Life In 19x19

Black's desire to cut white apart here is a good one. I feel white's last move is dubious.
If black can follow up with a move like and kill white's reduction stones, then he has a won game.

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[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . W . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . 2 . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O . . . . . . . W X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . W . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X W W . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's actually a bit complicated, and I don't fully trust the correctness of my reading here, but it looks to me like black can (barely) make this cut work. The waist cut makes things messy, but I think black can fall back at and keep everything intact.

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[go]$$W White makes it messy, but...
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X 4 3 O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . B . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O . 5 6 . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W Black holds together?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X . X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X X O O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . 1 X 6 . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O 2 O X . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 5 X 3 4 O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O 7 8 . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

If black can make this cut as above, then by my estimation black is at least 20 points ahead, so black can also probably win with a gentler play that doesn't attempt to cut off white completely, especially if the above variations are too complicated or if they in fact don't work.

at first when i got home and seen his move it made me angry, i was thinking how dare he tenuki like my move was not valuable. i worked alot on this game and i felt disrespected he ignored me and i wanted to make him pay for that.

then i was like i should calm down because anger clouds emotions. i don't wanna play a bad move because of it.

but i still wanted to play the Sharpest move & Strongest move to make him wish he never played there.

his move is big endgame, it gets alot of points with just one move
its very valuable

but now his whole top group is cut and has no base. its hard to make something out of nothing in those cirumstances.

my first thought was

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm110 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . 2 . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O . . . . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O 3 . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

it reminds me of yoda thick and strong style
it seems slow and not powerful but locally its a important part of the board
its one of those 80% moves it gets the job dones and its safe to play

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm110 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . 2 . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . 4 5 . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O 3 . . . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

but i choose this one because it puts the whole topside in danger
if the stones could talk it would say ignore this, come on i dare you

This was the move I wanted to play. It's basic instinct almost. But Lightvector's move is so much better once you see it. I can imagine that sort of slack play is a big part of what holds me back.

I prefer lightvector's suggestion as well, but I don't think the difference is that big. The game move is a bit easier on black, but also more solid imo.

Let's go!

Perhaps I misjudged how big his attack was. Can't worry about that now, though ... I think I've got a decent plan for this sequence. Depends on what he does next.

black is a stronger player of them two.

this was my move i choose in my last post but i didn't play it just because, i looked for moves that where maybe better like this one

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm110 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . 4 . . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O X . 5 . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . 6 . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

this reminds me of one of those 80% moves, and i love 80% moves but i ended up going with my instinct and after i played with those stones a little just to make sure he couldn't instant cut i found the hane is ok and its perfectly safe.

i think he will double hane, just to play strong because this position just turned into a brawl.

i just need to stay calm and focus because every move counts

Not much choice here. Both the cut and the double hane fail.

at first i was thinking

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm110 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X 9 8 O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . 6 7 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . O X . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O X 0 . . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

but the cut can capture those two stones, thats probably why they say dont push from behind or build walls in gote

this move feels like good shape its a knights move that links up with the other two stones on the out side with a knights move connection.

although its not thick or strong its just good shape, i wanted to get moe at the top but pushing from behind didn't look good and the diagonal didn't do enough for me, this is lighter and easier to cut but it gets the job done.

Urk. Am I the only one who was really hoping for this?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm110 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . O X . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O X 7 . . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It seems to be the vital point. After that the knight's move is good, or if W plays around L15, B captures H14 and kills everything.

Hmmm ... I thought he'd protect the cut somehow ... let's see if I can use the aji to make something useful.

We're into another one of those fun fights that could turn out great for me ... or terrible. Let's see how things go ...

I already thought about him cutting like this
two moves ago when i first made the hane and decieded it was safe to play and cut free
but now since i have the knights move stone in place its even better
here is my thought process

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm118 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X . X . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O X O X . . . X O . . X O . |
$$ | . . . , O X X . . O . . X . . X . O . |
$$ | . . O . O . . O . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . O X 3 . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X . X . O X O 2 . . . . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X 1 . O . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X O O . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . X X X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O O X . . O O X . X . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . X O O O O X O O . X . . . . X O . |
$$ | . O O X X X X X O , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . O X O O O X X . O X X O . . |
$$ | . X X . X O X O X X . . . . X O O O . |
$$ | . O . X O O O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

its even better because i can connect out to my knights move, with my single stone like im my diagram.

if he ignores the double atari and play k14 i will just take the single stone

thats pretty much it next hand

Here's hoping I have enough ko threats ... what ko, you might ask? Well, we'll have to see.

ok he ignored the double atari
i could nobi and connect to my knights move stone
but i choose to capture that one stone and make a ponnuki
its much better shape, and u always want to
capture the cutting stone, its a vital part of go

now its getting late in the midgame and early in the endgame.
so im taking this time to start looking at the whole board to find the big moves

my top group is in danger but his center group is ripped apart
so its still alot of ways this can go

ok on to the next hand

Nothing to see here ... move along ... don't mind the desperate point wrangling.