tough game

[daal]

After doing a bit of flirting with kgs 3k, I've been on a bit of a downspin, so I thought it might be good to get some eyes on my play. Here is a game I played today. It felt close most of the way, but I never got the upperhand.... Any particular moves not in the dan repertoire?

https://www.lifein19x19.com/download/file.php?id=8282

[BlindGroup]

Question from a weaker player. With your moves 12 or even better 14, would invading immediately at the 3-3 point been an option? Modulo whatever I'm may be missing, the stone at R6 seems to enable you to live and take the corner. (L+2, right?) And if you do it with move 14, the result seems to put his stones under significant pressure.

https://www.lifein19x19.com/download/file.php?id=8289

[daal]

At the end of your diagram, white has secured a small corner and is entirely enclosed. His stones on R6 and P6 are now weaker, as are the stones on H3 and L3, and and if black wants, he can connect underneath at s6, so he's not really in a tight spot yet. Another option that black would have would be to play something like N6 and start a double attack.

[BlindGroup]

Thank you for taking the time to point this out. I hadn't considered N6, but I figured that I was missing something. I'll look at it a bit more closely. I was thinking that black would need to choose between connecting at S6 or being cut at P4.

[daal]

Yeah, you are right, the cut works, so I guess black would have to defend it, probably at o5.

[bayu]

Before Remi beats me to it.

Some non-Dan moves from my kyu perspective:

No way. You got a weak group on the bottom and you're inviting a splitting attack. As white I consider sente (well, sente moves are ones that you hope the opponent ignores, but here as black I never know how to proceed if white ignores..). Furthermore, playing an unsupported approach against a shimari is very desparate, if not a no go. Moving halfway to r10 offsetting the influence of the shimari, looks better to me, if you are going to tenuki.

Entering sansan wrecks the outside. Bad exchange in this instance. Say thank you.

Even here, I think q18 is still possible as his corner is gonna die first if he cuts. Now your two walls on the right hand size are offset by his group which looks hard to attack severely. Didn't go well.

I don't like the kick. WIth the open skirt on top, his stone will get really easy life. A counterindication is also that he can make an ideal extension. The kick would be better if there were a friendliy stone on k16, because black gets overconcentrated.

Unprovoked headbutting. The start of the avalanche is the only one I consider kosher. And even that one demands some caution.

I agree that it is a shape move for your opponent. But now you invite a familiy feud on bottom and top. If black plays naturally, something of yours is going to die.

:w126: better wait. There is a cutting point on m10, and it might be beneficial to have an extra liberty. Later s7 is going to be a good endgame.

:w148: I don't think you saw the tombstone squeeze. Neither did your opponent. It won't turn the tables but the sudden appearance of fear in the face of the opponent should be reward enough to do it anyway.

[Bill Spight]

Thank you for taking the time to point this out. I hadn't considered N6, but I figured that I was missing something. I'll look at it a bit more closely. I was thinking that black would need to choose between connecting at S6 or being cut at P4.

Yeah, you are right, the cut works, so I guess black would have to defend it, probably at o5.

Yeah, the cut works, so maybe Black should play at P-04 instead of P-03.

[daal]

Some non-Dan moves from my kyu perspective:

Thanks for reviewing, I agree with everything you said except the last point: I still don't see a tombstone squeeze...

[joellercoaster]

I'm not stronger than you, so this is more of a question for other reviewers than anything.

The moves at the bottom right seemed generally fishy. The approach to a 4-4 that already has an extension is a move I'm trying to stop making, but when the inevitable pincer comes, then lets you off the hook a bit. pushing towards the corner at S4 doesn't really help you make eyes, and just helps Black solidify the corner.

Is the right thing to instead continue to move out and enclose Black's smallish corner, or first to lean on the now passive-looking Black stone at R8? Then the option of invading at 3-3 is still there... but when to consider it would be an interesting question.

[edit: daal, in your variation for , what happens when White takes the double atari in response to the wedge instead of atari from the outside?]

[Kirby]

In the opening, my feeling is that you play solidly, but maybe a bit slow. For example, I doubt N17 is the biggest move.

[Bill Spight]

Quick comment. Maybe more later.

In the beginning you trade territory for thickness. But you don't do much attacking, except when Black plays to reduce the left side.

[daal]

I'm not stronger than you, so this is more of a question for other reviewers than anything.

The moves at the bottom right seemed generally fishy. The approach to a 4-4 that already has an extension is a move I'm trying to stop making, but when the inevitable pincer comes, then lets you off the hook a bit. pushing towards the corner at S4 doesn't really help you make eyes, and just helps Black solidify the corner.

Is the right thing to instead continue to move out and enclose Black's smallish corner, or first to lean on the now passive-looking Black stone at R8? Then the option of invading at 3-3 is still there... but when to consider it would be an interesting question.

[edit: daal, in your variation for , what happens when White takes the double atari in response to the wedge instead of atari from the outside?]

Actually, you are probably a bit stronger as OGS and KGS are not equivalent.

I see what you are saying about the bottom right, and it makes sense. I thought about strengthening the two stones with a one space jump, but decided that making them stronger would be useless if they were just sitting there between two strong groups, which is why I played the fishy approach. I guess that is short sighted?

I missed the double atari while looking at that variation. Looks pretty bad for black.

[Bill Spight]

I'm not stronger than you, so this is more of a question for other reviewers than anything.

The moves at the bottom right seemed generally fishy. The approach to a 4-4 that already has an extension is a move I'm trying to stop making, but when the inevitable pincer comes, then lets you off the hook a bit. pushing towards the corner at S4 doesn't really help you make eyes, and just helps Black solidify the corner.

I see what you are saying about the bottom right, and it makes sense. I thought about strengthening the two stones with a one space jump, but decided that making them stronger would be useless if they were just sitting there between two strong groups, which is why I played the fishy approach. I guess that is short sighted?

IMO, in this case is OK, because of the White base on the bottom side. White has a local advantage. But after the pincer it leads to a difficult fight. After - the slide to S-04 is de rigeur. Then after at R-03, IMO White must fight for eyes with S-02. After Black makes a base on the right side White cannot let Black live so easily in the corner.

My preference for is to make sabaki with the attachment at R-04. Then Black R-03 - White S-03.