Hi everyone,

I would appreciate some comments on this game. I was fairly happy with my playing, but clearly need to improve!

Move 16: White is considered to have stronger position if you kick (move 13) his stone before playing Q14. Reason is that kick strengthens his position and he can choose appropriate move at the top edge while you understandably play Q14 to cover the weak point. Kicking would be good attacking tactic to make white heavy if you already had fortified position on right side. Then you could follow up with pincer attack.

Move 25: White cuts your groups. Connected groups are strong groups.

Move 39: White has little prospects for territory here. Sealing the top left corner is first class move here.

Move 57: Very nice move that captures the important cutting stones.

Move 71: I would move towards left to prevent white getting a big moyo there. Few moves later you started to move away with your cut weak group. White attacked incorrectly (should have emphasized top side to seal in), but the risk was huge.

Move 87: The only reason to save these stones at this stage is to maintain attack against white E6 stones. One way to think for black here is that he should be happy that white wastes two moves to capture 5 points of territory.

Move 115: This move strengthens white group unnecessarily. White is happy to remove the uncertainty.

Move 195: If black plays A9 and white plays elsewhere, white's C7 group can be killed. Can you see how? If white plays correctly he defends, but A9 move is important for getting some points for nothing, which is crucial for endgame success. Take good care to differentiate actual gaining moves and "thank you" moves opponent is happy to answer.

Thaks for these points! Do you propose 25 at E3? Where would you play 71?

195 - B-A9 w-x B-E5?

One database's results for (out of 50,744 games):
E3: 152.
B3: 107.
F4: 2. (occasional move -- you have to know what you're doing )