Life In 19x19

I've decided that my group can still get out or has room to make it's second eye if it ends up getting sealed in. My personal opinion is that the bottom is the biggest area of play(but I've made some pretty bad direction of play errors this game so we'll see).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . W . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . 7 . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X 4 3 6 1 . 2 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm aiming for the reduction sequence 1-3. 4-7 are just to show the stones can connect back I don't expect white to play this line because it is bad for him.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . W . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . W . a . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . . 3 . . W . . a . . |
$$ | . . . X 2 . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If white blocks this is the start of a good living group(that I could then get killed but whatever). I hope I don't get rid of aji around a. 33 invasion can give me a ko to live with and if I can make a living group the 2-4 or 2-5 might let me mount an attack on the marked stones(not to kill, but some pressure for sure.)

And I think I've mentioned it in an earlier post, but for the ease of reading I'll reshow the best line white has against the corner with the descent at E2.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 elsewhere,
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | 7 6 4 X W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 9 3 2 5 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm10
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X b X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X 0 a O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

now black can either fight the ko at a, or capture at b. The only reason I could see for going to ko is if there are other ko fights on the board and using the ko as a ko threat. But it is way to large for black to reasonably play this.

Chose this over shoulder hit and two-space low. Keep cut in reserve and stop extension. Does he technically have sente at this point or do I?

Reduction successful, now what does white want to do to my area with sente.
I'm sure W has a great reason for K3 but I don't particularly like it. I feel like it leaves white still under cut and needing to many moves to close off the center.

Since you asked: have you considered trying to attack the black group on the left? Did you try to read any sequences out?

I've been looking at how to kill that middle group for a while, still not sure how. Also afraid my last move was too lenient and black has spoiled some of my territory. Right now I feel attacking the marked stones is the last "big point" left. I'm interested to hear your opinion(s).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm68 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . Z . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O Z Z . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . 7 . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . Z Z . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The move was surprising to me. Black's dragon is in quite some danger, and I think that after White's marked stone was placed, Black should have instead reinforced at K11.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm68 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . B O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . W . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Rather than do this, Black chose to reduce White's moyo at the bottom, gaining about 15 points locally as a result. However, now White got to place the stone at K3, making it difficult for the dragon to run in that direction. In other words, not only has White got to place the marked stones, but also obtained sente--all for the price of a measly 15 points. Without reading too deeply, it seems to me that if White gets to play at K11 next, Black dragon may well be lost.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm68 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . C O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . W . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . W . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Whites group on the top left is alive, so this is the more urgent spot to strengthen my stones. If white follows up around a to attack the marked stones I'm considering ignoring it to push into whites framework with my group on the left. It would be a huge swap in territory but I feel black would come out ahead. It might also give me enough presence in the area to force white to take the lower right corner to ko if I took the 33 rather then going for a kill with the placement(b).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . B B . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O 2 5 8 |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O 4 3 1 . 9 |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . b . 7 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

emeraldemon wrote:@wanderling. Since you asked: have you considered trying to attack the black group on the left? Did you try to read any sequences out?

Umm... I think emeraldemon's "question" to wanderling can hugely affect the game --
if wanderling had not previously considered it, well, ...

I take the miai point. This game is like cooking a steak because I don't want to under- or over-cook it. Malkovich is beautiful because I give much care to the game, which encourages me to play more correspondence in the future.

Since I am a weaker player on these forums, I suspect the nature of this game is clear at a glance to many of you and there is less of a "standing on the shoulders of giants"-effect compared to reading what EdLee or Magicwand are thinking. It is fun to have observers both live and online. This game exhibits many elements of Go, including the ko threats in the top left, sealing the bottom left, life of the center group, defending the bottom right, and invading the top right.

Now I steel myself lest Twitchy Go vanquish me.

I can honestly say that emeraldemon's comment did not introduce anything new to me.

Cutting off seems unreasonable. The ladder is favorable at a but W could still probably connect.
However my rough score estimate has black at roughly 50-60 pts. W has about 5-15 pts from his top group, but other then that is trying to get his pts mostly from the center. Therefore pushing in to reduce W while strengthing my group seems like the right direction of play. If W continues on the marked black stones then I'll destroy even more of his territory in exchange. If he responds I might be able to go back and save those stones. Of course I need to be cautious since my group isn't perfectly fine just yet.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . a 1 . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . . , . . . . . B B . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Complications abound. I believe this W78 is the most challenging move for black.


I think this is the strongest resistance for black:

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[go]$$Wcm78 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . Z O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . 1 , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Or he can let me cut the marked stones in exchange for an eye.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm78 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . 1 , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X . Z . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . Z . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Complicated situation. My first impression is that Black looks killable to me, but it won't necessarily be easy. White has an enormous amount of strength in the area.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm78 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . 2 1 , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X 3 X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . 5 4 . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O 6 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Blocking the peep the other way, this ko is easy for White. I don't really like it.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm78 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . b O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . 4 3 1 , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O . a X 2 X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If white pushes, it's bad for him. a and b become miai to stay connected.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X 5 X . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O 8 3 4 1 , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O 0 9 X 2 X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . B . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O O O O . O X a . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X W X . 3 O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X W X O , . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . X O . O X W X X X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O 2 . 1 . . . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . 4 O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I did not see ths double peep when I moved out with the marked I think this is really the only line I can play for. Which is extremely irritating. I'm currently toying with black 14 at a in order to keep white from cutting there and saving his marked stones immediately. But then W will just jump to safety.

Show me your eyes.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm78 Captures: B-1 W-1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X O . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , O . . . . , . . X . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X X . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . O O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . O . . X . O . . . . a O . . |
$$ | O O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X X X X X . X . O O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . O , . . . . . Z Z . . |
$$ | . X O . O . . X X X . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . X . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X O . . . . O . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . Z . Z . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Prevent the center group from connecting to the marked stones or making a second eye while settling territory. Capture the two stones on the right (a).