SoDesuNe paves his road to Shodan

[topazg]

$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . 9 7 . 4 6 5 . . . .
$$ . X 8 O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . 0 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . 9 7 . 4 6 5 . . . .
$$ . X 8 O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . 0 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . X X 1 O O X . . . .
$$ . X O O 2 O X . O . .
$$ . . O X O O X X . . .
$$ . 3 . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . X X 1 O O X . . . .
$$ . X O O 2 O X . O . .
$$ . . O X O O X X . . .
$$ . 3 . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Like this?

[aurik]

Man I had everything except the very last move.

[SoDesuNe]

$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . 9 7 . 4 6 5 . . . .
$$ . X 8 O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . 0 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . 9 7 . 4 6 5 . . . .
$$ . X 8 O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . 0 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . X X 1 O O X . . . .
$$ . X O O 2 O X . O . .
$$ . . O X O O X X . . .
$$ . 3 . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . X X 1 O O X . . . .
$$ . X O O 2 O X . O . .
$$ . . O X O O X X . . .
$$ . 3 . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Like this?

Yes, this is the line, I was after. Especially seeing that works with Black's remaining liberties. Good job =)

[SoDesuNe]

$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . 4 . 5 . . . .
$$ . X . O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . . 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Black to save the marked stones
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . 4 . 5 . . . .
$$ . X . O 1 O X . O . .
$$ . . . 3 2 O X X . . .
$$ . . . X X X O O O . ,
$$ . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

If that's not what you're after, maybe I'm missing something .

What if White just blocks after (left of it)? ; )

[SoDesuNe]

My game to 2k!
Well temporarily at least. Haven't played rated in a while and after this victory I jumped to 2k ^^

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]HA[3]KM[0.50]TM[900]OT[5x30 byo-yomi]
PW[ariyosi]PB[SoDesuNe]WR[1d]BR[3k]DT[2011-06-28]PC[The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/]AB[pd][dp][pp]RE[B+Resign]
;W[ec]WL[897.477]C[SoDesuNe [3k\]: hey, good game
ariyosi [1d\]: hi
]
;B[pj]BL[891.233]
;W[nq]WL[893.467]
;B[lq]BL[885.884]
;W[qq]WL[891.158]
;B[qp]BL[881.835]
;W[pq]WL[890.294]
;B[op]BL[880.437]
;W[np]WL[889.74]
;B[no]BL[870.021]
;W[mo]WL[886.107]
;B[oq]BL[852.781]
;W[or]WL[877.711]
;B[pr]BL[844.017]
;W[mr]WL[868.963]
;B[os]BL[822.3]
;W[nr]WL[865.88]
;B[qr]BL[819.817]
;W[rq]WL[863.666]
;B[rr]BL[815.525]
;W[rp]WL[854.854]
;B[ro]BL[812.503]
;W[oo]WL[851.555]
;B[pn]BL[768.179]
;W[nn]WL[847.31]
;B[pm]BL[739.078]
;W[nc]WL[841.69]
;B[lc]BL[702.735]
;W[qc]WL[836.809]
;B[qd]BL[701.379]
;W[pc]WL[834.893]
;B[od]BL[700.633]
;W[nd]WL[834.159]
;B[ne]BL[688.383]
;W[me]WL[830.903]
;B[oc]BL[681.797]
;W[ob]WL[827.895]
;B[pb]BL[679.306]
;W[mb]WL[825.058]
;B[oa]BL[678.144]
;W[nb]WL[823.444]
;B[qb]BL[677.158]
;W[rc]WL[821.052]
;B[rb]BL[675.581]
;W[oe]WL[816.125]
;B[pf]BL[654.605]
;W[nf]WL[811.675]
;B[pg]BL[641.089]
;W[oh]WL[806.829]
;B[fq]BL[622.262]
;W[ph]WL[802.349]
;B[co]BL[602.766]
;W[qh]WL[795.813]
;B[rj]BL[569.87]
;W[ol]WL[788.45]
;B[pl]BL[562.917]
;W[df]WL[782.834]
;B[ck]BL[547.171]
;W[cf]WL[774.946]
;B[iq]BL[536.172]
;W[ej]WL[766.512]
;B[ic]BL[505.299]
;W[gc]WL[731.711]
;B[ie]BL[489.262]
;W[dl]WL[711.891]
;B[cl]BL[476.913]
;W[dm]WL[708.933]
;B[cn]BL[473.19]
;W[ge]WL[704.606]
;B[ig]BL[467.161]
;W[jf]WL[701.684]
;B[if]BL[465.213]
;W[gg]WL[698.064]
;B[ii]BL[457.204]
;W[ci]WL[694.209]
;B[kf]BL[418.329]
;W[rg]WL[690.156]
;B[rd]BL[389.476]
;W[kd]WL[686.185]
;B[je]BL[359.392]
;W[kc]WL[681.348]
;B[hb]BL[353.437]
;W[pe]WL[674.094]
;B[li]BL[308.069]
;W[re]WL[660.741]
;B[ll]BL[254.748]
;W[qe]WL[657.189]
;B[sc]BL[252.114]
;W[kp]WL[653.071]
;B[kq]BL[246.484]
;W[jp]WL[649.715]
;B[ip]BL[239.636]
;W[jn]WL[643.065]C[SoDesuNe [2k\]: Thank you
])

Yes, now I know the right order of moves for the Joseki ^^

[SoDesuNe]

As for studying: I finished "Life and Death: Intermediate Level Problems" a while ago (they are just 110; ~60% solvable) and I am now solving Yi Chang'ho's Selected Life-and-Death Problems Vol. 1. Quite easy for a change and I know a lot of problems from "1001 Life-and-Death Problems".

Out of boredom I solved Graded Go Problems for Beginners Vol. 1 the other day and I even managed to get one inferior variation ^^

[SoDesuNe]

Solved Yi Chang'ho's Selected Life-and-Death Problems Vol. 1. Now the first Tesuji Volume of the series!

After playing against a ~5 Dan on 5H, which let to total annihilation for me, he said I really should work at Tesujis because they would help my very poor fighting skills ^^

[SoDesuNe]

So, I'm back from China, where kind of nobody plays Wéiqí and some didn't even know it. Met a korean and he told me, Baduk is just a game for older men.
Yeah, so much for the two greatest Go nations in the world ^^

Likewise it was very hard for me to find Go books. I even was in the famous Go club in Beijing but they didn't have the books I wanted and sadly there wasn't enough time to visit the big bookstore.
In the end, I still got 15 books, only missing two from the books I actually wanted. But maybe there is a chance I manage to get an account on amazon.cn and just order the two missing books.

So, back on the route to Shodan now! ; )

[cdybeijing]

So, I'm back from China, where kind of nobody plays Wéiqí and some didn't even know it. Met a korean and he told me, Baduk is just a game for older men.
Yeah, so much for the two greatest Go nations in the world ^^

Likewise it was very hard for me to find Go books. I even was in the famous Go club in Beijing but they didn't have the books I wanted and sadly there wasn't enough time to visit the big bookstore.
In the end, I still got 15 books, only missing two from the books I actually wanted. But maybe there is a chance I manage to get an account on amazon.cn and just order the two missing books.

So, back on the route to Shodan now! ; )

What books were you wanting that you couldn't find? If they were English texts, I can well imagine you didn't see them in Beijing, but Chinese books should be easily available.

[SoDesuNe]

I didn't find Yi Chang-ho L&D Vol. 6 and Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems (圍棋死活1000題) but as I said, I sadly didn't had the time to visit book stores in Beijing, I just was in this Go Club and they didn't have it.

Most of the books I bought in Wuhan, because I stayed there for three weeks.

[cdybeijing]

I didn't find Yi Chang-ho L&D Vol. 6 and Weiqi Life and Death 1000 Problems (圍棋死活1000題) but as I said, I sadly didn't had the time to visit book stores in Beijing, I just was in this Go Club and they didn't have it.

Most of the books I bought in Wuhan, because I stayed there for three weeks.

It's too bad, because 圍棋死活1000題 is my favorite problem book, and it's readily available here in the city.

[SoDesuNe]

I'm tackling Yi Ch'ang-Ho's Seletced Tesujis Vol. 3 right now and besides noticing that the difficulty has increased enormously compared to volume one and two, I have a hard time figuring out why two of my answer move should be wrong?
Another possibility is, that I followed the wrong objective because I can't read the chinese characters (with exception of whose play it is). Therefore I refered to the number of the problem in the diagramme's title.

$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | 1 . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | a . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.26: Black to save the marked stones, I guess
$$ | . . . , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | 1 . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | a . O X O . . . . , .
$$ | . . O . . X . . . X .
$$ | B B O . O X . . . . .
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

I think saves the stones but the book says 'a' is the right answer. Surprisingly it also features 'a' in the two failure diagrammes. So I think they might have confused 1 and 'a' in the answer diagramme, then it would make sense.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 3 X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 b . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 3 X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 b . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

That's the books answer. It works, if White plays that way since 'a' and 'b' are Miai.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O b c X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 2 d . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O b c X . X O . .
$$ | . . 1 2 d . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

But what about this move? Black could follow with 'a' to 'd'.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

is pretty much a standard response in such situations but can Black connect his stones with this move?

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 2 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 1 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 2 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

I think it does not work since White can simply play and give up two stones while seperating Black.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 . X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

What if Black plays 'b' here?

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 b X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 1 b X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

White captures the marked stone and 'a' and 'b' are Miai, aren't they?

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O X . X . X O . .
$$ | . O . O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O X . X . X O . .
$$ | . O . O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

Still Black has this move to start a Ko. Better than the book's solution for White?

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O 2 O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

Choice 'c' is a short one. White plays and it's over.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 b X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O a O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 2 b X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

Black's trickiest response is 'd', I think. But when White plays it seems to be over again - 'a' and 'b' are Miai again, right?

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O O 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O X . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O O 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . X O X . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

Wrong, White is in a shortage of liberties and can't connect.

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 3 . X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O 3 . X . X O . .
$$ | . 2 B O 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

So White has to take the marked stones and it becomes Ko again.

My attempt:

$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 1.28: Black to connect, I guess
$$ | . . X , . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . O O . . .
$$ | . . X X . . X . . , .
$$ | . X O . O O X . O . .
$$ | . X O . . X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . 1 . . . . . .
$$ | ---------------------[/go]

I thought this move was right to connect unconditionally and I still can't figure out, why it is wrong.

[SoDesuNe]

Just back from my first tournament as a 4-kyu EGF. And it was quite successful for me: I scored 3 wins and 2 losses.
One of the losses was unlucky again (with a winning position against a 6-kyu) but so be it - it was the third game of the first day ^^

In my first game (against a 4-kyu) I failed to attack my opponent's splitting group which resulted in me having two groups with almost no points while he somehow managed to build a Moyo on top. I luckily could get a lot of points in the endgame and was able - due to a mistake by him - to reduce a +15-points group of him to just two eyes.
Still I lost by 0.5 points.

My second game was a little bit crazy (against 4-kyu aswell). I managed to get a wall from a well-known Komoku one-space pincer Joseki and my opponent moderately approached this "thickness". I immeadiately pincered his pincer stone and he pincered me again, enclosing his Hoshi corner with a Keima.
Needless to say there was a big fight from which he Tenuki'd quite often to secure quite a lot "territory" on top. In the end I chased his group towards my "thickness" and we exchanged his side group against my wall (huge corner for him). Only counting territory his two corners plus the top where twice as big as the group I captured. But without doubt I dominated the center because of the capture.
In the course of the game he also gave me Ponnuki facing the center and missed a cutting sequence, resulting in his loss of another group (huge corner for me - in exchange he reduced my center to a couple of points).
He then tried something in my enclosed corner but it didn't work out and I won by resignation.

The third game is the one mentioned above (against the 6-kyu). I actually had a really good start, sealing in a corner group with an open skirt, cutting my opponent into three weak-ish groups (where I had none) and killing a corner invasion by him.
But then it went downhill.
I tried to surround one weak-ish group and he actively helped me with it by also surrounding my surounding group. Sadly he lived inside in Sente and his outside wall dominated almost half of the board.
Later I missread a cutting sequence and therefore had an excuse to resign.

The next day began with a very good opening, although I played some bad moves. But my opponent (5-kyu) didn't seek to profit from them. Then he invaded my right side and I mentally talked me out of the killing move - so he lived (never try to calculate to long on a problem, every move will turn out to not working).
But at least I got some thickness in return and could build a Moyo and the left, which he immeadiately invaded PRETTY deep. I went all-in and expaned the Moyo even further and dared him to live inside.
It got pretty intense since he managed to cut me into two groups from which one hadn't two eyes. But I managed to make Miai of either connecting or making two eyes, so he died inside and I won by resignation.

The last game was against my personal nemesis (4-kyu) ^^. We have two totally different since contrary styles which almost always turns out in favour for her. I like territory, she likes influence.
In tournament games she always got a win - until now.
The game itself was not very thrilling, it all came down to two running groups and how we would manage to handle them. She managed her group a lot better than I did mine, so I Tenuki'd quite often from my group to split a big side or grab some territory since I was feeling short.
In the end I miscalculated a move from which I was sure, would lead to two eyes and as she cut off my running group it was more dead than alive. Lucky for me, she didn't play the vital point and I could live by making Miai of creating a second eye or capturing a tail of her group.



And I purchased all four volumes of Dictionary of Basic Tesujis! Shodan, here I come : )

[SoDesuNe]

Ha ha ha, I replayed the game against the 6-kyu and my programme tells me that at my resignation White (me) is over 20 points ahead...

[karaklis]

Ha ha ha, I replayed the game against the 6-kyu and my programme tells me that at my resignation White (me) is over 20 points ahead...

It seems that it helps counting the territory before resigning.
Do you count territory at all on tournaments? I have made it to a personal practice to count 2-3 times in a game. That really helps. But it also depends on how much time you still have. That's why I count when byoyomi is getting closer, because I know that I don't have the time to count during byoyomi.