Life In 19x19
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Strategy problem
http://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14424		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  John Fairbairn [ Sun Jul 30, 2017 2:14 am ]
Post subject:  Strategy problem
I found the following position (two young pros in the Oteai, no komi) interesting. It has shades of AlphaGo, but the main reason for posting it is that White's next play was explained by a comment that gave an unusually simple and explicit strategic reason for it. But the way she began also had a touch of AG about it. Give both the reason and the continuation if you can.



The reference to shades of AG includes, among other things, the recent triangled move. AG can keep track of things happening all over the board. This move similarly does more work than protect the lower left group. It also eliminates the danger of a ko in the top left because it indirectly protects the weak point at A.

Hidden answer:

White played the attachment at M10, forcing L11 (the triangled stone has also eased any White concerns at the top about such a move) and then she invaded at Q9.

White's strategic thinking was simple. Black has maintained the balance of territories and the game has reached the stage where it will be too late if White doesn't invade now.

One reason I found this interesting is that it implies "balance of territories" cannot mean what many people usually think it does. It cannot mean settled or countable territory, otherwise White invading and living with two points is not going to alter the balance much.

White eventually won. Black resigned after losing his "settled" territory in the lower left without sufficient compensation.
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