Game 8.2: Review from My Side



Overall learning points:
1. Avoid aji-keshi.
2. Always aim to come up with a good plan, and execute it.

I'll admit, I'm a little depressed I'm not at the US Go Congress right now. But the good thing is, some events and commentary are streamed on YouTube. The guy who many of you may know as zchen on KGS did some commentary with Stephanie Yin. I liked something he mentioned: The worst way for him to lose is when everything went according to his plan, and he still lost. Some people mention that the worst way to lose would be to lose a large dragon or something like that. But for him, it was when he had a plan, things went according to plan, and he still lost.

I agree with him. Of course, this implies a few things:
1. You should have a plan
2. You should try as hard as possible to make things go according to plan.

I think these are the preliminary steps before you can be disappointed for things going according to plan and then losing...

So I will aim to have the same type of disappointment that zchen has - may I actually have plans that I can execute and make things go "my way" in the game. Only then, can I experience his disappointment...

Maybe my goal should be higher than to have the same disappointment as zchen has. But I guess I should start somewhere.

_________________
be immersed

I was feeling physically ill yesterday (shortness of breath), so I didn't play a game or do much studying. I think it must have been either on account of stress, or simply temporary, because I seem to be able to breath fine now.

So today, I went back to the next problem for Yilun Yang's Ingenious Life & Death Puzzles, puzzle #112. Surprisingly, I figured this one out much faster than puzzle #111. For #111, I kept reading the same wrong variation multiple times to double check it and it took probably a couple of hours.

In contrast, I'd say that #112 took about 10 minutes or maybe less. I tried to focus on not repeating variations, and coming to a confident conclusion of the tree status in various branches. However, I feel that I remember this type of shape, so I found the correct first move much faster than I did with the previous problem.

For those at home that have the problem, my order of thinking went something like this:

1. First tried Q16. I was pretty sure this is probably not the first move, or it wouldn't be a problem in the book. But it's the right way to start, I felt. After Q16, if white let black get S16, it was clear that white was dead. So white had to take S16. After this, it was a problem. To prevent two eyes, I could try S17 after S16, but then white had S18, which gave both a connection at S17, and enough space for eyes in the S19 area. So that couldn't work. Then I tried Q16-S16, jumping then to S18 for white, since that's the move that white played. But white can then play S17 and will be alive after T17. Black can't play T17, because S19 just kills it. So backing up, I could propagate the information that S16 makes white alive after Q16.

2. So Q16 didn't work, so I thought about S16. After S16, for the same reason as before, S17 for white won't work - black can connect at Q16 and white doesn't have space to live. So after Q16, white must cut off at Q16. Playing S17 or S18 allows white to connect at Q15, giving a lot of space to live. So after S16, Q16, black Q15 is natural. If white plays far like S18 or something, then black can S15, and capture the tree stones. But whit can S17 after Q15, and if black S15 to capture three stones, T17 is sente. Black then captures the 3 stones, and white S19 lives... Doesn't seem to work.

3. At this point, I thought about reading variations after S16-Q16-Q15 where black tried to reduce white's eyespace, but it felt like too much eyespace. I'll admit that I didn't think of every variation at this point, but my feeling was strong this time that S17 was the correct first move... Maybe I've seen this shape or problem before. Anyway, I started reading with S17. If white blocks at Q16, I noticed that Q15 was quite nice. First, if white just plays S18 to block,, black can play S16. Now, even if white T17, black S15 captures the three stones. White doesn't have enough space to live. From this, I could deduce that after S17, Q16, Q15, S18, white was dead with black S16. So instead, after S17, Q16, Q15, white should play something like S16. But at this point, black can play R19. White cannot disconnect at Q19 due to shortage of liberties. Throwin at S19 doesn't work since Q19 makes snapback. Connecting at R17 also doesn't work since black can Q19 and kill. This looked promising. So I went backwards and determined that S17-Q16-Q15-S16 was dead with S18. Therefore, S17-Q16-Q15 seemed like a dead shape. Going back further, then after S17, white cannot play Q16. After S17, if white plays S18, black can play S16 and it reverts to the same shape after Q16. So after S17, white's only feasible option is S16. But after S17, S16, black can play S18. White has no choice but to block at Q16, but then black Q15 and it's the same shape as before. White is dead.

Therefore, S17 was the answer.

_________________
be immersed

Since I solved 112 fairly quickly, I moved on to 113. Now it might not be fair, but due to the wording of the problem text, it kind of gave me a hint that the answer might be ko ("What will be the final result after Black played the key move?").

So anyway, this problem has fewer options, so it's a little simpler. After O19, white can play P19 and has an eye up there. Also, P14 is an eye in gote. So those were some hints to guide me.

If black O19, at the very least, white can simply P17 to make a solid eye at P16. Then it's miai to play P19 or make the eye at P14. If black takes the eye at P14 first, in gote, white can again play P17 to make a solid eye, and also has the eye on top. Since white can keep playing P14 like this, black can play there first. This way, if white makes a solid eye at P14, black can play P19 to take away the eye on top in sente. The only way for white to avoid is to play O19 and make ko.

There are some other small variations that I went through, but anyway, there aren't a lot of options for this problem.

_________________
be immersed

Continuing the tradition, here is a game from today.

Review is from my opponent's perspective.

I'll do aji keshi review + self-review tonight.

_________________
be immersed

Game 8.4.2016: Aji-keshi Review

Here are some positions where I felt I played aji-keshi in the game from today.

Position 1:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Not exactly sure if this qualifies as aji-keshi, but it's a move that misses the point.

Instead, I think I should try to move out with my weak group. It's a little painful, because probably I left the group too weak already - or I shouldn't have moved it out. I could do something like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 5 4 , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 3 X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . X 1 . O X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . O X . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X . . X . . O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black cannot cut at 'a', I think.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm11
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . 3 . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . O X O 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O X 2 X . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . X O . O X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . O X . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X . . X . . O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So probably it goes like this - but it's not a great result for me anyway:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C C . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 C C C . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . 5 4 C C C . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 3 X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . O X O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . X 1 . O X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . O X . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X . . X . . O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black got a nice position on the right side. I think this is a result of moving out with the weak group earlier, or maybe for letting it get too weak. I'll look at that in the review from my perspective.

But now that I've committed to moving the group out, I think this way is better than the small move I played.


Position 2:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

The marked move seems to be aji-kehis. I think it might be a good idea to simply move out. I might think about using the aji in a different way. For example:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . O X X O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . X . O , . . O X . X O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . X . . . . . X . . O O . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . X . O O . . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . X O X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O O X O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . X O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . X O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O O O O O O X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . . . . X O X X X O X X X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . X . X O O X O O . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . 2 1 . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X X . X . . O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . O . . O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Now, I can almost consider tenuki.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W black tenuki @ 3
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . |
$$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . O X X O . . |
$$ | . O . O . . X . O , . . O X . X O . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . X . . . . . X . . O O . |
$$ | . . X O . . O . . X . O O . . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . X O X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O O X O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . X O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . X O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . O O O O O O X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . . . . X O X X X O X X X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . 9 0 X . X . X O O X O O . |
$$ | . . . . O X 7 8 O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . 2 1 . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X X . X 4 5 O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . O . 6 O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I can kind of get pushed around if I tenuki... But anyway, it's an option that is erased after the move I played.

The move I played did have benefits, I suppose, since black lived somewhat small in the bottom left corner. So perhaps it's more of an issue of identifying a good plan before utilizing the aji. I'm not sure if I thought about the different options that carefully in the game.

---

All in all, I think I might have done aji-keshi a little less than usual in this game. So that's a good thing, I think.

_________________
be immersed

Here is review from my perspective.




Some highlights...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Probably playing as above isn't urgent. I think it's bigger to do something about my heavy stones on the right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I saw pro games with a similar local shape, and I like it personally.

Second...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think this is a huge mistake. The action is happening on the right, then suddenly I come back to capture this stone? Why? I think I imagined some shortage of liberties or something.

I think this way is better:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

If I can make my stones on the right stronger, I can continue without a burden.

Third...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

What is this? I guess I expected him to answer. Naive. Or lame.

Anyway, it's painful already since I didn't help the group as with the previous tip. But now that I'm here, I think I need to just move out:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Fourth...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I want my cake and I want to eat it, too. I want the top and also to have a big moyo. Pretty difficult. But this move is too oriented toward only the moyo part of the plan. I think my odds are better if I start with this option:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

While there were several nuances with my play, I think I'll try to take away a single point from this game:
1. Strengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.

Since I've heard this before but don't seem to get it, I'll write it a few times with different casing (to avoid temptation to copy and paste).

strengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
Strengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
sTrengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
stRengthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
strEngthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
streNgthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
strenGthening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
strengThening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
strengtHening my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.
strengthEning my weak group is bigger than playing a big point.

I'll be optimistic, and hope that I don't forget in a future game.

_________________
be immersed

You know, I should try to play a game one of these days, without thinking of territory at all - only looking for weak groups and strengthening my own groups.

I'm too afraid to do it, though, because if the opponent doesn't make weak groups, for example, I'd probably lose.

_________________
be immersed

Hi Kirby, Hope you're feeling better. Am I correct to assume that each and every one of these guidelines has an implied,
but not expressly spelled out, caveat "...except when it's false" ?

Yes, sometimes false.

However, my goal is to generalize/capture concepts that I appear to repeatedly get wrong.

So while these "proverbs" are sometimes true and sometimes false, I already have the tendency to treat the "false" case.

If next game I remember my tendency to disregard group strength, and consider an alternative to my intuition, I consider it a success.

So in a sense, these are not only generalizations, but they are generalizations specific to cases I seem to often miss in my games.

When I start leaning too much in the other direction, the game review then might be different.

_________________
be immersed

My head hurts.

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

I can't remember the source, but I remember hearing a pro recommend trying exactly this for a while - don't worry about territory, just concentrate on the groups. Maybe I'll try it too.

I hadn't realized it until now, but I guess I only played two games this week. I guess that will make the week in review a bit easier.

Here are highlights, as I see them now, a few days after playing the games.

Position 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

The move above gives black a good move with the pincer here:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . b . B . . . X . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's a little awkward to come up with a great response, since black can slide or pseudo-connect underneath with 'a' or 'b'.

Low approach might be better regarding this connection, but black can still pincer:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 1 . 2 . . . X . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Which brings to mind the idea - what about playing further away? For example:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

or

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black can still pincer, and even in the first diagram, have a slide undearneath:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

However, since it's further away, there is no real connection between the black stones with the corner:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 2 . . X . . X . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . W . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Because there is no connection, the marked white stone still has value in itself, so perhaps I can feel satisfied doing a double approach if black pincers:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Perhaps this splits things up a bit easier than in the game. If black opts for a pincer, the good thing for black is that there aren't really any weak groups. On the other hand, I get initiative in the corner.

If I really want black to not have a base, I could consider jumping:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 3 . . X . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . 7 . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . 1 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Though, black gets a lot of profit on the side. I'm not sure it fits my style - but perhaps, a viable strategy.

Position 2

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think this should be an atari - I really doubt that I'll atari the other way, and black's extension is just too good:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black is not in danger, but his shape is not ideal.

Position 3

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

It's pretty naive for me to think black will answer - this move is not the best. I think I should simply solidify:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black's shape is still not perfect, and I made nice profit in the corner...

That's about it for this game, in terms of highlights. The game finished pretty quickly.

From the next game...

Position 4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

The marked move is large, but I think it's better to form a loose connection with my groups. I like this variation:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think it's better for me than in the game.

Position 5:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

This move is just really random. I was imagining a shortage of liberties that didn't exist. I think it's definitely better to help out my weakish group on the right:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

That's much more natural, and black wouldn't have as strong of an attack as he did in the game.

Position 6:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think even when I reviewed this game the day I played it, I didn't have qualms with my approach here - seemed normal.

But now, a couple of days later, I'm thinking I need to be more center-oriented for this game, given my position.

For example, black still has aji for moving the stone on the left. If it goes like this, as I've seen in some pro examples I looked up searching for this kind of position:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

White has a lot of central influence. So it would make sense to aim for expanding that, even if I give black some territory on the side. The balance of territory might be ok - I guess it depends on how well he can reduce me (e.g. jumping in from the open door around the marked black stone, above).

Nonetheless, I feel that a center strategy is more consistent with my stones, as they've been played so far.

Maybe something like this?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . O , . . . 1 . X . . . |
$$ | . . O . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . c . 3 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O O O O O X O . . |
$$ | . . O O . . . . . O X X X O X X X X . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . b . X . X O O X O O . |
$$ | . . . . O . . . O X . X O O . O O . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . O X . X X O . O X O . |
$$ | . . X X . X . . O X . O O X . X X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . O . O X . X . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Still, it's not 100% comfortable since black has weaknesses to aim for around the areas like 'a', 'b', and 'c'...

So perhaps this strategy is somewhat risky.

But risky or not, it seems more consistent with the white stones as I see them on the board right now.

Position 7:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think I played this move because I was afraid of black moving the single black stone on the left. But I think I should just accept that black can move that way, and in exchange, I'll get central influence. If I take that as a given, I think this local variation is more consistent:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I do end in gote here, though. So maybe black can take the initiative from here. Nonetheless, this way seems to make my stones work together more efficiently.

Position 8:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Kind of conflicting with getting the center, but I think I'm behind if I don't live on top... So maybe doing something on top is necessary now. Black can't get everything there, or I'll lose.

So I won't say too much about this move, since I think the decision to try to live is correct right now. After I lived and luckily captured his stones, the game started becoming more comfortable. So I'll end the review here.

Takeaways

The general theme I can see from this week can be summarized by a couple of points:
1. Make my stones work together consistently. If my stones are in a position to make a center-strategy, go for it. If they are better for a side-territory strategy, go for it. Anyway, be consistent with the stones and make them work together.

Some examples from above:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

These were examples to be more consistent and have the stones work together. In the actual game, I had somewhat conflicting aims, as if my stones were working on separate threads, each doing its own thing.

2. Focus on the important part of the board. When action is happening somewhere else, don't get distracted and play something unrelated. Some examples of where I missed the mark, from above:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

...

I think that's enough to highlight lessons from this week. So to repeat, since I don't remember much without repetition...

1. Make my stones work together consistently.

2. Don't lose site of the important part of the board.

_________________
be immersed

Looking back in this thread, points from last week over the games I reviewed are listed here:

Last Week's Learning Points
1. Don't underestimate thickness and/or influence.
2. Avoid aji-keshi and super-aji-keshi, as is a common pattern of mine (revealed by Shaddy).
3. Keep in mind the big picture. I could have selected a different joseki, or modified joseki since what I really needed was the outside. If I get a big shape on the outside after he approaches the top right corner, that will be nice to complement my global influence
4. When things go awry locally, perhaps I can tenuki and leave the aji there. As I invest more into something that doesn't work, the situation gets worse and worse, making my chances of winning go further and further down.
5. Keep in mind the big picture, compared to finding a local move.
6. Don't go in too deep when it doesn't work.
7. Going with the opponent's plan is good when it benefits me. But if it benefits him too much, still resist. It's a tricky balance that I haven't seem to have achieved.
8. Taking 4th line territory is good, but since the opponent's plan to make a huge moyo was obvious, I should have reconsidered. It may be OK for white, but it's risky. I could have avoided that risk.
9. Play lighter moves that are more sharp, especially when trying to live in the opponent's area.
10. Before aji keshi, maybe just living inside quickly would be good. I played lots of aji keshi and made the opponent thick, as Shaddy noticed.
11. When things aren't going well, don't keep making a heavier group. Be willing to sacrifice and move on.
12. Reading better is always desired.
13. Pressing white down on the 4th line in the opening is a risky strategy. His intent was to make a big moyo, and he succeeded. But it's still risky - he doesn't have many points if I live within it, for example.
14. After white was able to escape, black kept white split from the group on the right - which is a pretty good plan. The downside is that it makes his center group's influence pretty weak. It might make sense to let white connect to the group on the right, and then play the star point on top to make nice central influence. Nonetheless, there was certainly value to splitting me apart.

Combined with this week's:
15. Make my stones work together consistently.
16. Don't lose site of the important part of the board.

Somewhat overwhelming... So I'll try to break this list down into some easier points, which I think are particularly important to keep in mind.

Tips for Myself
1. Avoid aji-keshi. Remember value of thickness. Play lightly in opponent's area.
2. Keep sight of big picture - make my stones work together consistently.
3. When plan fails, consider tenuki to avoid making things worse.
4. Remember value of attacking/defending weak groups.
5. Evaluate resistance vs. compliance, depending on profit I get vs. profit opponent gets.


Disclaimer, per EdLee's earlier comment: I don't mean that these are universal rules that always hold. These are just some points for me to think about during my play, since I seem to go too far in the other direction, sometimes.

_________________
be immersed

Now, going back to my other goal of getting more reading practice. I've only done the problems that I posted here so far. So I will spend more of today, while my kids are napping, and maybe tonight, continuing that.

_________________
be immersed

So change of plan for today's study. It turns out that my monthly go magazine came in. I was excited to read it, so I decided to feed my excitement rather than be super strict with my previous plan - I'll try to get to the problems tomorrow.

I decided, though, that this go magazine comes only once a week, so I will aim to memorize the pro games in the magazine every month. Maybe I'll try to repeat the games from memory on my Saturday review sessions, too, to see if they stay somewhere other than my short term memory.

So I spent the last couple of hours memorizing the game below. I didn't memorize the endgame, because it was very difficult for me to remember the order of endgame moves. I actually have a different plan for studying endgame, and that's to find some time to try to count the score in the actual games I play during the review. I'm not good enough at endgame to count values quickly in a real game, and studying it is a bit boring to me compared to other parts of go. But maybe I can at least spend a small amount of time once a week during reviews to do some minimal practice on endgame.

In the meantime, though, here is the game I memorized up until the endgame. White is Park Junghwan 9d and black is Tang Weixing 9d. It's one of the games from the Bailing Cup.



I didn't follow the fighting in the center that well, but here are some observations that I had, when I compare to ways that I might play.

Position 1

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

White's answer here is pretty calm, and I'd have a hard time doing it in my game. I feel that a pincer works well with the white influence. For example:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I would think that the influence is working well with a pincer like this. But I guess just answering like Park Junghwan did in the game has its benefits, too. After all, in the game, he ended up getting a lot of territory in the bottom right. And he also ended up getting some territory on the side, too (actually, I think they exchanged this during the endgame, though).

So maybe the white position on the right doesn't need a pincer/extension.

I don't understand completely, but it's interesting to think about.

Position 2:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

This move seemed very contrary to what I would play. My natural instinct is to connect like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

It's not a logical reason, but I just feel - enclose white, while connecting my stones. Just feels very natural. But I suppose if it were like this, and black still wanted corner territory, it might end up something like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black ends in gote, and white broke out.

In the game, black just took the corner immediately, and white still broke out.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Black had sente to play . That's my best guess as to why this is better than my instinct. That is, black "had sente" to come back and totally block off the corner.

That's my take on it, anyway.

Position 3:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . X X X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . O O X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . , . X . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O O X . O . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O X O O . . X . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . O X X O X X . . . X X . . . O . . |
$$ | . . O , . O O . X , O O . . . O . . . |
$$ | . X X . X . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This was an interesting exchange. After , I would be inclined to simply answer. But I suppose that black can get a nicer shape this way:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

?? I don't know if is the move, actually, but I guess black can probably get better shape if white just answers.

Position 4:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I don't know if I'd think to come back and fix this shape. After white does, though, the corner is pretty solid.

I often think of my opponent's weaknesses during my games, but I don't care much about my own.

There was a lot more to this game than just those few diagrams, but these items stuck out to me.

_________________
be immersed

What magazine do you get?

It's a Korean Go magazine - "Monthly Go" [1].



Typically, the magazine has recent pro news in the front, along with some selected pro games. There's some commentary on the games, too, but I haven't looked too much at that yet in this month's.

After the pro games, there are usually blurbs about go related news (e.g. Lee Hajin's recent marriage), and then some lecture type material. Over the past few years, the content of the lecture material has changed a little bit. They might change again next year.

Regarding lecture material, this year, they have a series on some opening variations that have recently being researched in Korea (kind of like new joseki, but sometimes it says that they don't know the best result yet). For example, this month they talk about variations arising from this opening:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

They have another section that talks about a particular joseki and how it might have changed. For example, this month, they go over variations arising from this position:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 2 . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There's also a monthly section on "The ABCs of Invasion and Reduction".

Near the end of the magazine, there's been a monthly quiz with various questions - sometimes opening, sometimes life and death, etc. Each of the questions have point values. You can mail it in to them, and your test is graded. If you do this several times and get a particular score, you can get a dan/kyu ranking. For example, if you get 95/100 or higher for 5 times for 5d, 85 or higher 2 times OR 80 or higher 3 times gets you 1d, etc. I haven't bothered mailing anything in to them, but the problems are interesting.

There are also write-ups by various authors about go-related topics. Especially after AlphaGo over the past few months, there have been articles on philosophical questions about the future of go, etc.

All in all, I'd recommend the magazine, even if you don't read Korean.

I will say that previous years featured a section about "After Joseki", which I really liked. That hasn't been there for awhile, which was somewhat disappointing. Nonetheless, there's a lot of educational material, variations, games, commentary, and news.

Although, with the news, I'd say that it's somewhat dated if you are following news articles on tygem.com or cyberoro.com/news. A lot of the news you'd have already read online if you're keeping up on those sites.

[1] 월간바둑: https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%9B%94%EA%B0%84% ... 4%EB%91%91

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be immersed

I don't see the value in this generalization.

What does strengthening mean in this context? Does this mean adding to the weak group when it is not in danger? This sounds like playing a gote move, just to be sure, and is an inefficient way to play. Ideal go play means never having to strengthen your groups, only to play when you need to keep them alive.

The value of a weak group, can easily be calculated, if the opponent can kill it on their next move, then the size of saving the weak group is known. So it is possible to know when saving a weak group is the biggest move on the board, or when there are bigger moves.
The decision should never be about choosing to help a weak group, it should be about playing the best move to improve your status overall.

Strengthening a weak group isn't bigger than playing a big point, when the weak group is in no danger, or when the big point is bigger than saving the group.

When we begin go, we encounter all kinds of generalizations, proverbs and sayings, but they are all very rough guides, there comes a time to stop trying to follow these generalizations and build our own understanding, because the caveat, "...except when it's false" can be applied to every one.

Perhaps my style of go playing is different from yours, I aim to play by knowing, If I don't know, then it is a fault of my go, or my effort, If I cannot understand a situation I need to find a way to make a decision, by finding a way to value the stones, the shapes, and groups. And from that understanding I then make a decision on what to play.

This way, If I fail then I can easily go back over what I have done, what I thought and identify where I was wrong and work out why, maybe the way I valued the stones was wrong, maybe the move I played was bad, I didn't read a correct sequence etc. and through this improve my go playing.

Where as if I play more by intuition, I can't really say why I chose one move over another, and I have no easy way to try and improve my nebulous intuition.

And I find if I play by intuition, I am far more likely to be lazy and not read, get angry or upset and play bad moves. But if I spend my time knowing the value of the board, and groups, and I read as much as I can, I can quantify my performance, and focus on parts of the game where I have problems.

The value is simply that I've noticed in my reviews that I often underestimate the value the opponent can get from attacking my weak group. Therefore, my thinking needs to be adjusted.

I think there may be a misunderstanding.

Please note that when I am making these "generalizations", I am not trying to establish rules that are always or often true in go. Rather, these are specific things that I've noticed in my games that I seem to miss, and I'd like to consider an alternative way of thinking.

Playing a big point may sometimes be better than defending a weak group. Certainly. But in my current play, I pretty much ignore weak groups if I think they can live.

This needs to be adjusted, hence, I am reminding myself in an extreme way (even if that generalization is not always true).

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be immersed

I think we play in the same way. I'd like to play by knowing, too. It doesn't mean that I'm always going to defend a weak group when I see it. My saying is just a way for me to remember to consider adjusting my perception of how important it is to defend a group.

Trying to calculate this precisely is, of course, desirable. But clearly, my calculation has failed in some cases up until now, so I should reconsider how I calculate.

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be immersed