Life In 19x19

EdLee wrote:I think either A or B, but not C.

Kirby wrote:maybe it would have been fine to do even this:

$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 3 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 3 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

$$W Var A
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X . X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X . . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------

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[go]$$W Var A
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X . X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X . . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

$$W Var B
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O . 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------

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[go]$$W Var B
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O . 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

"Var B" is a good sequence sometimes, but I don't think that it's a good move here. If we play "Var C", we threaten to link up with the single stone, later:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . W . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X 5 . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 3 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

"Var B" makes things harder for white:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 4 . |
$$. . X O O . O O 5 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

Above, if black does tenuki, the same move that was good for "Var C" doesn't work as well in "Var B":

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[go]$$W Var C - black 6 is tenuki
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . W 8 . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X 7 . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 4 . |
$$. . X O O . O O 5 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

The marked stone gets cut off. In "Var B", there is no such problem, unless black moves first in "Var C", in which case we get the same result:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 4 . |
$$. . X O O . O O 3 5 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

So I think that for the differentiating case, "Var C" is better than "Var B". The only exception to this might be if black simply played down:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X 4 . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 3 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

In which case, "Var C" is pretty much the same as "Var A":

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[go]$$W Var A
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X . X 4 . |
$$. X X X O X O X . . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

I think that the move in "Var B" is a good one to remember, but I do not see a reason that "Var B" is better than "Var C" in this case. In fact, I think that "Var C" is better than "Var B", for the reason mentioned above. I'm actually inclined to prefer "Var C" to "Var A" as well if I am going to give up sente.

So I guess I don't see a reason that "Var C" is inferior in any real way, except for your stating it.

Also, the difference between D and E (the game) is huge-- 20+ points??

$$W Var D: tenuki
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X . X 3 . |
$$. X X X O X O X . . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------

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[go]$$W Var D: tenuki
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X . X 3 . |
$$. X X X O X O X . . . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

$$B Var E: The game
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X W 3 . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . 2 4 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------

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[go]$$B Var E: The game
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X W 3 . |
$$. . X O O . O O 1 . . |
$$. . . . . . . . 2 4 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

I agree that it's big. I thought breaking into the moyo was also big. It's possible that breaking into the moyo was not as big as I had thought, but it's hard for me to calculate the value of the sente that I got.

But if I should have responded locally, I'm still inclined to respond as in "Var C", above.

I suppose it could be argued that , below, also threatens to connect, just as "Var C" did, above;

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[go]$$W Var B
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . W . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X 5 . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 . . |
$$. . X O O . O O . 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

So in that sense, both "Var C" and "Var B" allow for either the connection, or the following picture:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X O X . |
$$. . X O O . O O O O . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

So in terms of board positions, we can compare this:

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[go]$$W Var B
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X O . |
$$. X X X O X O X O . . |
$$. . X O O . O O . O . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

to this:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . W . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X O . |
$$. X X X O X O X O . . |
$$. . X O O . O O O . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

considering this, I would say that "Var B" is, perhaps, better shape. But practically speaking, I cannot see a reason why "Var B" is better in this scenario.

There is also one other consideration to take into account. If we play "Var B", black will almost invariably play this way:

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[go]$$W Var B
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . W . . |
$$. . . O X . X 2 X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X 1 4 . |
$$. . X O O . O O . 3 . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

This takes away the opportunity to connect with the marked white stone.

But if we play "Var B", there is a chance that black will not respond, and white will get to connect. I guess a lot of that depends on if this is sente for black:

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[go]$$W Var C
$$. . . . . . X . . . . |
$$. . . . X X . . O . . |
$$. . . O X . X X X . . |
$$. X X X O X O X O B . |
$$. . X O O . O O O . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$. . . . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------------[/go]

Because, with "Var B", the marked black move is definitely sente for black - so we cannot hope to connect.

So I suppose I cannot see a practical reason that "Var B" is better than "Var C", and a possible benefit of playing "Var C" to "Var B".

Ok, I made my choice ... really the only choice I have.

This move cuts off a huge chunk of the center. Now I believe Kirby will aim to reduce from the top ... my prediction:

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[go]$$Bcm81 Prisoner Count:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . . . . . X O O X X . . X O O O O X . |
$$ | . . . O . X X X O , . . X . X O X . X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . X X X X . |
$$ | . . . O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 7 |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . 9 |
$$ | . . X . X . 4 . . . . . . . . O . 6 5 |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . 3 . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . O X . . . . . X X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O O X . . . O X . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X X X O X O X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . X O O . O O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think this is my best plan ... it gives me a group to attack ... then I can look at the weakness at E15 ... maybe I can do something there soon.

I think he played the biggest spot. I'm not too worried, I guess... But I should probably figure out a way to avoid allowing him too many points in the area.

My aim is to reduce black's central moyo. This was the best move I could think of to do this.

Crazy stuff. I really need to read here, and figure out what my optimal defense is. I really want to cut the large knight's move here and isolate ... but it's a well placed stone so that's going to be difficult.

I also don't really want to ignore it ...

Kirby's moves are difficult to answer ... I really wanted to tenuki, but I couldn't. I also would have preferred to block the other way ... maybe I'll get to do that later. I really hope that Kirby responds. I don't see why he wouldn't ...

Anyways, revised plan:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm86 Prisoner Count:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . . . . . X O O X X . . X O O O O X . |
$$ | . . . O . X X X O , . . X . X O X . X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . X X X X . |
$$ | . . . O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 4 |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . 6 |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . O . 3 2 |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . 1 O . . . . , . 7 . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . X X . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . a . . . . . . . 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . O X . . . . . X X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O O X . . . O X . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X X X O X O X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . X O O . O O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm leaving the jump to a ... which Kirby will likely jump to once he gets the chance. I really hope this works out for me.

COWARDICE. Cutting the large knight's move is the only imaginable play.

I can't say I'm not pleased with this reduction. I can't think of a way to have done it better. There may have been a way - I'd be happy to hear it from kibitzers.

In any case, I'm sure my stones will have no problem living, and black's points have been limited in the area. Life is pretty good.

I thought about playing this move:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm81 Prisoner Count:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . . . . . X O O X X . . X O O O O X . |
$$ | . . . O . X X X O , . . X . X O X . X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . X X X X . |
$$ | . . . O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , O W . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . X X . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . O X . . . . . X X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O O X . . . O X . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X X X O X O X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . X O O . O O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But it feels like the wrong direction:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoner Count:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . . . . . X O O X X . . X O O O O X . |
$$ | . . . O . X X X O , . . X . X O X . X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . X . . . . . X X X X . |
$$ | . . . O . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . C C C 2 O 1 . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . X X . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . O X . . . . . X X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . O O X . . . O X . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X X X O X O X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . X O O . O O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I don't like black taking the points in the marked area so easily.

So I will go in that direction myself.

Wow, Black didn't cut. Just plain Wow Black will make 20 points in the center and be severely overconcentrated. This is a huge success for White. Black should attack White with a pincer but it's not going to be a clean attack and the game'll get messy.

OK, so much pain in the center ... I want to start trying to force the game to my own flow ... gotta catch that flow ...

Looking at this game for the first time... Isn't black waaaay behind? Where are his points?