Good, my opponent was worried enough about my F3 stone to spend another move there. I considered capping at O6, as suggested in passing by Chew, but we seem to be playing the cash in and fight game now. encloses my corner and peeks under the skirt of White's budding moyo on the bottom.

At this point, it's almost mandatory for my opponent to jump into the right side in the next few moves. From there, the fight for the center begins.

Here's a possible continuation, though it's far from well thought out ... just some points that I think might be important.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . 8 . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 9 . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , 6 . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

You called it. As MHO said, now is the urgent time to handle the right side. 4 is a pretty flexible way to do it, aiming at weaknesses in the corner as well as stability on the side. I am content to have the bottom made into dame if need be, so long as I can similarly negate the right, more or less. I considered trying to do make a larger moyo on bottom, but my opponent is better set up on the right than I am on the bottom, so I would have no assurance of making a comparable amount from my efforts. Instead, this double approach gives me options on the right side and the corner, which are both much more appealing than the bottom.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . 8 . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 9 . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . b . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . a . |
$$ | . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , 6 . . |
$$ | . b . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . a . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . . b . . . 3 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If the game plays forward as suggested by my opponent, my right side group is stable, because the 'a' options are miai to expand my base. As a result, I could safely take sente to select from the 'b' options.

Alternatively, if my opponent prioritizes the right side by pincering, I can either escape or attack the corner fairly successfully.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . W . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X 4 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . 3 2 . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . X 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is just a quick at-a-glance followup possibility, but it demonstrates that I can more or less settle easily on the side. 'a' is another option for 2, but it seems too passive at the moment. This does leave lots of interesting options for later, like capping 1, eventually invading the higher right side, and extending on the bottom.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 As we both suggested, if 35, 36.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , 6 . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Ok, the board is solidifying now. Pretty soon I'm going to make a score estimate, but for now I want to simply make my groups stronger. does this and puts pressure on my opponent's invasion. Chew can either slide towards the corner, or jump towards the center. Which will he choose? I don't know which is better, actually.

Good, this is simpler. As it settles my new weak group more or less, and removes most of black's framework, I am content. I believe I am currently ahead in cash, so simple favors me. My lone stone on the bottom is weak and lonely, but it has lots of options for running or connecting. Additionally, if it is attacked, I could peep at R4 and take most of the corner, to sacrifice O4 with a trade. If I was strongly concerned about the center, I could jump out here. However, that leaves things like peeps, so I'd rather simply slide for stability. Two moves ago, I posted a lot of options that I wanted, all labeled 'b'. They are the places I am still hoping to play, but my opponent has sente (unless he defends his corner), so we'll have to see.

After this move, I get a rough count of 30 points of territory for Black, 45 points of territory for White (plus 6.5 komi) ... so not counting the fight in the center I'm about 20 points behind.

Now I need to find little points to attack in White's position, and slowly bleed him to death.

Okay, feeling fairly good about the opening. The thing worth noting is, my opponent has gotten more central thickness than I have. I need to make sure that it does not turn into too many points. There are several points that I can claim that would help me to reduce this potential, and I would love to keep sente to get them. For the moment, I expect something like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . 4 . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 5 . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . 6 . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , 1 X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . 2 . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This last play seems very hard for black to kill. That said, I feel like white is comfortable on the board, so this looks fine for me. I've been trying to play with a more territorial focus lately, so this all seems to go along with that. For example, for 44, I could simply cap 45, but this takes points, stabilizes me utterly, and is fairly sente. In exchange, black gets some points too, but at least I'm not forcing black to take 44, points and all. Regarding my opponent's last move, I think perhaps he should attacked first, before stopping to defend. If I get 42 here, it buys me a lot of points and saves O4. MHO can do some of the attach-and-crosscut kind of stuff around 42, but most of it should turn out fine for me. If B does not take 43, I will, as it is MASSIVE. It singlehandedly neutralizes much of the middle, as well as destabilizing the stones below in a big way. I may actually chose to play it before/instead of 42, as it's so big and is relatively sente. I might be able to suffer black getting 42, if I get a real attack on the left side.

Marcus, thanks again for the game. This is forcing me to do a lot of the sort of thinking that is good for my game.

I want to make my groups as solid as I can. I'll lose more points if White gets to attack multiple groups. Chew is right: F12 is pretty big. I will likely need to take that soon.

Ok, it's an open game, so I'll throw some fun out there. It's semi-spoilerish, so don't look if you don't want to, but it's been playing on my mind:

Stuff at the bottom that could get "interesting"

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , 1 X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . 3 . 2 . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O 5 , . . . O . , 1 X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . 3 4 . 2 . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , 6 4 . O . , 1 X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . 8 2 5 3 9 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

where exactly is that good point down there for White to defend? I'm clueless at this point, but leaving it doesn't seem clever either. Well, good luck both of you

This may be a little greedy of me, but I feel like I can cover most of my weaknesses on bottom while provisionally saving the stone to the right, also. If I hold onto this, the game is okay for me. However, I am willing to lose half of the bottom in order to get F12 in to attack the left group. I tried to take a look at the aji on bottom, but I think I can weather the storm...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O 5 a . . . O . , 1 X . |
$$ | . . O . . X 6 3 4 7 2 . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . 8 . a . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

'a' points are miai. While I am sure black can probably get more than this, I feel like I won't die outright, so it's good enough.

I really wanted to play on the left side, but this just seems way too big. If I really needed to start a fight, I would attack the left, but it's not worth the risk right now. Keep reminding myself, taking territory is good. Taking it solidly is better, but even looser frameworks tend to compensate when invaded.

Oh hey, Topazg posted possibilities down here. I kind of like his last option, but I still prefer mine. Here goes!

Let's see what Chew does here. Topazg has outlined the weaknesses at the bottom. There are also ways I can attack the base of the right side group, if I find it necessary later. Let's see how this plays out ...

I thought about building below with L5. However, if black peeps at N15 then takes something around M17, it begins to build biggish points in the center while harming my group in the top right. This route, I take simple points and threaten to do something up top. A simple cap after this would negate the middle almost entirely, or I could consider assorted invasion points that may be interesting. I haven't yet found an invasion variation that works for sure, but this move starts to make crazy invasions and attachments safe enough to consider. I can play defensively with my group on the right side, as I'm happy with two points there. I THINK I will be able to be okay there, since I'm not going to be greedy. As far as the bottom, I don't feel like I need all of it. As long as not TOO much of my stuff there dies, I think I can allow small life for black, or decent thickness, or whatever. I just need to make sure I don't get cut in half and murdered. If need be, I can sacrifice both of the rightmost two bottom stones, but I'd like to at least get something for it if I do. The rightmost stone itself is easy to sacrifice. If I lost it, but solidified the rest, that would be fine.

Really, it depends on my opponent now. Where looks good to you?

I need to build up some more strength for the coming battle. I should be able to seal White in here. The question becomes ... can I do it in sente? The first few moves seem forced:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 7 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This builds a nice wall. Of course, there are a number of ways for White to play this out differently. From my own reading, I think I can handle anything White tries and gain something out of it. However, I'll let MHO do some reading and see if he finds a better line than this.

Ah, expected you'd do some kind of attachment inside, or something. Like you said, this first move is fairly sente and forcing. One thing that I need to be careful with is this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X a . B . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is the scary move, from my perspective. I am going to have to look into this, and a few others. However, this is only an option if I tenuki, so at least I have a chance to prevent it. If I take 'a' before black can get the marked stone, for example, it prevents it from working in semi-sente. I'll have to look deeper, but for now I'm fairly well forced. I don't like the idea of trying to run out. I would be perfectly with getting shut in here, as long as my opponent has to block me in in gote. If I get sente to cap the top, for example, the middle will turn into small potatoes. I'm going to have to be careful in this fight, though, lest I get locked in in gote, or just die. I had underestimated how scary this attack could become, though I still THINK I may be fine.

This move might need some more reading for White. The simplest play is to block as normal. Otherwise, I'm going to push and cut. You know I will, eventually.

Here's the sequence to be afraid of:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm47 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O 5 8 |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 4 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O 7 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . 9 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black chews on White's two stones ... might not be ideal for Black, though. More reading is required.

The next thing to look at is after blocking, can White get away with a tenuki?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . a . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 7 8 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 6 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . b . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

White has to be aware of both points a and b.

Anyways, maybe Chew will find a better line for

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm41 Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 9 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

For what it's worth, I think this is better than pushing and cutting, if I were to tenuki. However, in light of this... yeah, I can't. That said, this whole fight is much scarier than I thought. Now, I just want to live.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . X 7 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 6 O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . 5 X W . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . 2 X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . 3 X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I've rejected this variation because 7 hurts so much.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B Prisoners: B=0, W=1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . X . O . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . X . . , . . . O . O X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . |
$$ | . . . , X . . . . , . . . . . , O 2 . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . X W . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . X . . 3 . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . O . , . . . O . , X X . |
$$ | . . O . . X . . . . O . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Ouch.
Bah, will have to read more later. I am BAD at this game.

After looking at my options for a while, I decided to keep this. Either it gets me out into the center (as I showed in my last post) or my opponent ataris me and gets cutting points. Either way, it stops the threat of S6, the best move my opponent has to kill me.

I can't read out a reliable kill, so let's just make myself thick and close White's group in. Still lots of aji there.

I don't see any reason to not take this cut. If this is aji-keshi or a wasted ko threat, I'd love to hear it. It just seems to me that any ability to pressure it buys me, however slight, is worth the loss of ko threat.

Marcus: Fear not, I was busy with a week off work and friend in town. I hope you feel better! You can treat 'a' and 'b' as a trigger, if you would like. If you take 'a', I will be taking 'b'.