He says he is Japanese 9k but probably stronger than that. I am probably stronger than 5k KGS too, but this is a slow game. Still, I feel confident.
No thoughts for now, I play the 3-4 because of my familiarity with this move. If he approaches I will choose a pincer he (hopefully) isn't familiar with. If he takes the bottom or right sanrensei I will try to play the mini-Chinese.
Introduction: I'm Lloyd Vincent. I'm in my 20s. I live in Japan. I translate stuff. I spend my weekends at the game center and (of course) playing Go.
Officially (officially = at the Nihon Kiin sponsored amateur go club) I'm 9K and currently ranked "9K?" on KGS (still new there, too).
I'm relatively new to go and especially new to these forums, but getting better quickly because I study like a madman.
I try to play in a balanced way, but my curiosity gets the better of me quite often--especially in mid-game--and I'll end up playing a daring move (which usually backfires...)
Anyway, here's my first move! Good old ikkentakagakari (1-space-high approach). I love this approach so much that sometimes I even play it on 4/4 stones!
White can have some territory on the top left, I'll use my sente from the joseki to make a threatening moyo on the top/top-right by playing a shimari at one of the red-square marked points. This will (eventually) force white to invade at one of a/b/c.
If A or B, I will try to seal white into the top-right. If at C I will defend the corner.
Another possibility? This would throw a kink in my plans because white can invade before I play my shimari, but black's position is very stable and black still has good potential on the top.
White can have some territory on the top left, I'll use my sente from the joseki to make a threatening moyo on the top/top-right by playing a shimari at one of the red-square marked points. This will (eventually) force white to invade at one of a/b/c.
If A or B, I will try to seal white into the top-right. If at C I will defend the corner.
Another possibility? This would throw a kink in my plans because white can invade before I play my shimari, but black's position is very stable and black still has good potential on the top.
Very optomistic, but I'm impressed that at 9k, you've got such a strong grasp of even a couple of joseki, and what you'd like to see.
Knowing the outcomes of joseki is very good, since it can help give you an idea of how you'd like the sides to develop.
However, don't rely too much on that knowledge. Often, people, even into dan level KGS ranks, don't know proper joseki and fuseki, and play the opening wildly and without aim, relying on a strong fighting spirit to see them through to the end.
Alternately, kyu level players on KGS tend to follow joseki like a mantra, whether it suits the board or not.
Stay flexible, and imagine that your opponent is insane whenever planning your fuseki, especially in a handicap game. White has to take strong risks, and many players choose to do this during the fuseki, rather than waiting for black to make a mistake.
Was debating between this and the two space high. There are all sorts of viciousness that can result from either pincer. Ended up choosing this because the often move 8k - 12k players play here, the 1 space jump, is wrong.
Was debating between this and the two space high. There are all sorts of viciousness that can result from either pincer. Ended up choosing this because the often move 8k - 12k players play here, the 1 space jump, is wrong.
Was debating between this and the two space high. There are all sorts of viciousness that can result from either pincer. Ended up choosing this because the often move 8k - 12k players play here, the 1 space jump, is wrong.
Good that you know the incorrect move. But do you know the correct one, and which options you plan to pursue from that point?
You should always plan for your opponent to make the strongest possible move you know. That way, if they don't, you can be happily surprised.
Enjoying this game, CSam
There are a lot of very difficult variations from this pincer, I only know some parts of some of them. However, some ideas of shape, intuition, and logic can get you through most situations in games at my level. Some variations I know:
Well, I should have expected an aggressive response after playing an early kakari in a handicap game.
So, to run or fight?
Run: White expands along the side. I could still make a moyo in the upper right by threatening the pincer stone with A, B or C but White D would look bad for black.
Fight: I can jump into the corner and deny white some profit, then escape with 5, but white gets to choose which group to develop next with a/b. I don't like the loss of initiative, but white ends up split and low, so it should be hard to capture much territory with either group.
Very optomistic, but I'm impressed that at 9k, you've got such a strong grasp of even a couple of joseki, and what you'd like to see.
Knowing the outcomes of joseki is very good, since it can help give you an idea of how you'd like the sides to develop.
However, don't rely too much on that knowledge. Often, people, even into dan level KGS ranks, don't know proper joseki and fuseki, and play the opening wildly and without aim, relying on a strong fighting spirit to see them through to the end.
Alternately, kyu level players on KGS tend to follow joseki like a mantra, whether it suits the board or not.
Stay flexible, and imagine that your opponent is insane whenever planning your fuseki, especially in a handicap game. White has to take strong risks, and many players choose to do this during the fuseki, rather than waiting for black to make a mistake.
Have fun.
To CSamurai:
Well, you couldn't have been more right about the over-optimistic part! White is much more aggressive than I expected. But then again, if everything went according to plan then it wouldn't be any fun either.
Win or lose, I think I'll enjoy the aggressive game more (and learn more too).
Thanks for the kind words and advice. My joseki knowledge is limited but I do have a couple forms that I can lay down. I generally don't like joseki, it's kind of boring to play out pre-decided patterns. But this early in the game and with a fresh board I figure it's as good an opportunity as I'll ever get to practice joseki variations for my favorite approach.
