Life In 19x19

The game is below, if you're interested. The reason I chose the one-space close pincer is because it seemed like if white tried to get out black could make a solid group on the left side, which is the same area where white played . As it is, I feel black has been a bit passive on the left side.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Okay, so before I said I was considering plays on the bottom and the right to be miai so now I'm going to play on the right side somewhere. I just need to find the right point.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

a and b are the two points I'm looking at. I don't want to play on the 4th line because it leaves more weaknesses if he approaches this new group on the 3rd line. I don't want to play closer to either corner because it's no longer possible to make a two or 3 space extension in both directions.

Playing at a would be similar to this common pattern:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black usually approaches the white stone from a or b.

reposting the first diagram:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I prefer a here because if black approaches from the 5-3 I can make a 3 space extension towards the 4-4 with the possibility of this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . 6 . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 3 . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The 3-3 point is still open for invasion here, my group is stable and the top is still open to invasion.

If black approaches from the 4-4:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . a . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If black doesn't defend the lower right corner I can play a later; if he does defend the corner it's still open to invasion unless he plays the 3-3 point but that doesn't work very well with the rest of his stones.

I guess could also be at b or c but it's still possible to play the 3-3 invasion later with either of those and with c it's possible to attach at b or vice-versa.

Either way I think I will get a fine result. I'll think about this a little more and make my move later today.

For some of my reasoning see the previous post. I'll try to count soon, once some more of the board has been settled. It's too hard for me to judge the value of black's positions right now.

I look forward to seeing what people think of this move -- probably hate it! Oh, well! [sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]
;W[cq]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[eb]
;B[fc]
;W[cb]
;B[df]
;W[cg]
;B[fq]
;W[dg]
;B[eg]
;W[eh]
;B[fh]
;W[ei]
;B[fg]
;W[do]
;B[iq]
;W[qj]LB[qh:A][oi:B]C[In this position, I want to play both A and B!]
;B[qh]
;W[qm]
;B[oi]TR[qo]C[However, the marked stone is in pathetic shape here. So I will make a compromise between A and B.])[/sgf-full]

I would much prefer low here to put more pressure on the white stone.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . 7 , 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 6 . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

What's not to like?

...or more pressure like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But, regardless, I agree that black's latest is just a bit too relaxed. He has a wall. He should pick fights.

Thanks for attaching the game! It is very interesting . I can see the similarities to the current position too. With your explanation I can understand your choice of move. If I was playing this way though, I would be a little wary that if white decides to cut and fight, the battle will take place inside white's area of influence. Even so, it is most likely playable I think.

I'm kind of surprised he played high. I guess it's okay with his wall in the upper left but now I won't have to worry about my group on the right much.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . X . a . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . c b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Because Black played high I have the possibility of a slide to a keeping my group more stable and of course there's the possibility of a pincer at b or c.

I expect black to play on the top next, since he played another high stone it seems he's focused on building the moyo at the top. As it is I can play almost anywhere at the top and have no trouble making a stable group.

I'll think more about what to play next after I see what black does. For now I just need to make this group safe.

Analysis to follow later, if I'm lucky, that is.

black's weakpoint which is white's invasion point.
white should try to get sente and invade at point 'a'
then black do not have any use for the influence he has.

very urgent and import invasion imo.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . a . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought about this position a little bit before I played the two space extension. My number 1 priority is to keep those two stones connected, number 2 is to get sente to break up the top before he reinforces at all.

The two possibilities for me to keep my stones connected are a and b:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . b . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

a is the more obvious move and it comes to mind first. If I play a black will probably peep again at c and again I would need to invest a move to stay connected.

With b black could play c to threaten cutting then I can play one point below a and it's impossible for black to cut. I think my base is more solid with b as well and it leaves more potential for me for later.

Some possible follow ups later

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . c . . 1 . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The moves at a and b give me more territory and take advantage of his high play at q12.

c breaks into the center, this would also be possible if I played @ r9.

I don't really think I can keep sente to play first at the top but I had expected to lose it when I played my last move (the two space extension) and for black to play on top. It's possible that black will let me keep sente, as unlikely as I think it is I do think it's possible due to the way black has been following me around on the board so far.

Anyway, I'm going to make a move tomorrow. I'm tired and don't want to make a decision right now.

I decided to just go with the regular connection. If he peeps again I'll slide up the right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . X . 0 . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I won't get sente this way but I don't think there's much I can do about that. I don't think there's any way I can stay connected and stable in sente.

I haven't had much time to post anything. My idea here is to press him down and take sente to descend F18. I don't care if these two stones die later on as long as I can use them to create a large northern framework I will be fine.

A few comments to make up for my recent neglect:[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]
;W[cq]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[eb]
;B[fc]
;W[cb]
;B[df]
;W[cg]
;B[fq]
;W[dg]
;B[eg]
;W[eh]
;B[fh]
;W[ei]
;B[fg]
;W[do]
;B[iq]
(;W[qj]LB[qo:D][ip:A][jp:B][pq:C]TR[iq]C[I don't really care for this move. In my opinion, it should be played on the fourth line because the center is where black's territory is.

By that same philosophy, it might be possible that the marked stone should have been played at A or B, but I wanted to get a stable position on the left so I could deal with a potential move at C a little more strongly and not have to worry about D.]
(;B[ph]
;W[qm]
;B[pk]
;W[qk]
;B[pl]LB[fb:A][gj:B]TR[gb][hc]C[As I said briefly, this two stones are to enlarge my moyo. If play goes like this...

If he reinforces this group, I will take sente to play at A, this move looks huge now. I also thought about playing on the marked points instead to make an invasion harder to live, but I decided this is a moyo and so it should be as large as possible.

I would love to get the opportunity to play at B.]
;W[oi]
;B[oh]
;W[ni]
;B[mg]C[I am happy with the sacrifice of those two stones, the threat helped me turn the top nearly into territory. I think this is okay.])
(;B[ql]
;W[pg]C[Not good for black.]))
(;W[pf]C[Maybe a high-approach? I personally don't use this move much, but it might be correct here. I don't play splitting moves much, I've always felt that approaches are larger, but I may be wrong.]))[/sgf-full]

Sliding up the side expands my base. It protects against black pushing through and cutting as well. If black plays the placement at s8 he ends in gote. I'm still not completely cut off from the center either.

I think play will move to the top of the board next. What happens there will be very important and as much as I would like to play there first I'm not going to get to, my group on the right needs to be reinforced first.