Life In 19x19

I think I might tenuki... (Edit: I guess that's not so surprising when you've already seen that I've tenukid)

I didn't find any kikashi, but I did find what looks like quite a nice reduction sequence.

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[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . 4 O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3 7 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X 5 . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's not worth as many points as the corner, but it strengthens my side stones, which could be useful if he invades. It means that by invading I've reduced the value of a single black move in the corner, from taking the whole corner, to taking just part of it, which was the whole point of my invasion. The corner still seems to be worth a lot of points, but I think following up on my move at C7 may now be bigger.

I read this out in away from the board so it's likely wrong, but I think a move at D6 not only kills C6 and builds a wall, but also defends against a 3-3 invasion. If so, I take influence and territory with one move, which is pretty huge. Time to read it out:

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[go]$$Wcm1 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 7 X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . 6 5 . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . 2 3 . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . 0 8 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

continued...

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[go]$$Wcm1 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | 5 X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 X O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . X O . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | 3 . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 2 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Dead, but maybe...

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[go]$$Wcm1 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 7 X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . 5 6 . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 8 O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . 2 3 . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . 0 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Dead, but I think was a mistake...

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[go]$$Bcm1 All the horrible shapes make my eyes burn, but this is also dead.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . O . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | 5 . X O . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . 3 . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I also read out some other sequences but it seems overkill to post them all. I now feel pretty confident that a 3-3 invasion is unreasonable here. Does that make D6 worth more than Q18 though? I think purely in terms of territory, it's worth slightly less (i.e. black makes more with Q18 than I make with D6), but D6 has wider implications. Add to that that Q18 is gote for black and it makes the reduction sequence more strongly forced (because it now threatens life if black doesn't reply), and I feel happy letting konfuzed kill the top right. Honestly though, if I were playing black I would seriously question if I could afford to ignore the rest of the board right now.

All I have for now is my first instincts from looking at the board.

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[go]$$Bcm43 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . b O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X c . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

a feels flawed but this kind of idea feels appealing because I'd like to make this moyo deeper and give my left group more options.

b secures a respectable amount of points but is utterly isolated and double gote

c is somewhat large, possibly sente or even double sente (?), and feels necessary if I want to put any legitimate pressure on his group. However it is not as big in this case since I already have a base without it and I think this is typically considered large endgame rather than middle game material. Also, maybe compelling him to strengthen his group and secure points would lose me just as much as I gain here.

This is the move I am currently thinking of. I think getting a better presence in this area is important, and if I play here I should do so with a simple and relatively secure move.

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[go]$$Bcm43 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . a . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I think stabilizing my most vulnerable group is worth a lot, and getting a stronger presence in what I view as his primary expansion potential is also valuable.

The board is staring to look more settled now, which is a problem because it's settling in black's favour. I think it's about time I jumped in somewhere and started a fight, but I'm wondering if it's better to take the definite points at Q18 first. I don't think there is any single move that is worth as much for either player now, but there are lots of border moves and invasions that still have the potential to shape the game.

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[go]$$Bcm43 19x19 board
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . C . C . C . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . C . C . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . C . . C . . C . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . C . C . C . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . b . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . a . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

"a" is a big move for both sides in terms of territory and influence on the bottom.

The top left group is no longer as weak as it was, but I think there may still be some potential there. Either for building up strength to counter blacks potential in the marked area, or to attack after building up strength reducing the marked area.

"b" is also tempting as a move that strengthens my weakest group and defines a border.

I think the important question here is: can black be allowed to turn the marked area in to territory? My initial reaction was no, but on further consideration. I think the answer is yes. I judge it to be worth somewhat more than my bottom left, but the difference isn't overwhelming. And since I don't have much potential for territory up there, it seems easier to compare if I can reduce as much on the outside as I can on by living with Q18. It seems to me that I can't do anything on the outside that affects the top as much as Q18, so I can immediately rule out those moves

The same seems true for "a", "b" and attacking the left. They're important. But none of them seem to be worth as much as Q18. "a" and "b" don't seem to have any follow ups large enough to justify letting black get Q18, and I'm not sure I can really profit that much from attacking the left right now. I feel I should see how the rest of the board goes and wait for an opportunity to make use of it's weakness.

His willingness to live here in gote means this move is sente for me at the moment. I do not know what the technically correct timing for this move is, but I feel like I'd rather just seal him now.

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[go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . 3 O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 . |
$$ | . . . O . . 5 7 . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . 6 O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm thinking about just giving him the territory on bottom, taking a bit more center presence in exchange. Something like this, maybe probing with 5 first. If I probe at 5 I bet he will play my 7 in this diagram though, don't think it would work well but this is what I was thinking. I could also avoid strengthening him by playing a more light expansion instead of these attachments. I'm also thinking about attacking his bottom right group instead. I would also like to expand a bit on top. Too many choices to look at later.

Otherwise he can destroy the eye I made.

Splatted wrote:

$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------

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[go]$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Otherwise he can destroy the eye I made.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm wondering if something like this 6 might be better to play first, leaving endgame aji for later.

These are the moves I plan to look at. a looks like a great development point. b is valuable and I think might cause him problems if he tries to end the sequence with sente. c I haven't really looked at but I know I have seen things sort of like this to try to take influence and force the opponent towards the corner, and the thought was if I could find a way to split this group it would be valuable.

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[go]$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O b . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The move I was about to make

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[go]$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X 7 . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is why I didn't

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm10 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X 9 |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . X O O X 7 |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . . 2 1 X O 6 |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3 4 O 8 |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm19 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X O |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . . . . . . X O O X O |
$$ | . . . . . . . B . . . . . . X O X 1 X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O X . X |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . 2 X X X X |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . 5 3 O O . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My tenuki being at the circled point as opposed to somewhere else does help a bit, but even with that this still looks like a poor outcome for me. And if his response to my move is sente I don't see how it's a reasonable move.

I guess it would still be playable if I just let him connect underneath instead of blocking. At this point I feel like I just need to make a move, let this game progress, and get back to work.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

First instinct is not to block but to move out into the centre with P6.

This really feels like the only move. Blocking just feels really passive here and would still leave my group quite weak. Black could then attack from the other side and gain the center as well.

Compared to that, P6 is a move I wanted to play anyway and my group ends up looking much healthier than if I blocked. I think black's main advantage at the moment is that he has lot's of potential in the center while I have almost none, so I'm quite happy to exchange a side move for a center one. It's also interesting how similar my right side group is to black's left group. In terms of territory it seems like undercutting/defending either group is miai, though I think such an invasion would damage my group more than his.

Hmm, his bottom right group still looks interesting to attack. But for now I will play what I view as a vital expansion point.


I just feel like I wouldn't be happy if he played a move like this.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm43 Prisoners:
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . O X . . . . . X . X X O O |
$$ | . . X , . O . X . , . . . X . X O X . |
$$ | . . . X . O . W . . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . X . . X . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I expect him to pressure my far left group in response. I just tried a quick mental count, and it looks like if the bottom left turns to territory for him and the top is territory for me, it is a very competitive game. However, if I can live in the bottom left but he can't on top, I believe I have a substantial advantage.

As I see it, there are two possible ways of reducing black's territory on the top. I could try and invade and hope to escape and connect to one of my living groups, or I could approach from the outside and force the border as far back as I can. The second one is safer, but the first has the potential to reduce a lot more.

I'm playing K4 partly to increase my presence in the center in preparation for one of the above, and partly to help me make my decision. If I can create a situation in which we'd both be making territory by walling off the top/bottom, then I can happily try to reduce from the outside. If I can't then I may need to invade.

I was going to play J5 instead but I want a move that needs an answer. (Just been watching the sencond ASR lecture )