Laerthd wrote:Bill,
I don't remember exactly but I think this was my idea to attack these stones but as I said, I don't think I can kill them. Or is the idea to attack from H8, gain strength and then attack the left side?
The main idea — by which I mean my main idea

— is to try to keep Black's center stones from becoming an asset, or much of one. Attacking them is unlikely to produce any territory directly, to speak of, or even much strength. But they are Black's only weakness at this point, and if they simply became a strength, the game would very likely be over. An immediate invasion of the left side, with the likely result that White lives in gote in exchange for a wall, would allow Black to use that wall and his center stones to form a framework, and White could kiss this game goodbye.
After

a quick survey reveals that if everything that even looks something like territory becomes territory, then Black is around 20 points ahead on the board. At this point in the game, around 12-13 points would be more like it, to give even chances of winning. And that means that White is running about 7-8 points behind. My guess is that Black has maybe a 55% chance of winning. Things may be a bit worse for White, given how thin the top side framework is.
One general plan would be for White to develop and strengthen the top side. But then Black would develop the left side, with help from his center stones, and White would be playing perpetual catch-up, I think. OC, I could be wrong, but as a practical matter, I think that White has to invade the left side. And he has to prepare the way first, by attacking Black's center stones.
