Life In 19x19

A play at 1 is the strongest move. But you need to know the follow up moves.

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[go]$$B
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , 1 . . . . , .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Especially if white tries this stubborn resistance

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[go]$$B
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 2 1 . . . . , .
$$ | . . X 3 4 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

It is very important to play 5 and dont chicken out!

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

forced continuation:

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[go]$$B
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 8 6 7 . . . . .
$$ | . . . O 5 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 2 1 . B . . , .
$$ | . . X 3 4 0 . . . . .
$$ | . . . . 9 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

This is where the fun begins ...

Variation 1:

(the top of the pro variations, but questionable)

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[go]$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . . . . .
$$ | . . 1 O X . X . . , .
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . .
$$ | . . . . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Variation 1a:

Move 8 is probably stronger than a move at a.

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

Additional Info:
Lee Taehyun 7p - Kim Junghyun 6p, B+Resign (Komi 6.5)
year 2017 Korean League, round 5, 2017-07-14

Possible continuation 1a:

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[go]$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . W . 6 a .
$$ | . . O O X 9 X X 5 7 0
$$ | . X X X O O O O X 8 .
$$ | . . . 1 X X . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O 2 3 . . . .
$$ | . . . O . 4 . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

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

Variation 1b:

Move 1 is not working. This is good for black. (The move at 2 is probably stronger than the play at a.)

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[go]$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . . . . . .
$$ | . 1 O O X . X a . , .
$$ | . X X X O O . . . . .
$$ | . . . . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O 2 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Additional Info:
Tang Weixing 9p - Mi Yuting 9p, B+Resign (Komi 7.5)
19th Chinese League A, round 19, 2017-10-08

More to come ...

Gomoto wrote:Possible continuation 1a:

$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . W . 6 a .
$$ | . . O O X 9 X X 5 7 0
$$ | . X X X O O O O X X .
$$ | . . . 1 X X . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O 2 3 . . . .
$$ | . . . O . 4 . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .

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[go]$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . W . 6 a .
$$ | . . O O X 9 X X 5 7 0
$$ | . X X X O O O O X X .
$$ | . . . 1 X X . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O 2 3 . . . .
$$ | . . . O . 4 . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

black 8 was pass?

P.S. Sometimes my opponents cut instead of empty triangle block in var 1. I've nor seen that in pro games, mistake? how to continue?

This is a very interesting new joseki!

Uberdude wrote:black 8 was pass?

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[go]$$W W11 marked, B12 at a
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O O X . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X . W . 6 a .
$$ | . . O O X 9 X X 5 7 0
$$ | . X X X O O O O X 8 .
$$ | . . . 1 X X . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O 2 3 . . . .
$$ | . . . O . 4 . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

I'm pretty sure.

@Uberdude:

The cut is not a good option for white.

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

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

I would not expect white to make that centre push as it loses the 2nd line cut emergency escape route for the corner. If following happens then white is saying a and b miai; let's assume for now giving black a stone at c doesn't make ladder at d work.

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[go]$$W
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . 5 7 O O X . . . . .
$$ | . 4 6 O X a . . . . .
$$ | . . . O X c X . . , .
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . .
$$ | . . 2 1 X d . . . . .
$$ | . b . 3 . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Then black saves his stones and encourages white to cut because it damages the outside. Extend of 12 is a tesuji aiming for miai of ladder above or net below, but white can avoid both with pushing to take liberty (we still assume ladder is good for white if white chose to cut).

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[go]$$Bm8
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O O O O X . . . . .
$$ | . X X O X 2 4 6 . . .
$$ | . . . O X 3 X 5 . , .
$$ | . . X X O O . . . . .
$$ | . . X O X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . 1 . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

I suppose black plays this yummy squeeze and white's shape sucks. Where next? a/b/c are some ideas. Maybe white should have pushed at d before that self-damaging second line cut to make sure the e weakness is serious. This is probably good for black, but as black I could probably lose against Ilya Shikshin from here seeing as groups are cut and nothing white is dead and black does have some weaknesses too.

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[go]$$Bm14
$$ +----------------------
$$ | . . . . . 4 . . . . .
$$ | . O O O O X 2 3 . . .
$$ | . X X O X O O O 1 . .
$$ | . . d O X X X X c , .
$$ | . . X X O O 9 . . . .
$$ | . . X O 0 6 5 . . . .
$$ | . e . O 8 7 . . . . .
$$ | . X . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . a b . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . .[/go]

balance of power