Who stands better in this fuseki?

Pippen · **#161**

@shaddy: After rethinking I agree with you about the third variation. But the first two are OK for White. In the first one White has sente, no weak group - even. In the second one Black has a potentially weak group on the right side he has to consider if he choses the empty corner, White is safe everywhere - even again. Do you agree?

1. variation:

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

2. variation:

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

Uberdude · **#162**

I'm not sure if variation 1 is even, to me black is slack to answer at 3-3 and let white make a nice shape, but in exchange he got sente to get the last corner which is good. Net effect unsure. If white slides and I don't 3-3 I would probably play the one not two space pincer.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W or maybe 4 directly at 6 $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . O . . 2 . O 4 . 3 . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . 6 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Pippen · **#163**

You did set 2 one point further, so in that case I'd play like this where a and b seem miai:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$W $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . O . . 2 . O . . a . . | $$ | . . X , . . . . . , b . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

I don't think I can play like this with 2 one point to the left like in my original 2. variation.

Pippen · **#164**

Here is a game I lost. I have two questions:

1. Where was my first significant mistake early in the game (and what move should I have played instead)?
2. Looking before move 124...was the game still winnable for me?

Uberdude · **#165**

1) r13 but personally I don't like r14 and would m3 particularly as d6 means you have the ladder.

Pippen · **#166**

Black to play its best move...but where?

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

Kirby · **#167**

Pippen wrote:

Black to play its best move...but where?

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

Territorially, game seems somewhat balanced in terms of points to me. The problem is that white has potential on the top.

The biggest definite territory move seems to be here:

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

But can black afford for white to further develop the top? There's also the weakness at 'a' that black has.

I think the game is already good for white. The question is whether to try to do something about the top immediately to try to catch up, or to wait.

I don't know the answer to that.

skydyr · **#168**

Kirby wrote:

Pippen wrote:

Black to play its best move...but where?

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

Territorially, game seems somewhat balanced in terms of points to me. The problem is that white has potential on the top.

The biggest definite territory move seems to be here:

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

But can black afford for white to further develop the top? There's also the weakness at 'a' that black has.

I think the game is already good for white. The question is whether to try to do something about the top immediately to try to catch up, or to wait.

I don't know the answer to that.

My thinking went along these same lines, along with the question of whether black could play C9 to help remove the weakness in a more active manner.

Bill Spight · **#169**

Pippen wrote:

Black to play its best move...but where?

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

A difficult position. I agree that White has the edge.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . a . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O . . . . W . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . X . X . X . O . | $$ | . . . O . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

is good, making territory while aiming to invade. But with :wc:

in place, "a" is not great.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O . . . . O . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . X . X . X . O . | $$ | . . . O . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Although short, this extension is dynamic, threatening to invade the corner while shoring up Black's weakness. I prefer it to the previous diagram.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$B $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X X O O . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O . . . . O . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . 1 . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . X . X . X . O . | $$ | . . . O . X . . X . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

But the threat of White's expansion into the center makes me lean towards something like :b1:

here.

Shaddy · **#170**

Has the world gone mad? 3-3 in the bottom right is my move.

Kirby · **#171**

Shaddy wrote:

Has the world gone mad? 3-3 in the bottom right is my move.

I can see Bill's argument of reducing the center, but I don't understand how the bottom right corner is bigger than the top right corner.

Shaddy · **#172**

White's group becomes weak!

Kirby · **#173**

Shaddy wrote:

White's group becomes weak!

Can't really argue with that. Good point. I didn't consider this at all.

Pippen · **#174**

Shaddy wrote:

White's group becomes weak!

First I am surprised that White is seen better in the initial diagram. The problem with the lower 3-3 seems its slowiness. Yes, White's right group would become weak, but White has some influence towards the center and after 3-3 White has sente and could play another big move towards the center, effectively making its left group very stable plus increasing its top group potential.

I'd go with Bill's cap-like reducing move.

Uberdude · **#175**

When looking at that board I can't help but want to use the sleeve tesuji to correct black's mistake here. (That would also make 3-3 better).

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

P.S. Pippen what do you think of my reply to the previous question?

Pippen · **#176**

@Überdude: I think I agreed with your comment to the previous question.

Pippen · **#177**

Here's another one, again Black to play. Who is better and where would u play as Black?

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

skydyr · **#178**

Pippen wrote:

Here's another one, again Black to play. Who is better and where would u play as Black?

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

Q10 almost without thinking. Black needs a framework to match white's, and the right is larger than the bottom.

As for who is ahead... maybe white slightly, but not by much. Black's left seems a bit overconcentrated compared to white's corners, though these still have a bit of aji, and there's not that much development potential from black's left side.

Uberdude · **#179**

o3. White is better due to black passively answering both of white's 2nd line descents on the left side which greatly reduced the 3-3 aji. (Though I imagine that shape may have occurred from white playing the footsweep). White's slide with big knight on the top is a little awkward but in no way make up for black's problem on the left.

Kirby · **#180**

I also feel white is better - maybe a 10 point lead? Black's position on the left is too over-concentrated.

Compare to this "even" position:

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

Instead of the third line territory that white gets above, your variation gives white a position on the 4th line.

Anyway, I'm a little impatient, so I wouldn't feel good about playing calmly. I'd want to break up the top to restore the balance of territory. Even if black plays another move around 'a' or 'b' below, I don't think it's enough to offset white's lead.

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

But it's hard to make an even game from a losing position, so it's hard to say that invading the top is a good strategy, too. If I had more patience, I guess I'd go with 'a', above. But it doesn't look like a winning game.

At this point, I'd be biting at the scab on my thumb - it's the habit I have when I'm in a tough situation. The skin on my thumbs is really wearing down these days...

Who stands better in this fuseki?

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