Could I have won this 9x9?

[kaimat]

http://files.gokgs.com/games/2011/6/18/kaimat-onacliff.sgf

At the end I was hoping to either create a seki or win from the ko. Did I miss any chances or was the game lost from the start?

[Monadology]

61 is unnecessary. If he forces you to play it in sente, he's filling in his own liberty. Play 61 at C9 instead and I think you can get a seki or even maybe win, as it gives you a single eye and prevents his throw-in at 64.

[emeraldemon]

At W53, play H9.

$$Wcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . 4 . O X X 1 . |
$$ | . X O O O O X 5 3 |
$$ | . . X O X O X X X |
$$ | . . 2 O X X O O X |
$$ | . . . . X X X O O |
$$ | X X X X X O O O X |
$$ | X O X X O . . O . |
$$ | X O O X O O O . . |
$$ | X . O O . O . . . |
$$ --------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

$$Wcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . . . O X X 1 . |
$$ | . X O O O O X 3 2 |
$$ | . . X O X O X X X |
$$ | . . . O X X O O X |
$$ | . . . . X X X O O |
$$ | X X X X X O O O X |
$$ | X O X X O . . O . |
$$ | X O O X O O O . . |
$$ | X . O O . O . . . |
$$ --------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . . . O X X 1 . |
$$ | . X O O O O X 3 2 |
$$ | . . X O X O X X X |
$$ | . . . O X X O O X |
$$ | . . . . X X X O O |
$$ | X X X X X O O O X |
$$ | X O X X O . . O . |
$$ | X O O X O O O . . |
$$ | X . O O . O . . . |
$$ --------------------[/go]

[emeraldemon]

If you ever see this shape, alarms should go off in your head:

$$Wcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . . . O X X a . |
$$ | . X O O O O X . a |
$$ | . . X O X O X X X |
$$ | . . . O X X O O X |
$$ | . . . . X X X O O |
$$ | X X X X X O O O X |
$$ | X O X X O . . O . |
$$ | X O O X O O O . . |
$$ | X . O O . O . . . |
$$ --------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . . . O X X a . |
$$ | . X O O O O X . a |
$$ | . . X O X O X X X |
$$ | . . . O X X O O X |
$$ | . . . . X X X O O |
$$ | X X X X X O O O X |
$$ | X O X X O . . O . |
$$ | X O O X O O O . . |
$$ | X . O O . O . . . |
$$ --------------------[/go]

I'm not sure if that shape has a specific name, but you should watch for it, it's a common shape for making seki & winning capturing races. See also:

http://senseis.xmp.net/?BigEyesCanBeSmallInTheCorner

edit: also this problem

http://senseis.xmp.net/?CapturingRaceExercise13

[kaimat]

It seems so obvious now.

Thanks guys

[Harleqin]

I have commented the game:

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=971