Life In 19x19

Now I'm thinking that maybe I should just tenuki after White's next move and leave the aji on the left side for later ... I need to think about the position some more, that's for sure.

I figured out a way to be super smart. I plan to play the following move (or "a") at an opportune moment:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

After this, the threat of killing White's group on the left will be real:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X 2 . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O 1 . B . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . 3 X X O X . . . . . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O . . O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Thanks to , White can no longer win the capturing race. I feel so smart right now, I can hardly contain myself!

I don't feel quite so smart anymore. I missed that White actually has a ko for life on the left (the exchange of for makes all the difference):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . B X O O . . X . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | 5 W X X O X . . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | 6 . O O X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . 2 O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | 4 X X O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . 1 3 X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

The capturing race with the presence of this ko is much harder to win than the capturing race without the ko--especially since White's last move removed many of my ko threats to connect to the Black group on the right.

However, if I have to fight a ko, I can fight a different (easier-looking) ko instead.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X O X . . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O C O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . 5 4 X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

I should be able to win this ko, although I might have to take a loss somewhere else.

Anyhow, I've got many options to choose from for my next move and much counting to do for each of these alternatives. I think I chose to play tenuki in the bottom right corner too hastily (regardless of whether tenuking was the correct thing to do or not). The position is very complicated, so I should have made absolutely sure that I'm not missing any important resources (which I obviously was). I'll take my time this time around.

Move 89 was, as a pro-friend once described such moves, black deciding to take a vacation. His hope for move 93, assumed that white passed on move 92, which never seemed likely.

Edit: REDACTED

First of all, I think I'm ahead by 5-10 points if I simply reduce White's moyo and take the big point at G3. Why Edlee did not come around to playing G3 himself is a bit of a mystery to me. Perhaps he does not see that the move threatens to rescue the two White stones in the bottom-left corner:

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

In any case, I believe Black can win without difficulties after the following sequence:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . O . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , X O O O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . X . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . O . X . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . O X . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . X O O . . . O X . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . O 1 X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O , 5 6 . . . . 2 3 . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . X 8 . . . 4 . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . 7 X O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . 9 X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Instead of , Black might actually also be able to start with this move (and maybe even "a"), but I haven't read it out very well, yet:

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

If this move works, a huge chunk of White's moyo would be destroyed.

That said, the tesuji I mentioned earlier seems to work:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . 1 X O O . . X . 5 . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X O X . . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . 2 O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | 4 X X O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . X 3 X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

The point of is this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm16
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X 4 . . . 2 O . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . X X W W . . X 1 B 3 . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X W X . . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | O . . O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . X X X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

The marked White stones get captured thanks to , and, if White does not capture , White will connect with his group on the right, successfully invading White's moyo.

I need to do some more reading, obviously, but it looks like I have a choice of two pathways to victory--the calm endgame grind or the violent train of ridiculous tesujis. I'll choose the more entertaining way if I can convince myself that plus combination works in all the lines.

It turns out I could have killed White's group on the left on move (before tenuki-ing)--I missed .

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

A bad misread, but what's new .

Another misread was that I thought Black needed one more move to win the capturing race, but I missed (which threatens "a").

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm10
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X a . 3 . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . 4 . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X O X . . . . . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X 2 1 . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X X X O . . . O X X X O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Now, after White's , the capturing race is rather difficult. I'm not sure, yet, but I might be losing the race by a single tempo. That said, perhaps I can still win the race if I first play

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Worst case scenario: I'm still winning even if I don't invade White's moyo.

Reading--a nice skill to have.

This move is either a mistake or the bestest, mostest, most omygoddest tesuji ever. Actually, it's probably just an overplay. After , if I persist with the invasion, I don't think I can win the resulting capturing race. Therefore, I'd have to revert to playing the endgame.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Incidentally, I may have overestimated my lead a bit. In fact, I might be leading by only a handful of points. If this is the case, my overplay may end up costing me dearly. However, EdLee must first find the right way to defend. Let's see if he does.

EdLee's last move looks to be a mistake. The difference between this move and between the move I think he should have played is subtle, yet substantial.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm9
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . 2 X O O O . X W . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . 1 X X O X X . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X X O . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . 3 X O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 5 X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . 6 . X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm15
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . 7 . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X 5 . 4 3 6 . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O O 1 X W . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X O X X 2 . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X X O . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O C O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . X . X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Notice that prevents Black from getting any extra liberties with and . This is not so after the move in the game:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

These two extra liberties are the difference between me losing and winning the capturing race.

For this reason, EdLee should go for the following variation instead, but it loses some points.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm6
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . 5 X O O . . X . O . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . 4 X X O O O . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O 1 X O X . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O 3 X X . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . 2 X O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . O . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O , . O . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . X O X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . . X . O . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . O X X O O O . . O . X . . . X O . . |
$$ | 7 . O X X O X . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . O O X X X . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O C O X X O . . . O . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 1 X O O O O O . X O O O . O . . . |
$$ | . 2 3 X X X O . . . O X X X O . O . . |
$$ | . 6 4 . . X . . . X X . . . X O X X . |
$$ | . . . O O X O O . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . X X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

The difference between this result and the following diagram seems to be about 5 points, give or take. Perhaps viewers who can count better than I can would be kind enough to make a more precise estimate.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Another fantastic position! I briefly reviewed the variations I posted previously, and they look rather complicated. Hopefully I have not misread.