How to celebrate new years as a SDK.

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:06 pm

Suji wrote:Okay, I think this means that I'm going to have to improve with you to actually give you a challenge in the Malkovitch game.

I'm going to have to write one of these as well.

Can't wait to see it! It's always fun to see other people's study plans, look over their games, and all that jazz.

Suji · Post by **Suji** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 9:28 pm

Chew Terr wrote:
Suji wrote:Okay, I think this means that I'm going to have to improve with you to actually give you a challenge in the Malkovitch game.

I'm going to have to write one of these as well.

Can't wait to see it! It's always fun to see other people's study plans, look over their games, and all that jazz.

Yes, I'm going to follow SinK's progress and compare to my own.

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:56 am

Just sneaked into the bottom of 14k. Gonna try and make it stick.

About 190 321Go problems left.

5/100 games played.

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:58 pm

7/100 games played. While I still have a few free days I'm gonna try and get as many games as I feel I can play without it turning into a chore. 100 may well be a rather low number to aim for but I think it'll probably drop pretty sharply once lectures start in earnest.

Here's a lost game.

[sgf-full]http://files.gokgs.com/games/2010/10/10/okkuro-S1NK.sgf[/sgf-full]

During a particularly tactical part of the game I was distracted by a certain L19x19 member who accosted me with the question "Are you Turkish?". I blame my loss in part to the confusion that caused within my decidedly English head.

I made a few awful errors early on and I have a few questions about the opening where I made some plays that seemed unusual to me when I played them but I'll see what a general review has to say before I ask them.

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:55 pm

6: At this point, C11 would serve as a great extension/pincer. Playing elsewhere lets your opponent play around C11/C10, threatening your stones instead.
8: While I really like the idea of this move, it might be best to get out at E5 first. That way, you can't get shut into the corner.
22: A good plan to get out, well executed.
24: Because your group is safe, your opponent's move only threatens a reduction. This is, of course, a big deal, but playing around L3 to reduce your opponent's thickness is probably bigger.
32: Should be low. If it is, not only does it undercut white's hopes of eyespace, it removes white's capacity for attaching underneath.
36: This move is big, and I like it. However, S16 is looking like a LOT of points, in addition to cutting off white's dreams of eyespace in this direction. After this block, white would have to run. If white tried to jump the other way or attach underneath Q12, only one eye seems likely. In chasing this group, you would likely have gotten more moves around J17 than you got by playing it directly.
44: You don't have to play so passively. This new white stone is a weak group near another weak(ish) white group. Split them at N15 and fight. Your stones are strong beyond assault, so you seem likely to benefit.
52: Good forcing move. It lets you expand in sente in the direction you wanted to go. Make sure you're willing to capture if given the chance (letting white take Q12 potentially), but in this case, that'd be just fine. You'd have huge strength facing your top left.
54: The prior move was good because it was sente. This followup is bad because it gives that away. You did gain on top, but it'd be better to use your sente to respond to the original threat (the attachment at R12) with good shape at R11. The good thing is, this defense might also be in sente, so you might get to go back to the move you wanted, anyways.
78: Not big on this cut. The white group above can link to safety at any time (albeit in gote), and the group below, if forced to run, pressures your right-side group, as you see soon. Additionally, this cutting stone looks like it's all alone in enemy framework-space.
82: This is very nearly an excellent application of the nose tesuji... nearly. I'm exhausted so my reading is shallow, but I think white just has to omany liberties and cuts to be caught. Since it doesn't work, Q7 is the safer option. Definitely good fighting spirit though. If you think it might work, it's worth trying. Worst comes to worst, you can only lose. =D
90: Trying too hard to kill something that can't be killed. Your prior moves are fine, because they force white down, increase your moyo, and shrink white's. Since you can't kill the stone, I'd either: (1) take L7 because it's sente and does a bit more of the same, (2) take R3 to stabilize your stones, or (3) take Q6 (sente) and then O3 to start a big fight. Actually, Q6 first seems reasonable for any of these options (worth burning a ko threat to make a more stable shape). After that, you can probably take option (1) in sente, followed by: (2) if you think you're winning) or (3) if you think you're behind.
96: Defending the group on the right may be higher priority, but if not that, I prefer N5 followed by L5. It leaves peeps, but not cuts, which come back to bite you soon.
110: Nice squeeze. Good tactical view, regardles of larger stuff.
124: Passive. You do need to do something down here, or else O2 kills your stones, but taking O2 yourself negates the threat while buying you more space. Additionally, either you're stones get free to move that way, or your opponent tries to block but creates cutting points.
130: This kills your group. If you're atari'ed here, you can always connect, but you need a second eye. H2 or J2 work fine.

Good game, overall. A lot of good tactical ideas. You seem like you could become a capable fighter, if you keep refining them. Look forwards to seeing more!

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:31 pm

60 321Go puzzles left. Should finnish tomorrow.
10/100 games played.

Going to the university Go club tomorrow so will play my first OTB game of go. Am very exited.

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:32 pm

SinK wrote:Going to the university Go club tomorrow so will play my first OTB game of go. Am very exited.

Eager to hear how it goes! Have fun!

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:36 pm

Completely forgot about Go club but played this very close game online to make up for my ditziness.
[sgf-full]http://files.gokgs.com/games/2010/10/13/S1NK-kuramo.sgf[/sgf-full]

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:16 pm

Let's see what we can see ... I see you're white.

8: Black has given you a choice of which corner you want to defend first. Very thoughtful! :mrgreen:

Looking at the board, there's only one corner in which your opponent's stone is "touching" your stone ... the lower left (your 3-3). As a general rule, you should consider always responding to a diagonal touch like this. This type of touch is known as a [sl=ShoulderHit]Shoulder Hit[/sl].

10: This should be at either C4 or D3, I think

30: I think this is a little awkward, leaving a lot of cuts for Black to take advantage of. Maybe play J8 instead and keep solid for at least one more push.

76: I would consider playing the other hane, at R3, instead to protect the corner.

82: D17 is slightly bigger and leaves less weakness for Black to press you down with.

98: This is not necessary. Try to read out both cuts. Black can't do anything.

End of Game: D16 (you knew that

)

That's my quick glance at the game. Hope it helps a bit.

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:12 pm

Let's have a look! Edit: I see that Marcus already spoke to a lot of points, so I'll just comment on one or two.

6: I don't think I'd often tenuki an approach on a 3-4 stone, but it's not entirely unreasonable.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$c Position at move 7 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, here's a good look at the priorities of different approaches. The top right is all stable and fine, so we can call it lowest priority. We see the rest are approaches on a 3-3, 3-4, and 4-4 stone.

From here, Marcus makes a great point. The closer the approach, the more urgent the response. If your opponent touches your stone (diagonals count), it tends to be super-urgent to respond. For this reason, this corner is the most urgent.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Position at move 7 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X 2 . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is a standard continuation that ends with both groups mostly stable. Here, you have a chance to take sente! Now, however, we're back to a question of priorities. We know that the top right is fine for the moment. That leaves us with an approach on a 3-4 or an approach on a 4-4. In general, balanced corners are lower priorities. By this, I mean that, all other things being even, it is bigger to approach a 3-4 in the first place than it is to approach a 4-4. Similarly, the followup seems to be better, as well. Because the 3-4 is really hemmed in by the approaching stone, let's do something to fight back. We could attach underneath at E17, taking the corner and giving black some thickness. That would look like this:

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

However, black would then have influence facing his influence to the south, in addition to making a huge framework on top. That means that black would have a lot of strength for any fighting coming up, not to mention further scary framework potential. Because of that, let's find something else to do. Black's top side looks like it is way too big in this diagram, so how can we break it up? Pincer, and take it for ourselves.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc Position at move 7 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X X . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After all of this, the issue of corner priority has been solved. Whoever gets to take sente after the pincer fight will jump to deal with the only urgent corner: the bottom right.

I know this whole topic of corner priority has gone much deeper than intended, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

I'll just point at a few other moves.

19: This is only worth playing if you are afraid of the cut you are preventing. However, if white plays at E5, his cutting stone dies in a ladder. Can you see the ladder now? If a cut cannot possibly work for your opponent in the forseeable future, you probably don't need to worry about it yet. As an alternative, consider this: you just built a large wall. You urgently want to extend from that wall, and your opponent wants to play halfway to the wall to reduce its power. Stopping to cut let your opponent counter the wall. Instead of defending, if you play O3 or even N3, it comes as a terrifying combination of things: an extension from a large wall, and a double-approach on a weak corner.

I'm going to cut it here, since Marcus did a good job at pointing out big things. Good luck!

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:44 pm

Thank you guys. Good stuff, I feel like a better player already.

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:45 am

13/100 games.

Weird game. I had no clue what to do about the massive territory on the left.

[sgf-full]http://files.gokgs.com/games/2010/10/14/barisors-S1NK.sgf[/sgf-full]

Website · Post by **Chew Terr** » Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:42 am

Just a short one, probably:

7: You're extending in the primary direction from a complete enclosure. I'd go all the way to F3. While you could be pincered, white has more to worry about than you do.

13: Two options: Either try to make a massive moyo below by playing this high, or (my preference) prevent white's ideal double-wing enclosure extension on the top by taking something like K17. After that, white has a big left side, but it's reducable and you have every bit as much elsewhere.

41: Your opponent just played a ladder-breaker, but it's a bad ladder-breaker because it's a weak stone that you can attack later. Just capture the laddered stones now, while you can, to ensure your profit.

101: This area is only ever going to be one eye, as if your opponent closes it off, you can always reduce it to one, later. So this move is unnecessary, regardless. And obviously, as you learn in a moment, you needed to play it at Q12 to keep the stones dead. Actually, connecting makes it so that you can connect at the other side when O15 is played.

If it helps, if you'd seen that snapback and prevented it, it looks like B+R =) Good game overall, just a simple mistake caused the loss. Have to run, but I hope the few brief comments helped.

SinK · Post by **SinK** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:30 am

All 321Go puzzles done except this one:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B White to play and win the capturing race $$ | . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . . . . . . . . $$ | . . O . . . . . . $$ | . O . . . . . . . $$ | . X O . . . . . . $$ | . X O O . . . . . $$ | . X X O X . . . . $$ | . O O X . . . . . $$ | . . O X . X . . . $$ | . . X . X . . . . $$ --------------------[/go]

I haven't been able to solve it even by trial and error. Hints are great but put solutions in spoiler tags.

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:08 am

Solution, I think:

Writing hints is hard. I don't want to give away too much. Here's something vague.

Hint #1: The first move threatens something other than capturing the Black stones.

Life In 19x19

How to celebrate new years as a SDK.

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