Life In 19x19

Hello, slow activity on the analysis forum so i thought i'll contribue;
I lost this 2 stones handi game by 8.5 but i felt i could have done better.
questions are in the sgf but any comments will be as always appreciated
i was Black

Just a few quick thoughts:

I like the pincer around C10, maybe just preference

I don't think it's meaningless; black group gains a base. Not sure if its best though

I like c8, staying aggressive

I think either is OK.

I do like the position for black b/c the white group on the right is weak. might consider K17 instead of S15.

maybe extend N11. If the white group on the right struggles, it would be worth sacrificing the two stones L17 & M17 (not that they are dead yet).

yeah, I think P14 is absolutely necessary.

Interesting game.

A few comments:

Bill, in the var. to 50 where you show a ko, can't 62 be at N19?

jts wrote:Bill, in the var. to 50 where you show a ko, can't 62 be at N19?

Well there are better tacticians than I around, but here are a couple of other kos in that variation.



Edit: BTW, when I saw , I said, wow, are you sure this guy is 4-kyu?

thanks for all the answers! i'll take my time to digest them

EmeraldDemon recomends K17 instead at move 38, and I agree. It is a much better move. I think that it may be worth considering why it is a better move.

With moves like C14, Q17, S15 and maybe F3, you appear to be treating the corner stones as territorial. But 4-4 stones are influence stones. Their direction is outward.
Move 8 is an archtypal example. You have two weak white groups nearby ( the one on the upper side has one eye but not yet two, and the one on the right which may not have any ) so you should be pushing out between them. K17 is theoretically good ( and I like it because it follows the proverb of 'lean on one target to build strength thereby preparing to attack the other' ) as is P12.
You could also simply conclude that your upper right group is strong enough, and follow the proverb of 'push him toward your strength' with P9.

That is the theory. As a practical matter, K17 prepares B E17, W E18, B F16 with the goal of center territory.