Retsugen's Revenge Revisited
According to Elf, Retsugen took an early lead and never relinquished it. It calls into question the importance of
. However, I still think that
was important, both technically and psychologically. It may not be best when Elf plays Elf, but it prevents Sakaguchi from building his ideal position on the right side into the center.
Also, it may be that Elf underestimates the value of the center in the opening. For instance, it appears that one top level bot plays the Black Hole fuseki (four 7-5 points forming a square), and other top bots have not been able to refute it.
One nice thing about the Elf commentary files is that they do not overdo the variations.
They are often surprising, yet not too difficult to understand. (OC, some of them are quite difficult to understand.
)
Enjoy!
(;AP[GOWrite:3.0.15]GM[1]ST[2]FF[4]SZ[19]CA[UTF-8]RO[O-konomi game]US[GoGoD95]FG[259:]EV[Castle Game]PW[Sakaguchi Sentoku I]PM[2]PB[Honinbo Retsugen]DT[1779-01-04 (Anei 7 XI 17)]PC[Edo Castle]KM[0]RE[B+17]GN[ ]
;B[cp]
;W[po]C[*** The 5-4, as expected.]
;B[qe]
;W[od]C[*** The high approach. Not unexpected.]
;B[pc];W[oc];B[pb]
;W[ed]C[*** According to plan, I expect.]
(
;B[kc]C[*** Naturally Black attacks the two White stones.
%%% Very tempting. But a 12 1/2% mistake. See variations. Elf likes the 3-3s.]
(
;W[ic]C[*** Counterpincer.
%%% This is also an error, losing 14 1/2%. Mutual illusion? See variation.]
(
;B[pf]C[*** Retsugen ventures up to the fourth line.
%%% Losing 12 /12%. See variation.
*** But this play prevents Sakaguchi from playing here, which has given Retsugen problems before.]
(
;W[of]C[*** Sakaguchi style.
%%% Losing 12 1/2%. See variation.]
;B[og]
;W[ng]C[*** White sacrifices the two stones.]
;B[oe];W[nf];B[ne];W[me];B[md];W[pd];B[qd];W[pg];B[pe]
;W[oh]C[*** This sequence has cost White 5%.]
;B[qm]C[*** This approach was not so unusual in those days. Besides, Black does not want White to easily build a framework on the right side and center.
%%% Loses 10%.
*** But maybe a good counter to Sakaguchi style.]
;W[oq]C[*** Joseki of that time.]
(
;B[ro]C[*** If White plays here he gets a big corner.
%%% Loses 6 12%. See variation.]
(
;W[eq]C[*** See variation.
%%% Questionable. See second variation.]
(
;B[iq]C[%%% Loses 7 1/2%. See variation.]
;W[io]C[*** Sentoku style.
%%% Loses 17%.
*** Joseki at the time, and crucial to Sakaguchi's style.]
;B[lq]
;W[hq]C[*** Also joseki.]
;B[hr];W[hp];B[cm]
;W[lo]C[*** Joseki at the time, and Sakaguchi style.
%%% Dubious play.]
(
;B[jr]C[%%% Loses 17 1/2%. See variation.]
;W[pm];B[pl];W[qn];B[rn];W[ql];B[rm]
;W[qk]C[*** White makes a big wall.]
;B[pk];W[qj];B[om];W[pn];B[qq];W[qp]
;B[rp]C[%%% In the last 14 move sequence White has lost 6%.]
;W[nl]C[*** But Black has left some aji behind.
%%% Loses 9 1/2%. Elf gives White 15 1/2% chance to win, with komi.]
;B[ce]C[*** The 3-3 is usual, but I think that Retsugen had seen deeply into the position.
%%% Loses 9 1/2%.
*** But Sakaguchi gives it right back. See variation for next.]
(
;W[df]C[*** Not unexpected. See variation.]
;B[cf];W[dg];B[dc];W[ec]
;B[db]C[*** Black gets a larger corner than if he had played in the corner directly.]
(
;W[dn]C[%%% Questionable. See variation.]
;B[cn]
;W[el]C[*** Sentoku style.
%%% I given White an 8 1/2% chance, with komi.]
;B[ko];W[kn]
;B[op]C[*** Black makes use of the aji of the three sacrificed stones.]
;W[pp];B[pq];W[np]
;B[ln]C[%%% Now I give White a 17% chance. See variation for next.
End of Elf comments.]
(
;W[mn];B[or];W[kp];B[nq]
;W[no]C[*** Retsugen skilfully secures the bottom side with sente.]
;B[kf]C[*** Big. White is pretty much toast.]
;W[kg];B[if];W[ig];B[hg];W[jf];B[je];W[jg];B[he];W[hh];B[gg];W[gh]
;B[fg]C[*** Black takes aim at the weaknesses of the White group.]
;W[de];B[dd];W[gd];B[fh];W[fi];B[ei]
;W[fj]C[*** White builds an impressive wall, but at the expense of weakening his top left group.]
;B[eb];W[ff];B[fc];W[fd];B[gc];W[hd];B[jc];W[eh];B[lf];W[lg]
;B[ep]C[*** Now Black attacks White's thinness here.]
;W[dp];B[do];W[dq];B[eo];W[cq];B[bp];W[gr];B[fm]
;W[ck]C[*** White secures his group plus a bit of territory]
;B[ch];W[ci];B[bi];W[cg];B[bg];W[dh];B[bh];W[bj];B[dl];W[ek]
;B[em]C[*** In sente.]
;W[gl];B[hn]
;W[im]C[*** And walls off a huge center. But it is not enough.]
;B[rg]C[*** Black has an easy win.]
;W[mf];B[qh];W[ld];B[lc];W[id];B[ie];W[ke];B[jd];W[qi];B[br];W[hs];B[ir];W[fp];B[jb];W[bq];B[aq];W[cr];B[bl];W[gn];B[gm];W[fn];B[en];W[hm];B[fq];W[gp];B[er]
;W[ar]C[*** Tesuji.]
;B[as];W[cs];B[fr];W[gq];B[ds];W[fs];B[hb];W[qg];B[rh];W[ph];B[ri];W[rj];B[aj];W[ib];B[ia];W[rf];B[qf];W[nd];B[mc];W[ak];B[dj];W[dk];B[cj];W[di];B[bk];W[si];B[re];W[kq];B[kr];W[lp];B[mp];W[rl];B[fl];W[fk];B[fo];W[go];B[ip];W[jp];B[is];W[gs];B[ge];W[ej];B[fe];W[ee];B[bj];W[oo];B[oq];W[sm];B[sn];W[sl];B[gf];W[hc];B[gb];W[ef]
;B[cl]C[*** This is sente, but the game record does not show White's protective play.]
)
(
;W[lp]C[*** Maybe White's last chance.]
;B[or];W[oo];B[jn];W[km];B[jo];W[cq];B[bq];W[dp];B[co];W[jl];B[mq];W[nr];B[nq];W[pr];B[op];W[ld];B[oq];W[mc];B[nd];W[lc];B[ik];W[il];B[ii]
;W[gi]C[*** Can Black handle the play in the White center?]
)
)
(
;W[pq];B[qr];W[gr];B[nr];W[pr];B[qs]
;W[dm]C[%%% This way.]
;B[cl];W[cn];B[bn];W[dn];B[bo];W[dl];B[lk];W[mj]
;B[ij]C[*** Best for Black, I suppose. But how well could Retsugen and other players of the time handle shinogi in the opponent's central moyo?]
)
)
(
;W[cc]C[*** White may do better to secure the corner. Elf's choice. But not Sakaguchi's style.]
)
)
(
;B[gr];W[cd];B[kp];W[ko];B[fp];W[ep];B[fq]
)
)
(
;B[cc];W[ce];B[eb];W[bc];B[hd];W[gc]
)
)
(
;W[rq]C[*** Joseki, but White has other plans.]
)
(
;W[cd];B[fq];W[cj]
)
)
(
;B[cd];W[ce];B[be];W[de];B[dc];W[bf];B[ec];W[ep];B[eq];W[fq];B[dq];W[fp];B[cn];W[qn];B[pm]
;W[nn]C[*** Builds a sphere of influence while attacking.]
;B[jp];W[lq]
;B[in]C[*** Pretty cool sequence, eh?]
)
)
(
;W[pq];B[cc];W[ce];B[eb];W[fc];B[fb];W[kd];B[ld];W[ke];B[jc];W[id];B[le];W[bc];B[jd];W[je];B[ie];W[kg];B[if];W[jg]
)
)
(
;B[qq];W[cd];B[op];W[ep];B[id];W[hc];B[cc]
)
)
(
;W[pq];B[cc];W[ce];B[ec];W[fd];B[fc];W[gd];B[gc];W[hd];B[of];W[eq]
)
)
(
;B[qq]
)
(
;B[cc]
)
)
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