Big Brother Malkovich # 1 (continued)

Chew Terr · **#381**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 92A W41 B 42 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O W O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Joaz Banbeck · **#382**

I approve.

topazg · **#383**

shapenaji · **#384**

Not approved

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 92A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O . O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X . . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O W . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Joaz Banbeck · **#385**

shapenaji wrote:

Not approved
...

Sometimes I feel like an idiot. It was obvious.

Chew Terr · **#386**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

shapenaji wrote:

Not approved
...

Sometimes I feel like an idiot. It was obvious.

Yeah, it makes so much sense after you see it on the board. =)

Gresil · **#387**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 93A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O . O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X B . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is the most difficult situation in the game so far to read. I'm failing miserably to see what can be achieved, but I'm inclined to believe this is the right move.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 93A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . b . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X a . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O . O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X c . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

These three I considered. a and b will be all right if P17 is captured (which I don't know to be possible). Otherwise I will have to make cramped life in the corner and white, having gotten the O12 group, controls the lower right of the board.

Reading ahead from c, on the other hand, suggests a helpful liberty issue in white's position.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 93A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . 2 . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X 3 4 5 . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O . O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X 1 . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

daniel_the_smith · **#388**

Approved.

Violence · **#389**

Sorry guys, work's been ramping up lately, if I could just get one more week on this, it'd be appreciated. It's an important move, so I don't want to just blindly approve.

Gresil · **#390**

Sure, fully understood.

Joaz Banbeck · **#391**

BUMP

Uhhh...Violence?...You there?....it's your move.

Violence · **#392**

Blah, Approved.

Joaz Banbeck · **#393**

Trigger for everybody except Chew Terr, and for Chew Terr after he has moved:

Chew Terr · **#394**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 94A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O W O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Sorry for the delay, work has been so swamped it may as well be scuttled.

shapenaji · **#395**

Approved.

Gresil · **#396**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O B . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The first goal I see is cutting off and killing the P17 group starting with O15. It looks like a gote affair that gives white massive thickness toward the lower right.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . 8 9 O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . 5 1 2 X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O 3 7 X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X 4 . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O 6 . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . 3 . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . 1 4 X O 9 . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O 2 5 X X 7 . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O 6 8 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X . . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The only mitigating preliminary exchange that I can see is something like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95A W41 B 46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X . 3 . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O 1 . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I hope white'll have to do something about the cutting point at O14, giving us the opportunity to weasel securely toward the lower right and relieving us from prospect of the heavy-handed corner kill.

daniel_the_smith · **#397**

That's weird, I made a post here but don't see it now. :scratch:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X B . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O C . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Violence · **#398**

Approved.

Chew Terr · **#399**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X W . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Swamped at work, so I had less time to work on this than I really wanted... here's what I looked at, though.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O 4 . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O W 2 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X 1 3 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This would be okay.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O 3 . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O W 2 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X 1 . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Unfortunately, I don't see a good answer to this.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B46 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . 6 . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O 4 . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X W . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . 1 2 . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . 3 5 . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This may be good enough? Notably, 6 blocks the cut at O14 (which came as a bit of a surprise to me as I looked at it). I think it's the best I've got, so I'll go with it.

Joaz Banbeck · **#400**

I disapprove.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc 95B W43 B48 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O W . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X C . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Let's start with a quick summary of tactical goals. ( And I think that for the moment strategic goals can be ignored as they are comletely outweighed by tactical ones )

We can kill this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . B O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . B B . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

...or we can kill this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O B O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O B B B B . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

...or we can kill this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O B . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O B B . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O B . B B O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O B O B . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O B O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . B O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O B B O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . B X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

...or we can resign.

Living without killing is not really possible. The upper side is like a small western town: "There ain't enough room here for the both of us". If we do live up there, even without trying to kill, we implicitly kill black's upper middle group anyway. M17 is the vital point. If we get it without dying in the process, black's eyespace is too ugly to live:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O ? ? . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X ? ? X O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X ? ? X W . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X ? X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X O . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

So once we realize that we must kill something, then the question is: which one?

The upper right group can easily live like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . B O T . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . B B . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

...this group can run as Terr demonstrated:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O B O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O B B B B . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . T . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . T . . . |[/go]

...so we must first focus on killing the upper central group. And to do that we need M17.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O B . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O B B . . . W . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O B . B B O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O B O B . . . . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O B O O . . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . B O X O O O . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O B B O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . B X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

It really is that simple, IMHO. The whole game can be reduced to the issue of whether or not we can get a certain move.

Trying it immediately is no good:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O B . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O B B . . . 1 a . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O B . B B O X b O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O B O B 2 3 4 . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O B O O 5 . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . B O X O O O 6 . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O B B O X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . B X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

despite the cutting points at 'a' and 'b', white runs out of liberties too fast. Therefore, the whole game can be further refined to the issue of whether or not we can get more liberties to be able to play M17.

When our group looks like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . a . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X W X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . . b . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X W W c . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X W X W W W d . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X W X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

...and we can't play 'a', then the only way to get more liberties is to play 'b', 'c' or 'd'.

Playing 'b' or 'c' gets us nothing. Black captures M16 and his other groups are still safe.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . 3 4 . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X W X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X 2 . 1 . X O . . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X W W 1 . X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X W X W W W d . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X W X X X X . . . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . . . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . |[/go]

That leaves us with 'd'. It starts to threaten both of black's other groups, so black cannot reflexively go after M16 immediately. Thus M17 is still a possibility for us. This line is complicated. Maybe it works; maybe it doesn't. But I'm not even going to bother to read it out completely, because all of the other alternatives clearly do not work.

However, I have read some of the obvious replies. One of the more interesting lines is this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O O . O X X . . . 5 . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X O O X O X . X X O X . O O X . . | $$ | X X O X . X O O X O X . 4 2 . X O 7 . | $$ | . O O X . . . O . O X O O 1 3 X X . . | $$ | . . O X . . X . O . X O X O O O W 6 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X X O X X X X 9 0 . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O . X X O O . 8 . . . | $$ | . X X O X . X . . O O O . . . , . . . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . X . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

...where black dies in either a ladder or a crane's nest.

Big Brother Malkovich # 1 (continued)

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