The One-Eyed Fool (game review #8)

[Ian Butler]

Number eight already! We're nearing the end of this review series. Last game we managed to get 4-3, so I've won more games than I lost so far. Let's see if we can make it 5-3 today. In which case I can no longer "lose" this series (although not learning a thing would be losing it)

Bring on the next opponent! Fisher clock, up to five minutes. 15 kyu, just like me. Although I'm more 14 kyu and even leaning towards 13 kyu at the moment on OGS. Ranks don't say that much at this point I guess.

++
Not giving up after a loss. Trying to make that comeback, come up with a new plan to take the advantage!
Pressuring my opponent to get what I want.
Studied invasions yesterday and successfully made one (although it ended badly later, but that was not the invasion's fault!)

--
Missing an obvious atari and losing a bunch of stones. Keep sight of the entire board.
Maybe wanting to play too safe near the end. Some of those moves are okay for now, but at a higher level they can ruin your endgame. Safe is okay, but too safe instead of gaining more points is not okay.
I don't tenuki enough. There are often hotter areas on the board.

[Knotwilg]

My main advice after this game: find higher ranked players, like a 9k, to play even handed, even if it is for a free game. This opponent didn't particularly challenge you, apart from the non-spotted atari. You completely outplayed him technically and strategically.

Improvements to make

14 & 18: hane to the contact play; we should not play blindly but hane against contact play is often the best choice and here it is

52: principle 2 - surround first, then play at the vital point

56: a group with 1 eye will die too; there's no need to keep it to 0 eyes

Good stuff

80: Your fighting spirit is awesome. Indeed, not giving up is the first prerequisite for winning.

140: the fact you start looking for the middle shows flexibility and whole board thinking; great devices for winning!

154: playing cautiously when ahead is a great way to win a won game

166: You say "Still, I feel this is an opponent who's happy when he can eat one stone. So if I can give that to him and distract him, it's okay."
This is exactly what I mean with making your weakness your strength. You are "opponent aware" and don't play the board. The bad side of this awareness is that is leads to anxiety. If you can use this to outsmart your opponent because you are aware of his thinking or even his feelings, then you are making it your strength.

210: high level tactic

240: the way you emotionally deal with Black's madness shows you have greatly improved, also in your mental state

[Joaz Banbeck]

7: Does it count as a pincer? No.
For the average stone on the 3rd or 4th rank ( where most side fuseki stones are ) the easiest way to make eye space is the two-space jump.
The basic theory of a pincer is that it prevents that jump. ( assuming that the defender does not want a contact move )
You have M16/M17 available. So it is not really a pincer.

8: M17 might have been better.

10: He has a hole at H16. To maximize the threat of you playing there, D14 looks better.
You refer to it as the safe play, but safe may not be your primary goal here. Locally, you have more stones that he does, so attackng is a priority for you.

16: You can't tenuki here. It betrays all of the stones in that corner.
With Q14, you announced that you were going to try to surround his corner, allowing him easy corner territory in return for you getting an outside wall. He got his; now you must get yours. Otherwise, you have wasted a move at Q14.

26: Yes! The hane here is a huge move for the first player to do it. R8 has made it even bigger.

30: He plays small, so why do you answer? There are much bigger moves available. Think on a larger scale. ( I seem to recall Bill saying that a few games back. )
H16 looks like fun. Or you could make him worry about it by playing L15 first. H4 might work. P3 is a big sente.

52: For theory, re-read what Knotwig says. I can't say it any better.
As a practical matter, you should play G14. Where does he get two eyes?

60: Bamboo joint was MUCH better.

68: You probably still can kill with the cut at E12.

80: Why are you connecting to the H13 stones? What are they worth to you? They were valuable when black was killable. Now, losing them is 6 points.
Think BIG: M10 is more than 6 points. So is P3.

89: Very small.

90: So why do you reply? How many points does he get if you tenuki?

92: A medium-small move in a cold area.

104: Yes!

126: F8 is the shape move.

140: Good. You are thinking big. ( Not surprisngly, when playing an opponent who does not, this wins the game. )

[Tryss]

For 214, there is a better move than the capture, can you find it?

[Ian Butler]

For 214, there is a better move than the capture, can you find it?

A2?

[Ian Butler]

@Knotwilg
Thanks a lot for your advice, I will follow it and keep working hard.

@Joaz
Great comments, some moves were indeed a bit dubious. Though one move I want to "defend", and that's 80. I feel like I need those stones for the rest of my game. If not for the stones themselves, than at least to keep black somewhat contained. If he can take those three, he has everything, including the middle. So my stones needed to be connected to gather all my power together, if that makes sense?