Profit before running? I'll think about why I played this move later. It feels different but very right.

Warning: rambling thought


For the first time in my go career I've actually studied some Professional games and one thing I've noticed is that they tend to play forcing moves in very peculiar situations (like when they really have to protect a cut). I'll try to incorporate that into my game.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . b c . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . a . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I've previously stated that I really want (a) Now normally I would just have to rely on getting sente or tenuki early and leave a weakness. I'll now try tenuking now to play that forcing move and then come back to protect my floating group. The first thing I have to decide is if (a) is aji-keshi or not, and if it is big enough that white needs to answer.
My other options instead of (a) are (b) and (c).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 one way street with (a)
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . X 7 . . . . . . . . 5 . . . |
$$ | . . X O . X W . . . . . . . . 3 4 . . |
$$ | . . . O X X W . . . . . . . . . P . . |
$$ | . . O , X W W . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X W . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The theory behind (a) is that I can build strength by attacking and then bend and attack the marked white stones strongly. This looks ok on paper, but I'm not very happy with it. might or might not be sente but my biggest problem is that I don't really see a way to gain by attacking the stones. I don't think white will die and with my fuseki I can't really use center influence.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm23 one way street with (a)
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . 8 . 5 3 1 . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . 4 6 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . 7 . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . B , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . B x . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

(c) looks more promising. I can gain territory on both sides while white is running to the center. I don't think white will try attaching at (x) because are too tight. Unfortunately this sequence ends in gote for me so the F5 group will come under heavy attack

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm23 one way street with (a)
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . Z O . X O . . . . . . . . 4 6 . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . 2 3 O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X 5 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . B . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This looks eerily similar to the taisha joseki of which I know nothing, but just playing around with it, the stone always looks kind of wasted. Guess I'll be playing (c)
Now the hard question: what am I doing with my left group. was a stupid move but at least it forced as far as I can read the group cannot be captured in a net or something similar, but if white get's another move in it is going to be a bumpy ride. Also the white stones can get 2 eyes by capturing the F3 stones so there aren't any sente moves I can play to get out.

Not a good time to tenuki by black. r7 is a big move, and the follow up at q6 is another big move but it's not urgent. One stone is not a weak group, whereas there are two weak-ish groups on the left side of the board. That's what I'm interested in.

I had briefly though about that move and concluded that he cannot kill me. Let's hope I'm right! I don't like that he tenukied from my last play: let’s take a look at some alternative moves.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm25 Playing like this would give white 50 point and me about 30\n can’t let that happen
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I really hope he doesn't gain too much from this attack.


Damn!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm21 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , 8 9 . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . Z O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . 0 . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I want to kill the X stone on a large scale, but it may prove difficult. The stone has so much aji.

I think I will go with a move at w30 because I do not like this picture:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm30 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , O X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . . . . . . . 7 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . Z . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . 3 . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . 2 1 . O 5 . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . 6 . X , 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Blacks shape is awfully good and his territory is not small. Also black X can live at anytime.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm30 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , O X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X b . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . 1 . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . a . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I feel like this is the proper way to use my g4 strength and also attack blacks shape. After blacks solid capture at b32, white still has aji at both A and B.

Any thoughts on these two diagrams?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm30
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . Q . . . |
$$ . . . . . Z . . |
$$ . . . O . . . . |
$$ . . X O . O O . |
$$ . X . X , X . . |
$$ . . . . X . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------[/go]

The move is the reason why is suboptimal. Initially, looks severe but in actuality, it's too close that it lets white lean on it to escape. Or if white is stronger, he can attack it.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bm
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . . X , . . . |
$$ . . . . X . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------[/go]

Black one is the usual attack in this case.

I wonder if I've lost the game already? (Imagine new depressed smilie) I have an extremely heavy, extremely weak group and no way to profit from anything it does (in particular because the white group to the right can easily get 2 eyes, maybe even in sente )
I think white is leading by about 15 points on the board but has a lot more potential by pressuring my weak group. I don't see a good move to rescue my dragon but I also think that it can't be killed in one move. I'll approach the top left to build a base for my dragon to run too.

I used to have black's apparent mindset too. I used to enjoy playing a little game like this, "hah, this is all you've got!? *tenuki* I can live, keep it coming."

But what really matters is that black is spending a lot of time (a whole turn) playing moves like r7 and f16 where white is getting h8 and f11(and more later on) for free. White is being more efficient with her time.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I still plan on using my sente in the same area but at this rate, black will not allow me to take sente. I can see it coming. Oh well, I'll play slow and steady.... slow and steady.

Ok, my plan is basically this. I don't see a good way to save my group without giving him everything so I'm just going to watch over it enough that it doesn't die. He will still get everything by chasing it, but I'll at least be able to play a few big points by myself. Don't know if this is a good strategy (wait, I know it's bad because otherwise he'd respond to my tenukis) but that the only thing I see to stay in this game. Right now I have to run.

My last move was pretty bad.... I gave up the chance to push white this way. So... I think I have to change my strategy to reflect this.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm38 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 2 4 . . 8 . 6 . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . 9 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Like I'd want to play up there.

I think this move is sente. Either white will run a bit more or he will finally capture F3. He might also try to push and cut. I don't know if this fight would be beneficial to me (probably not, I have the weaker group) but bring it on. Either way this is finally a move that I can play to help my running dragon that is more than just defensive. After that I could return to the top right or pressure his dragon a bit more.

I like his sudden change in style. This also is punishing me for my bad move. I will prepare to cut his knights move and I expect that he'll gain safety for his group through this leaning attack.

My go is so elegant and subtle.

If I was going to cut here, I would definitely play H10. Though I might play K7 first.

So he's going to push and cut. I guess it would be nice if I write a bit more since my comments have been a bit sporadic. After he cuts I have to chose one of the ataries and with that a midterm game plan.

Atari 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm35 Atari 1 - safety
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . Z . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . O . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X 1 2 4 . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . O B . a . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My running group would be in relative safety and white might even play at (a) to erase the aji of My stone in the upper right is relatively light and I still have a lot of moves up there that I can play and there aren't any really good gote move for white to erase all the aji at once. While whites left side is big I think my right side + the 35 points komi is still bigger. Overall I think the board position isn't too bad for white, but I have definitely lost the flow and white can create a lot of mayhem with his central influence. I also have to settle my running group sometimes in the future.

Atari 2

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm35 Atari 2 - fight
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . O . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X 1 2 3 . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . O X 6 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O O 7 8 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . 9 . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . B . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 5 X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This way I will shut myself in and we will have to fight. I'm on the back foot because white can always cut at to connect but playing there myself gives me a bit more breathing room in the corner. If my group dies it's game over though (I count roughly 60 points + central influence) The cut at looks bad but I have and is sente.

I really don't know which way to play here. I think both are feasible but one of them caries more risk.

To me. This looks like a thank you move. You do not have to atari. You can extend and let your opponent worry about his weakness instead of strengthening him and then going back and patching up your own weakness. Sometimes the atari is a good move, but this mode of thinking in which you automatically consider the atari without regards to other possibilities is a mistake.

Confusing position. First - black can totally live in the corner and he can escape into the center:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . O . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X X O X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . 0 . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . a . X X O . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So really, white is the one behind enemy lines and should be trying to settle ASAP. Here is my plan.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 Prisoner Count: B-0 W-0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . O . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X X O X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . X O O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . O . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X O . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X X O . . . 3 . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , X O O . . X . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X X O . . . . 2 . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If black chooses to fight instead, I think I am fine.

His move would make the cut possible again and I can't see any move that would be more sente, so I have to protect. The question is with what? In the end I chose the hanging connection because it is slightly less concentrated.

Forcing black to live in the corner. Having him break out would be devastating.