Life In 19x19

I plan on using this method to discuss variations instead of creating multiple diagrams. I have not seen anyone else do this, so I wonder if it is okay? Please, let me know.
[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]C[To be honest, I have no objective way of evaluating the first four moves, so I normally play the same way which makes my opening fairly boring. Perhaps I will try to add some spice for this game.]
(;W[dd]
;B[qp]
(;W[dp]
;B[fq]
;W[dn]
;B[kq]C[I typically play the mini-chinese fuseki against a double 4-4 and expect to in this game if my opponent uses it.])
(;W[dq]
;B[oq]LB[cp:A]C[I will probably enclose the corner in this position.]))
(;W[dc]
;B[qo]LB[cd:A]C[I've been thinking about playing this mokuhazushi if my opponent opens with a komoku. I hope I get to play it as I haven't had the opportunity yet.]))[/sgf-full]

Even game, no idea what my rank actually is but it's somewhere around 1 - 2k. This should be fun.

If it's a diagonal fuseki I'll play a 3-4 in the bottom right. If my opponent plays in the bottom right I'll play a 3-4 or I'll play 3-3. Not much else to say for now.

[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]LB[pq:A]C[So, I get to play this move as I would have liked. I will try to play more for influence in the beginning expecting white to jump into my corner around A to which I will shoulder hit and build a wall.]
(;W[pq]
;B[op]
;W[oq]
;B[np]
;W[mq]
;B[mp]
;W[lq]C[In this position, I even might like to play an nadare in the upper-left. I realize this might be an odd way of playing, but I cannot immediately say it is bad.]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[cc]
;B[df]
;W[cg]
;B[fd]C[Bad or good? I think it is interesting, at least!])
(;W[cp]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[cc]
;B[df]
;W[cg]
;B[fd]
;W[pq]
;B[op]
;W[oq]
;B[np]
;W[mq]
;B[qj]LB[dq:A]C[Maybe this will be my plan if white plays komoku. It should lead to a fight on the upper-side which will be fun!]))[/sgf-full]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , d . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . c , . . . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . b . . . . . a . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If he makes a shimari at a an extension to b is good for me. If he plays c I can split the right side at d. I think if he shoulder hits my 3-3 it feels premature since I will probably end with sente and be able to approach his 5-3. Other than that it's still too early for a lot of commentary.

[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]
;W[cq]C[This looks like it is going to be a territory versus moyo game. I'll go ahead with my plan to play the nadare in the upper-right.]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[cf]
;B[db]
;W[cc]
(;B[fd]LB[jc:C][df:A][cg:B]C[This might be the result. I might exchange A for B before making the tiger's mouth or I may play C before the tiger's mouth.])
(;B[jc]LB[fc:B][ed:A]C[White may try to start a fight at A or B.]))[/sgf-full]

There's too many variations to show all of them (especially with the avalanche) so here's a couple things I'm looking at:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm6 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 , 5 . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . a . . . . . , . . . . 7 , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . b . . . 9 8 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

5 is looking to approach the top right corner and playing another stone on the third line would feel too low. 6 aims at the shoulder hit at a. Playing 6 low would be safer from invasion but black has been playing more influence oriented moves so playing low would be inconsistent. If black defends the corner with 8 and 10 white gets a good extension from the 3-3 and the two stones to the right at b.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm6 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O 4 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 2 . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . b , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If black plays this way my position is a little low but later I may be able to push up at a or approach at b, maybe both. I'll see if black even plays the avalanche before I decide if I actually want to avoid it or not.

The reason I decided not to tenuki or pincer is because I want solid territory here and my 3-3 stone doesn't have as much potential to develop a moyo if I pincered as a 4-4 or even 3-4 would for example.

Also many 5-4 point joseki end with black in this case getting a good amount of influence which would work well later if he gets to shoulder hit my 3-3.

I'm not too good at the opening, I wouldn't say I'm good at the middlegame and my endgame is bad so hopefully I can learn something from this game. Comments will be appreciated.

Not much to say, this is what I was planning to do. When it comes to it, I think I will extend immediately and see how he responds. If he cuts, the ladder is good for me so I feel I have the advantage and the extension is too big to let white play there first.

[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]
;W[cq]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[cf]
;B[db]
;W[cc]
;B[jc]LB[nc:D][oc:B][fd:C][qd:A][oe:F][qf:E]C[In some recent pro games I've seen, this extension is made then white approaches the upper-right corner. However, in these pro games, black has played komoku at A and white approaches at B then black C. In my game, if white approaches at D then black C and white E I feel I could make a strong double attack at F. I'm not sure how white will respond, but this is my plan.])[/sgf-full]

I'm going to avoid the avalanche.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm10 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 1 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . 6 . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is another possibility as well as what I had in my last post. I don't think he can effectively cut at 3.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm10 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 2 O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After this black needs to play a defensive move but he can't defend both the top and the left.

I wasn't expecting that. I'm going to take a little time to think about how to respond.

EDIT: I don't know if this move is common or a trick. I've only been playing for about a year and don't often play the avalanche. It seems natural for black to crosscut, white connect, black atari but I want to think about it more. It also seems possible to nobi then hane at the head of white's two stones if white connects.

Well I don't know what he's thinking but apparently he's never seen my last move before otherwise he probably would have responded in his last post instead of just posting his thoughts. If anyone cares I learned this variation from one of the games in Kamakura (which I got as a gift for Christmas), Kitani played it against Go Seigen. Here's the beginning of the game:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 0 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 7 5 . . . . , . . . . . , 4 . . |
$$ | . . . 8 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 4 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X X 3 . . . , . . . . 5 . O . . |
$$ | . 2 . O O . 8 . . . . . . . . . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If you don't already have the book, I'd recommend it. The commentary on the games is good and so is the biographical information. I don't have the other books in the series yet though so I can't say anything about those.

[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]PW[Perception]PB[mw42];B[pd];W[dc];B[qo];W[cq];B[de];W[ce];B[dd];W[cd];B[ec];W[eb]
;B[fc]C[I've decided to go with this nobi. If white pushes on the side...

He could also nobi or hane...]
(;W[fb];B[gc];W[gb]
;B[hc]C[Obviously this is good for black.])
(;W[cf]
(;B[cc];W[db];B[fb];W[cb];B[jc])
(;B[db];W[cc];B[fb];W[cj]
;B[jc]C[This gives a similar (but I think better) result to if I just played D18 immediately.]))
(;W[df];B[cc];W[db]
;B[bc]C[Now there is aji with a cut at E14, but if he just fixes...

So, he must reduce liberties.]
(;W[cf]
;B[fb]C[Then I can kill his three stones.])
(;W[bd]
;B[fb]C[Then this bend is sente.];W[cb]
;B[fe]C[Now, if he doesn't respond to this, I can get a good position on both sides which is too bad for him.];W[cg]C[Then I get sente, I think I'll use it to to play on the bottom...];B[gq];W[dn];B[jq])))[/sgf-full]

Black needs to extend to 13. Blocking at a instead and allowing white to hane at 13 would be painful. Later if black leaves the opening at a it will be helpful in reducing or invading at the top. If black tries to hane instead of extending to 13 I can cut at 13.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . O a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not too much to say here, I don't think. I want to hane, but if I hane he can cut immediately since his corner group is strong, and while I don't think I will die anywhere he will be able to harass my groups and hurt my plan to obtain influence. He will probably (should, I think) respond to this with a one-space jump down the side. This gives me sente to play on the bottom. I'm not too anxious to extend from my wall because of the open skirt, and I think that group is fairly thick. I think the bottom is bigger right now.

[sgf-full](;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
PW[Perception]PB[mw42]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[qo]
;W[cq]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ec]
;W[eb]
;B[fc]
;W[cb]
;B[df]
;W[cg]
;B[fq]
;W[do]
;B[iq]LB[pq:A]C[This is my plan. After I get the two-space extension on the bottom, A looks huge. If white takes it...]
;W[pq]
;B[op]
;W[oq]
;B[np]
;W[mq]
;B[qj]LB[qq:A]C[I get to play on the right in virtual sente, I think. White's group on the bottom doesn't look all that healthy since I still have aji in the corner at A.])[/sgf-full]

Hmmm, neither player has any great urgency to develop the bottom. The bottom right corner, or the right side, look bigger to me