Life In 19x19

In my previous post, I explained why I didn't choose a particular losing move. In this post, I endeavor to explain how that realization led me to the best move - and probably the only move that does not lose.

I that previous post, we were looking at this position:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . 6 . X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O 7 5 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | 1 X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Move 7 is heavy. It does not increase the liberties of anything, and it attempts to save a stone that does not have to be saved - D7 either has to be saved OR rendered useless as an eye.

I was looking at this position, dismayed that such a vulgar move was necessary. I started doing sort of tewari analysis, asking myself where other stones should be to make 7 less ugly.

Making D7 a false eye without having to save it would be far more elegant. That, of course, means getting two of the four diagonal neighboring points.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm1 I need two of the circled points
$$ . . . . . . .
$$ . . C O C . .
$$ . . O . O . .
$$ . . C O C . .
$$ . . . . . . .[/go]

In other words, once he plays 4, I don't want a stone at 'a'; I want it at 'b'. If I can hold both 5 and 'b', then D7 becomes a false eye if he captures it.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . b . X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X 4 a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . 5 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | 1 X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So I concluded that a stone at 5 would work. It attempts to extricate D7 by connecting outward via either 'c' or 'd'. And it does not link it's fate to D7 by connecting solidly.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . 3 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | 1 X O . d . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If white is really determined to not let D7 escape, then 3 as shown above is in one of the four crucial points to make D7 a false eye. If I haven't wasted a move in the wrong place, I can get a second one of the four.

It looks like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . 7 . X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O 6 3 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | 1 X O . 5 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black either saves D7 by killing 4, or makes it a false eye by connecting 7 eastward.

It was this line of thought - with a lot of useless side branches - that led me to choose E6.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . 3 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | 1 X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Joaz Banbeck wrote:... My groups will be hanging on by their fingernails.
I hope nobody slips. There is no room for error here.

Everything is still hanging together here.

His strongest play is to connect at 6 and let me connect at 7:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm101 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . 5 7 X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O B 4 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . 3 2 . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Now D7 and are both in danger. I can save only one of them. When he captures the other, it is a false eye - I think.

If he captures D7, it appears to be fairly simple:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 I save E6, and improve my resistance to the D3 cut.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O B O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . 2 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X 3 5 . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 4 6 . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So he will probably go with the other capture at E6:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . 1 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Here is where white must complicate. If he goes for the immediate capture, black plays the solid move at 4:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | C O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . C 2 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O 3 X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O C 1 C . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X 4 X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . . . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

And now all white's eyes are at risk if black plays the circled points.

Thus white must try some complication like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . 1 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X . X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X . 3 . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

or this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . 1 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X 6 X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X 3 5 . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 4 . . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I don't have time to show all of the lines that I have looked at, but so far I cannot find one that works for white.

I hoped for something like this. After Black don't have time to make two eyes with B1.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

But I'm afraid Black can give up the D4 stone now

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O 8 X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . 1 . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X 7 X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X 3 5 . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 4 6 . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

A third time in this corner he chooses the most complicated line, thus giving me the greatest opportunity to make a mistake.

Generally, a player who believes that he has the upper hand wants to simplify matters so as to not lose his advantage in an oversight. Conversely, a player who believes that he is at a disadvantage wants to give his opponent maximum chance to fail - even if he knows that he himself may fall into a pit, for he is no worse off if he does.

I infer from this repeated choice of complicated lines that my opponent thinks that he is in a losing position. ( Although logic compels me to admit that he may have found a winning line that just happens to be at the end of a series of junctures, and the most complicated choice at each of those junctures just happens to lead to the one winning result. )

Like this I'm about 15 points behind in my count. The embarrassing thing is that I die in gote.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X X X 4 . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O O . 3 . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 X 1 . . 5 X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 6 . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm playing the most resilient corner shape that I can. He can't go for the vital point because he dies first:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm111 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X 3 X . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O 2 . . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 1 4 7 . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

*Screeeech* ...Wait...what??

I expected this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm111 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . ? ? . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . ? ? X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . ? ? . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X 3 X 6 . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O 2 7 . . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 1 4 . . . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White 16 forces black 17, otherwise black's three stones get into trouble. Then white plays 18 somewhere in the shaded area.

I don't mind an opportunity to extricate my three stones.

And he still can't win a liberties race against my corner:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X X X X . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O O 2 O . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O 3 4 . X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

TegaiS wrote:Like this I'm about 15 points behind in my count. The embarrassing thing is that I die in gote.

$$Wcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X X X 4 . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O O . 3 . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 X 1 . . 5 X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 6 . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X X X 4 . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O O . 3 . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 X 1 . . 5 X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . 6 . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Is needed? Can't black play this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . O . X . . O . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . X O . X . . . , X O . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . X O . . . . X . X . . |
$$ | . O . . O X . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O X . O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X X X X . . . . . . X . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . O . . . O X . O X . . |
$$ | . X . X X . X X O , . O . O O , . . . |
$$ | . O O O O O . . O . . . O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X X X . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | O O O X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . X O . . . X . . . O . . O . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | X O O X X X X . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | X X X O O . O . X X . O . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . O X O O . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

And still capture E2 group before white can kill black corner?

I don't see where he is going with this. As long as I can kill this group faster than white can kill my corner, I'm OK.
My move preserves my lead in the liberties race. And it prevents the connection underneath. So it can't be bad, right?

White must see that he can't get eyes in a space that small. And he also must have read the same liberties race that I have and come to the same conclusion. So where is he going with this sacrifice?

The only thing this does for white is that it lets him pressure the line of four black stones at D4/G4. He removes liberties on the underside by creating this group. It looks like it might last long enough to let the white stones on the upper side attack the four black stones from the top - and thereby get enough sente moves to make an extra eye.

I've looked at that possibility a lot. And it doesn't work. The four black stones are always one move ahead in a liberties race, or able to connect eastward.