Life In 19x19

Hello everyone,

I'm excited to inform you that I've started posting weekly Go videos to https://youtube.com/benkyotutoring and the second one will be uploaded this Saturday! The current series is called 'Joseki Concepts' and I have tons of other plans in store, including commented live-play. I'm also accepting video/series requests (broad or specific) - posting those as comments on a video would help the channel and ensure they're seen.

Thanks guys!

Good content, well presented.

What I like in particular is that you articulate the expectation White is entitled to, to get a bigger corner due to the presence of the approach stone and Black's emphasis on the side.

You cover nearly everything, except the reason for Black to cut off the 3-3 stone from the approach stone.

I like how you presented this topic.

But I think the part about the R2 descent from 11:10 is not entirely correct.

In response to black's R5 hane, the descent is more like a trick move (black is tricked when he blocks at Q2, as you show in your video).
But if black just connects his cutting point, the result is even (so it's not bad for black).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc Descent, even result
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . 2 Y . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . X . O . X O . . |
$$ . . . . . . 3 1 . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ --------------------+[/go]

White can get a (slightly) better than even result with the Q2 hane.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc Hane, white is slightly better
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . 2 Y . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . X . O . X O . . |
$$ . . . . . 3 1 . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ --------------------+[/go]

So the Q2 hane is the real "refutation" of black's R5 hane(also see this discussion). That being said, things can still become complicated when black defiantly blocks at P2 and then connects at P3, so white needs to be sufficiently strong at in-fighting to keep a good result. This may be asking too much from an intermediate level player.

So I can understand that descending is the easiest way for your target audience to avoid a bad result (and an opponent of the same level may well fall for the trick by blocking).
So it's good to explain and recommend the descent to kyu players, but calling it the "refutation" of black R5 is a bit too strong IMO.

Hey guys,

Sorry for the late reply, I'll see about setting notifications to my email, assuming that's something I can do here.

@Knotwilg: Thanks for the feedback! I will definitely make it more clear next time why black would cut off white's stone.

@gennan: Yes, you're absolutely right. Perhaps calling it a refutation was a bit much, and you're totally right about why I recommended just the descend (keep simple, easy to remember, and focused on concepts as the series is focused on). There's definitely a few things I would change about the video now and I really appreciate the feedback, I should at least mention that I'm leaving things out, and speak in less absolute terms when presenting the suggested solution. When I eventually make a revamped version of this, I will absolutely apply all of your feedback

Regarding my videos in general, all of your feedback is gold, please keep it coming!

Thanks guys!

I was in the production and PR biz for four decades. Just a suggestion: if you are going to promise weekly content, have five to ten episodes in the can for those weeks when you simply cannot get new content produced.

@bogiesan Thanks for the suggestion! Yes, I think it's a great idea. I managed to get one video ahead recently, but then I found myself pretty busy and lost that (mere) one-week advantage. I have been posting weekly, but I was a day late on one and either way, that staying ahead strategy would be nothing but win