Playing in the Middle

[dwest]

Hi everyone! First post here.

I've been getting into go recently, having played a bit about a year ago and only returning to the game this February. Since I often don't have an hour of uninterrupted time, I've mostly been playing against Fuego 1.1. The bot plays in a way that produces patterns much different from those I've found in the records of professional games. Fuego plays in the middle of the board very early in the game in a way that reminds me of game records from the Shin Fuseki era, which has made me wonder: What is the best way to counter the extremely loosely mapped out moyos that this style of play produces? Do I have to counter these loose boxes actively to prevent solidification of these large areas of territory, or should I do my own thing, playing more solidly? In the case of the latter, how much weight should I place on the moyos being formed and how is their area best reduced: via reductions or invasions? If invasions are the best, does that imply countering a Shin Fuseki-style play with the same style (i.e. invading the loose moyos with your own loose stones is the best counter)?

Thanks!

[snorri]

It's hard to answer those questions in a general sense. It's probably best to post an example game in the "Study Group" forum. Also, if you are really 14k, maybe Fuego is just stronger than you overall and it's not your strategy that's the issue in an even game.

I don't think there is anything particularly special about central moyos, but the positional judgement behind counting large frameworks in general can be hard. DrStraw (Steve Fawthrop) has some counting tips on his SL Page that cover this in a way that's easy to follow. Once you know how much a moyo will be worth if completed, it is easier to judge whether it is urgent to disrupt the moyo or just let it be.

[RobertJasiek]

1. Think of opening, middle game and endgame to occur simultaneously.

2. Play more solidly and more well connected than usual so that the greater center influence does not attack you well.

3. Take the biggest remaining regions.

4. Invade at a central moyo place before Black turns a huge moyo into territory.

5. Optionally counter by playing in the middle yourself.

[RobertJasiek]

It's hard to answer those questions in a general sense.

It is easy, see above:)

[Alakazam]

Hehe...

The other day I played a game at Go club against a friend who is 2d on KGS. He has never beaten me, so this time (not to insult him, our Go club is often full of joking around, and kind of insolent ^^) I placed my first 7 moves in a straight line in the center, all attached as one group. He wanted me to play as black that game (some 1k-->3d friends of mine likely to have me take black recently, because they know from my results pretty much everywhere that I have a high win % as white and low as black). I knew that I would probably win the game, I had these factors clear in my head:

1. He is at least 2-2.5 stones weaker than me (assuming his kGS 2d makes him 2-3d in Canadian Go Association, as it commonly would)
2. The 7-stone wall is far from useless (although my very strong friend played me and ate it.........). Even though it gives me a disadvantage, maximum 3-handicap disadvantage, probably even less. This would probably mean that, given our rank difference, he probably only has a 2-stone advantage or so? Something like that? Very hard to say.
3. His attitude toward it, like most peoples', would probably put him into a bad situation with the game psychologically, though I don't rely on this for much of an effect...
4. The biggest reasons why I did it, besides for hilarity and fun, were because I know his style quite well - he has one of those styles that tells you everything about his Go after a few games. His style is blunt and always hardcore, in a really predictable way. He had to resign in under 50 moves, pwnd by big wall.

I would say that moves in the center (hopefully less than 7...) can work against the right kind of opponent, and especially when you are weaker than high-dan.

Of course, normally "playing the player" is a bad mindset, but it is really al ot of fun to start with moves in the center.

I know this really has nothing to do with the topic, but thought it would be mildly amusing, almost worth the read.

Please experiment with many, many styles, moves and theories in order to expand your horizons! It will make you stronger as long as you think about your games and learn from them.

This is not the first time I did stuff like that.

When I was 1k-1d on KGS, I had an account called the box and it did not make me weaker at all. I even hate straight wins here and there, streaks as long as 10, I remember, on that particular account. I had my first 4 moves as black on the 8-12, 12-12, 12-8 and 8-8 points.

Almost forgot. In a tournament not long ago I was matched up with a weaker player, so I played first few moves in the center to amuse the strong players watching/hovering ^^