27. topazg (1d) vs. Numsgil (8k)

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:28 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm22 Move 22 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and Thoughts

Actually, this was a really difficult decision, of whether to block or to cut. There are a few reasons why I've played here, and most of the justifications are in the green influence and thickness bit - this wasn't a simple decision though. One thing I like that isn't part of the influence / thickness debate is the aji I get at the bottom:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm22 Move 22 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . b O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . a . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

"a" was Black's sente, forcing me to capture those stones, but didn't really feel like White's sente. If Black's connected out, White has to spend two moves taking away about 10 points, and that's slooooow at this stage in the game. If Black got "b" after I blocked, he doesn't need the internal eyespace so much and can merrily bounce into the middle. However, once I've cut, Black's a very brave player to ignore "a", and it takes away his chance of getting it in sente - a big double sente move, even in the opening, should be played pretty sharpish. However, on top of this aji, there's lots of influence / thickness arguments that have guided my decision.

Tactics and Variations

Fundamental Principles - Influence and Thickness part I

Fundamental Principles - Influence and Thickness part II

Thickness is useless with weaknesses

A thick wall looks like this ^

A thick wall with defects / weaknesses looks like this ^

Think of thickness as Mike Tyson encapsulated in a wall of go stones. There's nothing they like more than a nearby invasion that they can bite the ear off (

- bit below the belt, sorry!). However, a thick wall must not have internal weaknesses. This cannot be stressed enough. Sabaki, running out, and living on the edge all use techniques that exploit weaknesses and bad aji - having a thick wall with weaknesses and using it to attack is like hoping no-one notices that your Mike Tyson has a broken arm. It looks great until the fighting starts, then it has to limp off with great embarrassment. For example:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Mike Tyson strikes $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 2 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O W . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is the sort of position where the wall starts really beating up on Black, leaving him nowhere to run and a very sad group. Even living on the inside will give White even greater thickness, which will tempt White to play at "a" and start another big favourable fight. However, take away that marked stone, and ...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 With the arm broken $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 2 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O 7 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Suddenly this extension is painful - Black's threatening to simply connect underneath, and undermine the attack. White blocks, and out Black runs, intent on attacking both sides at once. Suddenly White's finely constructed attacking plans suffer from having to go back and patch up the weaknesses, and by the time he's ready to resume attacking, White's in trouble himself.

In this position, if White really wants to approach the top right and tempt the invasion, White must block on the right, or his wall is not thick enough to handle the pincer as well as he'd like. So, why didn't I play it?

Fundamental Principles - Influence and Thickness part III

So, why did I cut instead of build up my thickness?

It's a battle of priorities. I want that thickness, and I want to tempt invasions that I can kill for profit - I need to do this sort of thing if I want to catch up 70 points. However, if I don't block, Black can only creep underneath on the second line, and it's not my territory to reduce just yet. It's still a good move, but the cut feels just so much bigger right now. Essentially, the fundamental principle of removing the weaknesses from my thickness so I can utilise it better has been completely trumped by the Divide and Conquer fundamental principle. Especially in a game with this level of handicap, every weakness Black has is an opportunity to exploit. Often, these sorts of cuts get overlooked because they don't connect White up (the ladder breaker is too obvious for me to play to capture that stone). However, White's pretty strong on both sides and doesn't need to fear Black's cut off stone from escaping. However, the fact it's disconnected means Black is separated into two groups and fully sealed in. The value of doing this is huge, not least because it makes the lower right approach sente, but also because I can start building a central moyo without Black being able to easily reduce it. In immediate terms, White's cut gets him 0 points. With regards to having thickness and influence that is exerted over the center, it's value could easily be upwards of 30 points depending on whether I manage to use it well or not.

Now moves like "1" in the "too early to approach diagram / arm broken" diagram are ok, because after Black separates with 8, White can cap the 8 stone and continue the fight, as White's group is hugely strong because of the ability to connect to the lower group. If Black continues to squeeze out, White hopes to up the ante by attacking the top right:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Moves 24-33 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 2 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . 8 . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O 7 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X W . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm34 Move 34-38 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O . X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 B . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 3 . O . X . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm uncomfortable with White's weaknesses in this last variation, but it's the sort of line I'm aiming at.

EDIT: Actually, maybe I just shouldn't let Black make a base and should play R9 if he pincers there ... feels too close to White's wall ... hmmm, will have a think!

Further EDIT: Actually, now I've cut, why not let Black connect underneath on the second line?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Moves 24-32 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 2 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O 8 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X W . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . a . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Annoying, no? I probably should play "a" first though as it won't be sente afterwards.

Magicwand · Post by **Magicwand** » Tue May 04, 2010 5:27 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm22 Move 22 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

anyone who doesnt see why black is going to lose must know...
you can not get sealed in as above and expect to win.
if it is a professional game black should resign.
it is that BIG!!!
i feel it through my skin.
i feel it like a hammer banging into my head.(this expression was used by my second master)
that is what one needs to feel.
if you can feel that then you are getting stronger.

Numsgil · Post by **Numsgil** » Tue May 04, 2010 7:26 pm

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and Thoughts

Now that the life/death of my group on the right is essentially decided, I'll switch to playing big points. Since the corners are taken, big points are now corner enclosures. As a general rule, all else being equal, I think you're supposed to make enclosures on your own corners before approaching oppenents'. Or at least that's the rule of thumb I've been following.

Also of note, my enclosing stone should null out some of white's influence on the bottom. That's why I've made the wider enclosure. I think this is the sweet spot for limiting the maximum amount of white's influence. I'd be more comfortable with the knights enclosure, but I think this is the proper move. It's low since I'm extending towards an area that white has a strong presence in.

As a follow up move later for white:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . 2 . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I believe this is the strategic weak point for black's corner enclosure.

Tactics and Variations

Anyway, here's the loose ladder read out for white as well as I was able:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . 4 . 2 . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . 6 5 3 X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . 7 O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . 8 . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm31 Move 31 Black 39 connects $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . 7 6 . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . 3 O 5 O . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . 4 O X X X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . 2 1 X O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . O 8 O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . 4 . 2 . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . 6 5 3 X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . 8 7 O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm31 Move 31 White dies $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . O . O . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O X X X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . O X O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . 4 3 1 O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . 6 5 2 O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm31 Move 31 White dies a different way $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . O . O . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O X X X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . O X O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . 1 O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . 2 3 O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 4 5 . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The first two diagrams are best for white. Black escapes, but is still weak and not in great shape. But no local capture for white. If white wants that cutting stone, he needs to run a regular ladder to it towards the side of the board. Which means a ladder breaker/extension from my corner enclosure is a doubly large move.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . a b . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I can play 'a' or 'b' in sente (well, unless there's a larger move elsewhere). Here's why:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X 3 4 1 . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X 3 1 . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Of course, since it's sente, white will respond like so:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X 2 1 3 . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

And the aji in those stones is used up once they're removed from the board. White's loose ladder will now work. And all I've gained in compensation is a few points. So that's why I'm going to save it till later. Either I can exploit the aji to save the cutting stone or exploit it for the sequences above as an endgame move.

Dusk Eagle · Post by **Dusk Eagle** » Tue May 04, 2010 7:48 pm

A joseki example of an exception to what Magicwand said above:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . 3 . . 5 6 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . 1 4 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . X . 3 X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 2 5 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . X O 2 . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . X 6 X X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 O 1 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . 5 X O O . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . X O X X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 O O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 O X . X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

However, I think the difference between the sequence that played out in the game and this joseki is obvious - so what Magicwand said still applies. Black's corner in-game is much worse than his corner in my example.

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:27 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Move 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . 1 . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and Thoughts

Tactics and Variations

unkx80 · Post by **unkx80** » Wed May 05, 2010 1:56 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm17 Move 17 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The exchange of

with

strengthens white on the outside, while the forcing moves black can make is restricted to the corner. Therefore, I think this exchange is not good for black.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm21 Move 21 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . d O b O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X a . . 1 X . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think

can be played here. It actually prevents the cut at a, by setting up the b-c-d tesuji.

Magicwand · Post by **Magicwand** » Wed May 05, 2010 4:24 am

Bill Spight · Post by **Bill Spight** » Wed May 05, 2010 6:53 am

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Move 23 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Locally, this feels like one space too far to me. The large knight's enclosure is notoriously weak, and invading the corner later would make good use of White's thickness.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . 1 . 2 . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I understand the thinking that says that

allows White to make the ideal extension at

. However, the extension to

is not ideal, because White is already alive and strong. In fact, it is a bit too close. Therefore,

settles this area, at least for now, and is without the weaknesses of the large knight's enclosure.

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Wed May 05, 2010 7:10 am

Further thoughts

Had a bit of a think about my plans going forward. It's a very tricky decision to make for me, and I need to feel confident that whatever I'm choosing is working well with the global position.

As I have an open skirt on the right, I don't feel like the top right approach is good just yet. If he pincers sure, I can play my sort of game, but what if he just protects at O17? If I take another move on the right I'm trying to turn thickness into territory, in gote, and insecurely because of the open skirt. The 4-4 is a tricky customer to handle, and I think neither of us has a great degree of urgency up there.

The other thickness I might choose to use is on the lower side, but he's taken away the approach I wanted. Not only that, but he's now trying to make a good extension up the left. So, I think my next plans must work in this corner of the board. H3 is obviously completely the wrong thing to do with thickness, so my immediate alternative is capping at F5, which just lets him extend further along the bottom at J3. This is really annoying to have to respond to, and while my thickness isn't useless down there it's not going to do much. Not only that, but instead of J3 he could just have some fun and extend up the left, which seems intolerable. So, I have a few "cunning" plans:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . c X , . . d . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . c . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . W B . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I plan on moving on one of the "a" spots. I prefer D7 intuitively, but I'm feeling an extension big enough to leave both the "b" points as non-contact plays is too far. I don't want to make it too easy for Black to counter, so I may play D8. It's high, so it's tricky for Black to find a severe counter. I'm planning to probe at the "c" points - probably b4 depending on black's response to "a". Depending on Black's response, I'm looking at either connecting out to "a" (perhaps a bit later), or living in the corner, and I'm planning on the shoulder hit at "d" if it makes Black overconcentrated. Finally, if I get sente without an urgent need to follow up, I'm planning on playing "e" to support my top left, as that's a great fun corner to try and invade

So, continuing the big scale influential complicated unsettled fighting game plan if I can.

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Wed May 05, 2010 11:53 am

Further further thoughts

Firstly, I believe strongly that the purpose of Malkovich games is to study and to learn, so when I'm in one I think lots about it. If I lose, it's not because I rushed or didn't care, it's because I wasn't good enough - and hopefully the experience will show me where and why.

That said, I've been thinking about how I handle the top left if he plays there first. I want complicated. I want lots of weak groups running all over the place. I want unsettled and messy. I want sharp and severe possible punishments of misplays. So, here are my answers to each (and in each case my aim is something that works with my approach of the lower left that I intend on taking with my next move):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 The Taisha - complicated and crazy - obvious choice $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Same as lower right $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Better than lower right $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Common 6-4 trick continuation $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . 2 . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Non-joseki but looks good - see this and next $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 4 3 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 6 . . . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Non-joseki but looks good - see this and last $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 8 2 5 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . 7 3 4 . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Numsgil · Post by **Numsgil** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:03 pm

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm25 Move 25 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and Thoughts

Not a move I was expecting. I realized looking through my old posts that it's been a while since I explained the main line of play I was expecting, so to clarify I was expecting white to move at either 'a' or 'b' below:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Move 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . b , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . a . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I guess this was double sente for both sides. If I ignore white, I think white can either kill or force me to live really small. I don't see a way to respond to white in sente.

My guess is that white wants to force me to burn the aji of my two black stones so that he can loose ladder my cutting stone. But I think I can defend without ruining the aji of my black stones.

Tactics and Variations

So the goal here is to make moves to secure my corner without forcing white to remove any liberties on my two captured black stones. Towards that end, I don't want to touch white's two stones if I don't have to.

If I were aggressively defending, I could do this sequence:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm24 Move 24 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O 4 X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X 3 2 1 6 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But white's removal of those two black stones makes white nice and thick.

With just descending (25 at 29), if white tries anything funny I can revert to this sequence as my ace in the hole, since it's a series of forcing moves.

topazg · Post by **topazg** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:13 pm

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and Thoughts

Tactics and Variations

daniel_the_smith · Post by **daniel_the_smith** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:18 pm

Numsgil · Post by **Numsgil** » Wed May 05, 2010 2:08 pm

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm27 Move 27 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , 1 . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Strategy and thoughts

Tactics and Variations

White is too close to my thickness on the bottom. At least, ignoring the right side he is. I'm not sure if his stones to the right change matters. I guess it does since it allows white's stone to flee towards strength.

Anyway, this is the first thought which occurs to me:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . 4 . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Or something like that. But since white can run towards thickness all I end up doing is creating a weak group for white to chase.

If I ignore white, and extend on the left as far as I can given white's wall, there's a good followup for white on the left. This gives white a strong moyo bordering on solid territory. (I just realize I've neglected an extension from the bottom left corner, but this is roughly how things might progress). Black ends up with more potential territory, and white still doesn't have anything moyo-like in the center to really take advantage of his thickness.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . | $$ | . . . 5 . . . . . 2 . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Below, I consider moves around 'a' and 'b' to be more or less miai. Black playing 'a' would obviously be too cramped (overconcentrated). 'b' approaches a strong white position, yes, but it does so from a roughly equal black position, so it mostly just ends up cramping white.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . b . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There's also a low invasion to consider. But it can't really make a base, and it can't really run effectively, and even if it lives white gains more influence.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Last, there's white's corner to consider. Ideally I want to share the corner with white, and force white to develop the left while I take the top, since it agrees well with my star stone. 'c' potentially reverts to the fight in the lower right. I don't think that ended well, so I'm not going to do that. 'b' is too cowardly. I take the corner while white gets the center and sides. 'e' can be pressed effectively by white to the 3rd line or shoved into the corner by the shoulder hit at 'f'. So it's not great in my opinion. 'a' is interesting. White will probably take the corner and I can extend to make the top work. He might also pincer, and then things get complicated, of course, but it's still situated to make an enclosure at 'b' or a line higher, if it comes to that. 'd' is also interesting, since it leads to double approach 4-4 stone joseki (not that I know them very well).

Playing in the corner seems like the biggest move to make, so I think I'll definitely do that. So it's a choice between 4-4 at 'd' and the 5-4 at 'f'. I'd be more comfortable with 'd', but I think 'f' leads more easily to controlling the top and letting white develop the left.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . b c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . d a f . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I don't know really how white will respond, but here's one possible continuation. I don't think it could be considered joseki since white gets practically the entire corner. But something like this is what I'd like to see.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm26 Move 26 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 7 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 3 , 2 . . . . 6 . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . . X X . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . . O O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . O X O O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O X . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

edit: typo

daniel_the_smith · Post by **daniel_the_smith** » Wed May 05, 2010 2:21 pm

Life In 19x19

27. topazg (1d) vs. Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)

Re: Malkovich #27 - topazg (1d) vs Numsgil (8k)