Life In 19x19

This was a very weird game (in which I already know I played badly)

My question is: how would you have avoided the seki in the lower left? Until what point was it still stoppable? (Working inside the shape, I mean. Not counting the capture I stupidly missed making at 255 and 257 which would have saved it.)

Move 191: C9 @ B8 is normal shape.
Move 193: E7 @ C6 is fine.
Move 195: B6 @ B7 is fine.

is a big mistake (W spent 1 second on it)
and is a huge miss (you spent 5 seconds) -- find the correct move instead.

Thanks, Topazg!

EdLee wrote::w40: is a big mistake (W spent 1 second on it)
and is a huge miss (you spent 5 seconds) -- find the correct move instead.

AAARGH!!! Thank you for pointing out yet another stupid move I was blissfully ignorant of. (R7, right?) I have to get better at spotting these things...must stop thinking in a straight line and playing on impulse.

Inkwolf wrote:(R7, right?)

Yes, only move.

topazg wrote:Move 191: C9 @ B8 is normal shape.
Move 193: E7 @ C6 is fine.
Move 195: B6 @ B7 is fine.

to continue:
Move 197: B5 @ A6 is fine
etc.

It seems like almost every single move you played in that sequence was the one move which leads to a seki. And almost any other move that the one you played prevents the seki. if I ever seen a better example of a series of unfortunate events, I don't remember...

move 255 @B13 also removes the seki

try to see ataris and recognize wich stones are important to be saved or captured (I also struggle with this)

Thanks, Bantari, sad but true.

lefuet wrote:move 255 @B13 also removes the seki

Yeah, I knew that one. The funny thing is when I was looking at that group, I assumed the opponent would not allow me to capture it, so I put it out of my head and worked toward the double-atari for the nearby groups, never noticing when I actually put it in atari. The opponent failed to notice, too. After the double-atari (which was actually a triple-atari), and he saved the one group, he asked for an undo just as I clicked to capture the smaller group. He must have breathed a big sigh of relief. Though when I replayed the end with the correct capture at 255, he still would have won...just by not quite such an embarrassing amount.

My games lately seem characterized by large groups of dead stones that I only manage to save (if at all) by lucky captures. Oddly, though I'm on a huge losing streak on KGS, I've been winning games against my computer and my one face-to-face human opponent.