Hi! I learned go when I was a kid, but I only really started playing in July, and I've been lurking in the forums for a month or so now. Thanks to everyone who provides such great material!

I want to start reviewing my games carefully. This is my first effort. I included thoughts on alternate moves, joseki variations, and some comments on what I was thinking. Any comments from stronger players are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Some thoughts. Super sleepy, so they're probably not organized well.

13: The reason that the iron pillar works is because it threatens to connect your stones while disconnecting his.

21: This isn't sente. Luckily, your opponent treats it like sente, but it's bigger to play somewhere else first. White could have ignored that play and took a big point.

28: This isn't sente. If white captures that stone, it's worth a few points. It's not worth nearly as much as a play in a completely open part of the board. You should have ignored this move.

32: The alternate sequence you showed isn't joseki either, but that's beside the point. I think that it is important to understand that it's good for you to have a wall facing the right side as it builds you a nice moyo, so you should at least consider blocking at R16.

41: That's the third line.

51: He's next to your thickness. You should push him against it and attack from a distance.

Attaching to a weak stone is usually bad. You helped him here.

53: If you feel you need to use this attachment to connect your groups, you must cut here.

Thanks so much for the comments, HumCy!

Some follow-up questions, if you'd be so kind:

21: I agree that it isn't sente, but do you think that means I shouldn't have played it? My thought at the time was that after We13 my net no longer works and my entire left side would be cut to pieces.

28: Do you think q13 is the correct place to play?

32: Thanks, this is very helpful. I really need to memorize all the decision points in joseki where I can choose which way a wall will face.

51: That's also very helpful. I think I'm too afraid of weak stones. In this case, how would I attack from a distance? Is f7 far enough?

(I tend to think of "attack from a distance" as meaning "play a bunch of moves that your opponent has to answer elsewhere, that have the effect of locking in the weak stone" - is that accurate?)

Thanks so much for the comments, HumCy!

Some follow-up questions, if you'd be so kind:

21: I agree that it isn't sente, but do you think that means I shouldn't have played it? My thought at the time was that after We13 my net no longer works and my entire left side would be cut to pieces.


I think that the one stone isn't so important anymore. And I think that the move is worth fewer points than a truly big move played in virgin territory.


28: Do you think q13 is the correct place to play?

I like K16 much better. It increases your moyo on that side and more importantly it prevents your opponent from increasing his potential. Your suggested move feels unenterprizing and a bit overconcentrated.

32: Thanks, this is very helpful. I really need to memorize all the decision points in joseki where I can choose which way a wall will face.


It works well to have your stones facing eachother.

51: That's also very helpful. I think I'm too afraid of weak stones. In this case, how would I attack from a distance? Is f7 far enough?

(I tend to think of "attack from a distance" as meaning "play a bunch of moves that your opponent has to answer elsewhere, that have the effect of locking in the weak stone" - is that accurate?)

Well, exactly where to attack from is tricky. You really have to learn to read just to see what works. You have to ask yourself what happens when white tries to cut black off.

D7 and E7 look like they should work. But if you were weary of the three black stones being cut off, you could play as conservatively as E5.

The problem with the attachment is that it allows for cross cuts in which white can choose to sacrifice a stone or two. It can work in an emergency in which one side is seriously threatened and black needs to connect underneath, but is generally a mistake.

thanks again.