . O O X X O X X . . . . | $$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Those were the major points from my game against Inseong. It ended pretty early.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:53 pm

Game 3: Brian vs. simon2688

I was black. Here is the game:

Position 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . B . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This move is a bit aggressive, and resulted in giving me a weird shape. For example, white didn't play that way in the game, but it's not 100% comfortable for me if he plays this:

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

I was imagining the following sequence, but it wasn't 100% satisfying:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . X 2 4 , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . 6 1 3 X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . 7 . . 5 . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Because white has 'a' in sente, it's hard to really disconnect his stones. It might not be bad this way for black, though, I guess.

In retrospect, I like this move a little better:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . B . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Seems more powerful.

On the other hand, maybe white just sacrifices the stones:

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

Perhaps just a solid jump is better:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . B . X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not bad. I don't mind this that much.

Position 2

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . O B . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . X . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Since the shape gets so weird and awkward, I don't like pressing like this. I think I should just go easy on white now, and make better shape, since I can't effectively surround him right now anyway:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . X . . , . . . 3 . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Maybe

can tenuki, too. Anyway, I need better shape.

Position 3

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

My stones aren't working together well after his hane here. I can't think of a way to make them work well in this position.

So a couple of moves earlier, maybe I can do this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . O X . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O X O O . X . . , . . . B . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . O . . | $$ | . X X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I can see how white responds, and then adjust. It might allow for me to connect with my awkward stones. Or it might give me benefit in pressuring his invading stone on the right.

In retrospect, though, maybe it's too soon to tenuki from my awkward-shaped group. That's probably the fundamental problem.

Position 4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X X O B | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . O X . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . O X O O . X . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X . O . . O . O . . | $$ | . X X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's not clear to me if this was the best choice in the end. Really, I considered this one:

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

I was a bit worried, though, because I thought he might play this way:

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

But you know, it doesn't look that bad now. I think this is a better option.

Position 5

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . X . O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . a X . W . X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , . X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O . . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I should have realized that this activated the aji of white breaking through with 'a'. I didn't notice it, though. Bad Kirby!

Position 6

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B O . O | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . X . O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . . X . O . X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , . X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O . . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Here's the thing... I really want to enclose the top right corner and just get some more points. But it just seems too painful for white to press here:

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

Maybe it's OK, though. I really don't know.

I'll actually stop the review early for this game. I felt pretty comfortable from here onward. Feel free to point out areas where I made mistakes later in the game, if you'd like.

---

The CrazyStone move alternatives are listed here, though.

Position 1 (biggest delta)

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

CrazyStone didn't like this move, and thought white had better chances here:

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

I think black is still OK, though.

Position 2

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . B . . . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Instead of my splitting move, above, CrazyStone preferred this one:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O X O O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . B . . . . . . O . . . . | $$ | . X X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's a nice choice, I think. If white helps the weak group, for example, I can make a two space extension along the bottom.

Position 3

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . B . O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . . X . . . X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , . X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O . . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Instead of my awkward shape move here, CrazyStone liked this move:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . . . B O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . . X . . . X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , . X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O . . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think it's a reasonable choice.

Position 4
Instead of this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . X X X X O X X O . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X O O O O O X O O . O O . . | $$ | . . . O . X X O X O . . X O O X X . . | $$ | . X O . . X X X X O . X X X X . . . . | $$ | . X X O O O X X O O . . O . . X . . . | $$ | . . O X O O O O X . O . O O O X . . . | $$ | . . O X O . X X . . . . . X X O O O . | $$ | . . . X . . . . O O O X . . . X O . O | $$ | . . O , O . . . . X X . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . O X X O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . O . O O X X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , X X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O B . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

CrazyStone preferred to bring out my stones here:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . X X X X O X X O . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . X O O O O O X O O . O O . . | $$ | . . . O . X X O X O . . X O O X X . . | $$ | . X O . . X X X X O . X X X X . . . . | $$ | . X X O O O X X O O . . O . . X . . . | $$ | . . O X O O O O X . O . O O O X . . . | $$ | . . O X O . X X . . . . . X X O O O . | $$ | . . . X . . . . O O O X . . . X O . O | $$ | . . O , O . B . . X X . . . . X X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . O | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X . . O . . . . . . O X X O . . . | $$ | . X X X . O X . . . . O . O O X X . . | $$ | X O X O O . X . . , X X O O . , . . . | $$ | . O O X O . . . . X X O X O O . O . . | $$ | O X X X O . O X . . . O X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's kind of an interesting idea: Generally, I think of attacking my opponents stones and/or reducing my opponent's territory. I rarely think of making my own territory, or even less, defending my own stones.

Here's an example where defending my own stones might be a reasonable option.

odnihs · Post by **odnihs** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:00 pm

I think most of your comments about the game were on the right track. I would just focus on making sure you're getting value (whether in terms of territory or influence or potential or whatever) for all of your moves. Of course this is pretty hard and requires strong reading and judgment, but for now as long as you think you are getting value that's good enough (in essence, if you are getting territory/influence and your opponent is playing on dame, it's good for you). Other issues were shape-related, and of course learning how to close up games simply (this is difficult as well--but think about what AlphaGo does) once you have a territorial lead is a valuable skill to learn.

I included a lot of my thoughts and while you should take them with a grain of salt as to correctness, hopefully you can at least get a sense of my thought process.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Thu Jan 26, 2017 11:20 pm

Sorry to say, I don't have a detailed analysis this today. I've had daily visits to the hospital for the last little while, so I haven't studied or reviewed games.

I'm still in the AYD, though, so I play the required games for that.

It's somewhat relaxing and fun to play without the pressure of having not studied, but maybe playing the game feels a little shallow, too. Whether I win or lose, I didn't put much effort into my study behind the scenes.

Anyway, I'm posting today because I somehow got lucky and won an even game against a 4d on KGS, and that's never happened before. I've gotta attribute it to luck, because I didn't really deserve to win this game, but nonetheless, I'll post it up here for posterity.

Maybe in a future time when I'm more into studying go, I can look at this game as motivation, even though my play and thoughts during this particular game were rather shallow.

I died in the opening, and the position was worth resigning from. But the review for the AYD would have been pretty short, so I kept playing.

Maybe it was rude, but nonetheless, it was fun.

Tactically, I lost in almost every way possible. It just happened to end up with the score in my favor.

I think he was probably tired to let me cut off the top group, but anyway, I wanted to save this game since it's the first time I won against KGS 4d.

Bill Spight · Post by **Bill Spight** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:52 am

Kirby wrote: I died in the opening, and the position was worth resigning from. But the review for the AYD would have been pretty short, so I kept playing.

Maybe it was rude, but nonetheless, it was fun.

Oh, how rude!

Congratulations!

And a pretty nice under the stones play, as well.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:42 pm

Thanks, Bill. I didn't even notice the under the stones play. It feels like a shape I've seen in Go problems several times, but in the actual game, I missed it.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:48 pm

Due to the whole medical situation I'm involved in, from late next week, I'll probably have an unusual schedule.

As such, I've been feeling philosophical about things, again. It helps me to prioritize my activities, I think.

Anyway, I came to think that I might still be around 1d on KGS because I feel somewhat satisfied being 1d on KGS.

To reach a higher level, I should really want to have a higher level... maybe.

Maybe it's obvious or maybe it's wrong. I'll just throw it out here for now so that I can review the thought later, when I'm in a better state of mind.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Mon Feb 06, 2017 12:42 am

I've been philosophizing about the way I spend my time, what makes getting stronger at go worthwhile, and the like, and I took a look right next to me at the bookshelf in my office.

Here's a picture:

I'm not sure how easy it is to count from the picture, but I've listed some stats below:

Number of go magazines: over 65
Number of go books: over 200
Number of go magazines I've skimmed: probably all of them
Number of go books I've skimmed: again, probably all of them
Number of go magazines and/or books that I've read completely and thoroughly: I'd estimate this to be less than 10

There's a term for this type of hoarding of books without reading many of them: tsundoku (積ん読). There's also some sort of Korean saying that says something along the lines of, "a bad student carries a lot of books". These books are just taking up space on my shelf if I don't read them.

Maybe somewhere along the way, I got the feeling that buying go books would make me stronger? Somehow, if I "have" the book, there's the feeling that I can get the information from it "someday".

Well, I'll be 33 on Friday, and if I'm going to read 200 go books thoroughly before I die, I'd better get going...

So I guess I'll make a study goal for this week. It has three parts:
1.) Stick to the goal for longer than past goals (recall the Relentless thread that died)

2.) Read 2 chapters from "Perceiving the Direction of Play". I've had this book for awhile, but never got through it.
3.) Do the first 90 problems in "기경중묘". This is just a Korean publication of the Gokyo Shumyo problems. I don't think I've ever made it through the entire set.

I'll aim to do this by Friday, when I post solutions in the other thread for that L19 problem competition (along with next week's problems).

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 10:38 pm

Haven't been playing go, lately - son is doing that high dose chemotherapy stuff, so everyday is a bit tiring.

But I started thinking about the time when L19 was down a couple of weeks ago. I noticed some discussion on reddit's baduk site, along with a post on SL, where people chat about the status of the site. I have an account on Reddit, but it's not that old, and I've used SL in the past. But I rarely frequent those sites. Almost automatically when I have some free time to surf the Internet, I check out L19. But only occasionally these other sites.

I started to contemplate the differences between these sites. What's different between Reddit.com/r/baduk and L19, which makes me interested in frequenting L19, but not the reddit site? After all, they're both about Go. What aspects interest me about L19, which aren't present on the reddit site?

After a bit of thought, I came up with a distinction between the two sites:

L19 is user-centric.
reddit.com/r/baduk is content-centric.

This can be seen in a few different ways:

Reddit ranks topics by popularity - topics having popular content are moved to the top.
L19 tracks how often users have been liked with a "Was liked" indicator in each person's post.
There are fewer active posters on L19, so well-known posters are easy to remember.
L19 threads often devolve into arguments about "who was right", even after the original topic has been lost.
There appears to be more go-focused news on both reddit and SL.

It's possible that my observations are biased, since I've most often visited L19. Perhaps I'm not giving reddit or SL the credit those sites are due. Nonetheless, my current impression is that SL and reddit are good sites to visit for go-related content, whereas L19 is a nice place to go for a bit of go content, and a lot of socializing.

If that's the case, maybe I use L19 as a social outlet. I don't have that many friends in real life, so perhaps L19 is a way to get to know and chat with people that have a similar interest with me.

This observation is aligned with other go-related activities that I do:

I often open CGoban just in case someone chats with me, or in case there's an interesting conversation going on - I'm not even playing a game.
I do the same thing with sites like Facebook.
Rank in go is somewhat appealing with its social status - if I have a higher go rank, it's kind of cool, but some part of me wants to show it off to my go friends.
Studying by myself is a little lonely - it's a lot more fun if I go to a more social venue, such as the Seattle Go Center, where I can chat with people there.
I enjoy the Kim Myungwan/Andrew Jackson YouTube broadcasts of professional games, but I mostly enjoy them live so that I can chat and interact with the people in the audience. If I've missed the broadcast, it's much less appealing without the live interaction.

Reflecting, I feel that a lot of the activities that give me happiness in go have some social-related aspect.

Go in itself is fun, but studying alone is a little bit lonely.

Maybe all of these years, what I've desired is not so much to get better at go as it is to socialize with other people. Maybe I've just been lonely.

Or maybe there's something about connecting with other people that is interesting or desirable.

jeromie · Post by **jeromie** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:58 pm

I agree that this forum is a more social venue, and I also agree that there is something great about engaging with a community united around a common interest. If L19 were to be lost, I'd really miss many of the forum regulars and their distinct personalities. I like the game of go on its own merits, but it would be less interesting if I couldn't share my journey through the game with others.

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:41 pm

Incidentally, I was bored, so I decided to see if there were any research papers I could find related to social interaction. I'm not that knowledgeable of the scientific literature in the world of psychology, but I came across a paper, The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation.

The paper hypothesizes the "need to belong" as a universal human motivation, and claims that this need is a basic motivation for human beings of all cultures. The paper notes that Maslow (1968) ranked "love and belongingness needs" as lower in precedence compared to food, hunger, and safety, but on the other hand, greater in precedence compared to esteem and self-actualization. In other words, a feeling of being a part of a group may be more able to motivate someone than the fulfillment of one's talents. Personally, I cannot attest to such an absolute motivational ranking, however, I can identify with a need to belong to a group and/or socialize. My desire for that may, in fact, be stronger than my desire to fulfill my own potential in a given field.

I can't say that I found evidence given in the paper to be all that scientifically convincing, but if the claims are true, it would explain my desire to be a part of a social group on a site like L19.

That being said, what do I do with that information? Looking back, I realize that some of the goals I have are related to some sort of social status. For example, if I had a goal to be promoted at work, this is some sort of recognition among colleagues and peers. Similarly, a rank in go is some sort of visual indication of my ability toward others in the go community. Go rank, indeed, has the benefit of helping me to find evenly matched opponents - but I admit that this is a secondary quality when it comes to my perspective on the value of rank.

Fundamentally, maybe this isn't a problem: I desire some sort of social interaction and/or to belong to some sort of a group. So what? It would appear to be a basic human desire. On the other hand, a strong desire for social interaction and/or to be a part of a group may conflict with time better spent in solitary study - or perhaps this is another benefit of group study in that it fulfills a basic human desire. Nonetheless, I feel that studying on my own has certain benefits - I can focus on areas that I am weak at, I can study at my own pace, and so on. From that perspective, this desire for social interaction seems to get in the way.

For example, if I'm checking L19 or Facebook every 5 minutes to see if someone has contributed to the discussion, I'm very dependent on input from other people, the study isn't efficient, and I don't learn much.

On that front, I'm brought to a later section in the paper from above, "Satiation and Substitution".

Satiation refers to the diminished motivation that ensues when the need to belong is already well satisfied, and substitution refers to the replaceability of one social bond with another. Satiation and substitution are not unrelated, of course, because both invoke the
basic assumption that people need a certain quantity of belongingness, and attachments or interactions beyond that minimum
should be subject to a pattern of diminishing returns.

The paper goes on to attempt to provide evidence that satiation is a real effect in regard to social interaction and belongingness.

Let's say that the paper is correct on these two points:

The desire for social interaction and/or belongingness is a fundamental human desire, ranking just behind basic human needs such as food and water in terms of motivation.
Satiation is a real phenomenon in regard to social bond - there is diminished motivation as an individual acquires greater number and/or quality of social relationships.

On that note, there are probably also diminished returns on checking sites like L19 on a regular basis (e.g. checking every 5 minutes is of almost no value).

Then, perhaps:

My desire for social interaction and/or belongingness is not sufficiently met.
Attempts to fulfill this desire through a medium like L19 has diminished returns compared to the time investment, which could be spent on different activities (e.g. solitary study).
Satiation is a real phenomenon in regard to the desire to belong; as this desire is fulfilled, it is somewhat satisfied.

So it's a little funny to me, but maybe my conclusion from all of this rambling is that I should allocate some time in the week to be sufficiently social with other people and/or to affiliate with some sort of group. Maybe if I can do a better job of fulfilling this desire, I can have more motivation to focus on other endeavors, such as self-actualization and/or esteem

nasdaq · Post by **nasdaq** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 3:39 am

Hi Kirby,

It's a bit eerie how your thoughts resonate with my own experience of playing go via the servers. I must say its a delight to read the posts of someone as open and articulate as yourself.

I found myself reaching a certain level 1kyu-1dan and found the interaction with players on the servers probably the most satisfying part of it.

I tried to play more on other servers IGS/Tygem/Wbaduk where there is less english language interaction. I found the games of 'hand talk' great and interesting but did miss the language interaction on kgs.

Studying alone on a real board and doing tsuemgo can be lonely. Books do have a conversational element, like talking to an old friend, but it isn't the same as live interaction.

I tried to start a local Go club in my nearest city, circa 250,000 people, with a large student population which was good, but there wasn't quite the numbers to make it a regular event.

Ideally, I'd just like to study games on a goban, do tsumego and go to a local club once a week to play with players of the same strength to get my social interaction. I guess L19 provides a place where I can share my thoughts with like minded people, and get some of the social interaction I'm needing. Not quite the same as real life but It will do as a stop gap.

Post by **Solomon** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:48 am

Kirby wrote:So it's a little funny to me, but maybe my conclusion from all of this rambling is that I should allocate some time in the week to be sufficiently social with other people and/or to affiliate with some sort of group. Maybe if I can do a better job of fulfilling this desire, I can have more motivation to focus on other endeavors, such as self-actualization and/or esteem

If the SGC is a bit out of reach, feel free to stop by on Thursday nights at Crossroads! I, Harpreet 3d, and several others show up pretty consistently

.

Life In 19x19

Kirby's Study Journal

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