It's time to du-du-du-duel!

From reading his comments on this site I can tell he has a better understanding of the game than me. And just based on his rank I suspect his reading is better than mine as well. But all I need to do his believe in the heart of the cards stones, and I can prevail against any challenge.

When you defeat your opponent, can you definitely say that you don't think "I hit him! All right!" and hold pride in your skill, that you don't have even a little moment where you feel a sense of achievement in your work?

Seems as good as any other move.

All I need to do is to wait for mistakes.

I considered various pincers, but if he just invades the 3-3 and and we play the standard sequence that ends in gote for him, my next sente move doesn't seem particularly important. It's certainly a viable way to play; it's just not what I want to do.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 7 . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . 5 X 3 6 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . 4 2 8 . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Handicap joseki.

"Ooh, yeah, you're real scary."

So, this seems like the kind of move he's playing simply because it's a handicap game. The way I see it, I've now got two separate groups I can target.

Need to be fast.

W is playing quite thin overplayey handi style. It's only 2 stones. You can win playing normally if you are 2 stones stronger. You only need to win by 0.5 points after 300 moves, no need to rush to catch up.

but it is comfortable 2 stone handy... white can afford playing thin.

i played defensive move black play many many many times during my handycap game..
i dont remember winning any game with that defensive move.
i think playing as below is better approach.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
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$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . C . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . B . . O . X . . . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Agree. Looking at the whole board, which stone appears the least useful? Surely the W stone at M3 would be criticized in an even game. Anyway, now Q10 looks ideal for B.

To pincer, or not to pincer? That is the question.

Yet another case where I don't really know what's best in the opening. On one hand, it would drive a wedge between his two stones, but on the other, his potential for development along the right side is already hindered by my stone on the second line. As well, if I try to develop the right side, I don't feel it would be all that hard for him to reduce to too few points. That is what makes me feel it's best just to extend calmly. He could do something like below, but that's not really that threatening, so I doubt he'll do it right now. I expect something more creative.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Only move.

While would be a nice move in the future, it's too small right now. The left side has the most potential right now, so that's where I'll play. His right side is manageable even if he adds another move. One thing I don't want to do is follow my opponent around.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not good to pincer now.

If I slide into the corner, then I would expect him to attach at , and I don't really like the possible results that follow on this board. Perhaps it's fine and I'm just overthinking things though.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
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$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11
$$ ---------------------------------------
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 2 . . W . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

My choice.

Letting settle easily is too painful. I want to make use of the secure corner in the bottom right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm11
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
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$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
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$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . W . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In my view, the marked W stone is an inefficient move which requires no action to punish. I would play a large move on the left side, which is more wide open than the bottom. If W spends an extra move to defend the marked stone with a narrow extension, I would be happy to play elsewhere again. If B attacks on the bottom, W might counter-attack on the left rather than defend, complicating the game.

Can't think of other moves.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm12
$$ ---------------------------------------
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
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$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
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$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . X . . . . 1 , . . . . . X . X . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . O . X . . . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]