Life In 19x19

I think the turn was correct. This clamp looks cool but black can simply push and create a cutting point.

I think that I need the pincering stone closer for the exchange to work. Let's see what I can salvage out of this. So long as I can get a wall facing down in sente to make the extension, I think I'd be happy. I considered playing b14 but I feel that's giving white too much.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O 8 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 X 1 2 . . X . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Something like this would be ideal, but what else could white do for 2?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Something like this looks playable. White could then take the top side and corner or a smaller corner and strength on the left.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X 1 4 . . X . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 2 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

This seems okay too.

The first diagram ends in flimsy shape for black. I think has to connect back and leave that cut there.

I discussed this sequence in my post for move 24. Was there something in particular you were curious about?

Well, for example, how would you evaluate the sequence now that it's been played out? What are you planning next?

I survey the landscape. I am highly satisfied with the outcome in the corner: sente, a large corner, and black is full of flaws. the left is going to be big, but it's still open to reduction.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B Reduction points
$$ +---------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O O O . . . . .
$$ | . O . , O . . X . ,
$$ | . X O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . a . . . . . ,
$$ | . . X . b . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . W . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X X . . . . .
$$ | . . X X O X X . . ,
$$ | . . O O O O . . . .
$$ | . . . . O . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ +---------------------[/go]

Because of the weaknesses in the top left group, now feels like it might be a good time to reduce the left; I consider a and b. If I'm going to play on the left, a play at a seems biased toward the top left; it makes no use of the marked stone.

On the other hand, b would be a great point if black gets to play there, which means it's probably a good place for me to play. On the other hand, the right side is very open. Is anyplace urgent? No, white has only settled groups.

In the end, I decided to go with my favorite rule: play at the widest place.

What made you pick the approach in particular (instead of, say, responding to bottom right)?

I wonder if black can press white low on bottom right and then get the pincer on that approach stone.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B White 31. Prisoners: W 2, B 0.
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

So I'm not sure that this move is from the right direction by white. I would imagine white would want to play on the other side so as to coordinate with his now strong corner and/or pincer black's lone top stone. On the other hand, white probably wants to break up potential moyos for black. Right now, white has two corners and is likely to get a third, while black has much more central influence, but basically no solid territory, though the left side is certainly a potential area.

JTS asked for my opinion on the current sate of the board, so here are what I see as big points I'd like to play in the near future, though I seriously doubt I will get all of them:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . X O O X M . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , M . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . M . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O M . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Following what I said earlier, this has turned into an influence vs territory game, so I need to decide how black is going to make points using the influence to overcome white's territorial advantage. The biggest questions in my mind are:
1) How do I respond to the approach to the top right?
2) Do I press in the bottom right with a move like the marked one, or do I do something different, like attach inside at the 3-3 point, to solidify territory?
3)Where do I think white's inevitable invasion will occur, and how will I handle it? This also asks how I can manipulate the situation to get white to invade where I can make territory attacking the invasion.

In the top right, I feel the bottom right takamoku cries out for a pincer to be played, but a loose pincer invites a double approach on the corner from the top side, and I am concerned about damaging the H16 stone. I would want sente both to connect to it with F15 but also to take control in the bottom right. A one-space low pincer, while preventing the double approach, means that white can jump out and press black down on the right side. Black's still open top right corner and the negated influence of the new white wall are probably not worth it for black, I think. Almost any response on the top side makes me cringe also, as it would let white stabilize himself easily on the right and then allow for more severe play against the bottom right by white.

I would love to play a one-space high pincer against the approach stone in the top right, and have white take the corner while I seal him in, but I don't think it's likely white would go along with that plan. Can I get white running and do well?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . B . . . 9 8 . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . . 3 . X . 4 . |
$$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 2 . O W . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

This looks decent, but I'm not sure that white would play this way. Here's the double approach:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . . . 2 . 8 6 . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . 4 3 . X 7 . . |
$$ | . X O O X 9 . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]

I have a feeling this could easily start a running battle between the two groups on the right side. Whether that's good for black or not depends on the bottom right to some extent.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . . . 2 . 6 4 . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . . . . X 5 . . |
$$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 3 W . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

If black attaches on the other side, it creates a result like this. I think I'm happier with this than the previous diagram.

Lastly, white could go directly to the 3-3 point:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm1
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O . . . . . . . 8 6 . 4 2 . . |
$$ | . O . , O . . X . , . . . 7 5 X 3 . . |
$$ | . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]

I think this works well for black as well.

I have a lot more analysis as I feel this is a critical point in the game, so I will post more in the morning before I make my move.