Lately I have been playing against Leela the Go software and she's been happily kicking my ass. I've just begun getting to know her and so far it's been a real chore
I would like some help in seeing where I went wrong in this 9-stone game. Advice from dan-level participants especially appreciated. Much obliged in advance.

Hi Tekesta,

G7 and G13 may look pretty but I think that they are kind of useless. Q8 for instance (connecting your stones together, keeping some pressure on the white group, making some territory) looks like a better choice to me.

G18 would have been better at G17.

What was your plan behind playing H9?

M5 and the following seem to show that you were not reading ahead.

R9 is generally not a good idea since you're helping white to cut you into two groups. Your corner stones are now isolated and will have to live on their own.

Hi,

I agree with Shenoute that G7 and G13 do not achieve much. I also agree with Q8 for and attacking stance. If what you want is to secure as much territory as possible while avoiding trouble, you can also secure a corner, for example C17, C16, C15, C14, C13... (or C3, C4, C5, C6...) depending on how much you would be comfortable in dealing with a Leela invasion there.

What I see as a big mistake that should be avoided is G18. According to Joseki, it should be at G17. Playing G18 gives Leela plenty of possibility to complicate the situation, and your local position starts to collapse at that moment. Considering your opponent is 9 stones stronger than you (maybe more), I do not think that the advise to use the handicap stones to attack is so relevant. Your opponent will out read you. G18 would not have allowed the cuts from Leela and helped at keeping the game simple.

What I see as another mistake in the following fight is H17. You give up on you E17 group, allowing Leela with G16 to unite all her stones in the upper left part of the board (E18, E16 and G17). Suddenly all her stones are linked and well alive, and she has the hands free to take the initiative on another part of the board.
Instead, simply pushing with G16 (giving up on G18) keep her stone separated and vulnerable (her E16 and G15 would probably die then).

I would have played C5 at C3, so that C3, D4 and G3 work together to lock the corner and map territory. I think B4 is a mistake, revealing too much cutting points. Your local position collapses after that.

You managed well the invasion at R3. I think Leela missed the opportunity le make life there.

S14 seems like a mistake to me (very similar to G18 mistake). Just playing R14 would help prevent Leela settle on the top (moves O17, M17) by allowing you to fully seal Leela in the corner. Apparently Leela thinks that at that moment she takes the lead.

E11 is looking for troubles (and you get into trouble later with the descent at B12).

Overall, I would advise you to play a little bit more strongly/safely, ie avoiding creating weakness like G18, B4, S14 and E11. J3 instead of J4, and O2 instead of H13 are other examples. For fighting situations, focus on keeping your group connected (that in fine the same advise as above) and keep your opponent stones disconnected. Keeping the opponent stones disconnected does not mean you have to forcefully kill them, but as long as they are unsettled, your opponent is not free to play around, and has to constantly ensure that his play and you play does not endanger that group.

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Thanks for the comments. I will keep them in mind in my next game.

and were for establishing strong presence in the center.

at G17 would have been better. The weaker side should extend, the stronger side should hané.

I made many mistakes in play during this game

Do you find some better play in move ?

Hint: