Life In 19x19

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[go]$$Wcm61
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . 1 2 8 6 O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . 7 X O 5 O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . 3 4 O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

An option for later: I can either sacrifice my last probey move for the two stones in the corner, or I can play at 67 here to keep white from making anything much at the top middle. For the moment though, speed and stability. I'll play lightly until I can afford to choose from these. White can resist differently than this diagram, but I still get something for it, like sealing W into the corner and building a wall leftward.

I thought that 'a' was the automatic play for black. So I may take it myself. Also 'b' looks like fun, but it can get into some knife-edge play really fast. Or maybe I should take 'c', which looks like the vital point of the whole formation.
And if I step back a bit and look at the whole board, 'd' starts feeling like the right move.

Must go think for a while...

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[go]$$Wcm61
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . a X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . b . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . c . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . d . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

I respect ya'all too much to share my thoughts on this while tipsy. Let's just say, rum and doctor pepper worked until the rum ran out. Time for vodka. Yet I'm talking ABOUT being tipsy. This monologue is becoming awfully meta-...

( Dang! When Topazg like something that my opponent posts, it usually means that it a line that is bad for me. )

I've evaluated one of the moves:

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[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . @ . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

It aims at the center of his formation, and it helps the right side group run out.
And if he plays the natural extension, then W3 is lethal with two cutting points.

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[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . 2 X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , C . C . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . 3 . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . 1 . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

But the problem is that even if I surround him, I have a weakness of a double keima, which he can exploit like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . X O O . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . X X O O O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , O . X X O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . O . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . O 2 5 4 O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . 1 O 3 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...which continues like this:

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[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . X O O . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . X X O O O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , O . X X O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . O . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . O O X O O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . X O X . a . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . 4 O 1 2 . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . 3 5 , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Now 'a' is a threat to kill, so I have to play 2 as shown, rather than at 5. And now my right side group is cut off, and has at best 5 liberties, and probably loses the liberties race.

Worst yet, he can simply reply with 2 like this:

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[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . 3 X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , 5 . 4 . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X 6 2 . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . 1 . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

And however it turns out, he is sure to have more liberties.

So, a move that is supposed to connect my right side group, but does not, is no good. But let's try a slight adjustment one space southward:

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[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . @ . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

I've got to go look at this a bit.

I've got to go look at this a bit.

Heh. I never put this much thought into my moves. I mean, I would read as much as I could in a minute or two (or less for most moves.) It is interesting how being forced to put your thoughts down seems to make them slightly deeper though.

Back when I played this move:

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[go]$$Wcm51
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...I was assuming that he would go for pressing me low and getting eye space. I figured that...

Joaz Banbeck wrote:...
He will probably live in the middle easily enough by pressing me low. I'll pursue him by extending my right side group into the middle. As it gets stronger, then his lower right corner becomes a potential target.

$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . O O O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O X X X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . X X . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . O O . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 1 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . O O O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O X X X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . X X . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . O O . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 1 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

If I'm strong enough in the middle, I can poke at it from below, and make territory at the bottom.

Implicit within that strategy was the unexpressed idea that the cutting stone at Q14 would become meaningless, and therefore expendable if he attacked:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . O O O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O O X X X O O O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . X . . . X O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . X X . X X @ X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . O O . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O 1 3 5 7 . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 . 6 . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...and that if he attacked, I would form a wall supporting an attack to the south, and steal sente while doing it.


But he played it much faster and looser up top, and now I'm rethinking that strategy. Instead of complicitly allowing him to live easily, I might be able to kill. But the problem with that is that my right side group could come under attack, particularly with the cutting sequence that I showed last post which catures - at least - the cutting stone at q14. So I want to be able to strengthen my right side group against that sequence - and similar attacks - before I go after his top side group.

If I had some exchanges like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm51
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . a . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O b . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . W , O W . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . B O . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...then I can play something like 'a', knowing that he can't hack through at 'b'.

However, what if his plans for his lower right group are more southern oriented? Like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm51
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . a . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . b . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . B . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . W . W B X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , W B . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O B . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...in which case I would do better with the previous plan of making territory at the bottom, making a token attack up top with the safer 'b' rather than the risky 'a'.


In summary, the long extension of his last move has opened up new possibilities. I need to know what he intends to do with his lower right group before I choose a new strategy or stay with the old one. There seems to be only one obvious eye-attacking move, so it costs me almost nothing to play it. Maybe I can get him to divulge something.

I'm either going to attack up top - and probably bet the game on the success of that attack - or I'm going to go for territory at the bottom. He gets to decide which.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm61
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . a . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X 4 . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Yeah, this was a pretty obvious threat before. However, MHO is playing with fire. I could definitely die here. However, if not, my group will get extra strength with which to threaten the middle white group, which isn't yet safe. Actually, because of this, I expect a play at 'a', to try to fix some weak spots. I'm bettting he's just leaning on my group to get a bit of stability in sente. Playing safe for the moment.

I'd like to extract my stone and leave him with no eyes, but it does not go well for me:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O 2 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . 4 X 3 . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . 5 . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...I can get out, but...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . 4 3 X X O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 5 O 1 . O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . 2 O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...my position is just too thin.

However, if I had just one more stone, as marked:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . W . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . 4 3 X X O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 5 O 1 . O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . 6 2 O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

...I think that I can hold it all together.

So I'm going to delay the choice, and stake out sixth rank territory ( If I can get in a move like J6 or K 6 it could become real territory. ) It ups the ante considerably, for it threatens to deprive him of all of his eye space. It is too serious to ignore, and he has to strengthen his group. Will he choose to push north or south?

i have no idea why he choose to play this move.
black's only answer to this move is "a" and it will only hurt unstable white group.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm61
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X a . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . 3 . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

I'm not even sure I'm going to push and cut right away, but I really want to see which way my opponent blocks. Not sure I like the shape he made here because of the weaknesses present.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O 2 O 6 a . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . 1 3 4 X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . 0 8 O 5 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . 9 7 . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O O O O 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X X O X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . O O O X 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . 4 X X 2 O 5 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

This seems like the very least I could get here, and it gives me more of the corner than I would get, otherwise. I'm going to take the direction he blocks under consideration, and probably save the aji for later. That said, I could play something like this and not play 7, just to stabilize my group in sente.

I tenuki from the play in the upper middle ( where it is his maybe-one-eye group up top vs my maybe-one-eye group on the right ) to play a probe to discern his intentions in the lower right, and he replies with a probe that appears to test my intentions. So we are leaving many issues unresolved.
We are also rapidly increasing the number of semi-alive groups. This could come to a very precipitous end for someone.
I hope that it is not me.

But then, this is the kind of game that I want. I came out of the fuseki badly, with him getting way too much on the left side. Playing conservatively will not help me catch up. Playing winner-takes-all on the right gives me at least a 50-50 chance.

Am I the only one who thinks Joaz's sequences range from decent to normal to completely insane?

All other replies end up losing my threat to extract R7.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc He gets space for two eyes
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O 1 O 3 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X 2 5 X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O 7 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O 8 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Or 3 like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc He keeps his eye in sente.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O 1 O 5 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X 2 3 X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O 4 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

So blocking the to the east is needed, and it doesn't get him much:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 4 3 5 X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O 2 O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X 1 . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 4 3 5 X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . 6 O 2 O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . 8 7 X 1 . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . 9 . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, gauging the best I can: I think this sacrifice and reduction is worth the possibility of losing my second eye on the right. If something has this much influence and one eye, it's going to be darned hard to kill. I'm not entirely alive or safe on the top, but all this influence will let me mess around with the bottom and right nastily. If I can seal my corner, I'll have 60 points on the left, which is probably enough to dance. If I can play somewhere like Q11, I may be able to set the right side running and turn Joaz's attack on its head. So the game is surely playable for both sides.

It is with fighting spirit that I offer my opponent... a 10-move trigger!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc 9 could be at 'a', if you'd prefer.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . O . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . , . . . . O X . X . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . X . . . X O X X . . |
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . X X O X X . |
$$ | . . O O X O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . O X X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . X X . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 4 3 5 X . O . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . 6 O 2 O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . 8 7 X 1 . X . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . 9 a O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -------------------------------------[/go]