Thank you for the input! I find openings difficult because once the first few stones are on the board my mind feels almost blank of what to do next.
kvasir wrote:
About the game. I think you are already getting into some problem when you let white double approach, it is good to always consider some simple and safe variation before anything else. This is especially true in handicap games and when 20 kyu. In the game you could simply extend from the corner, as shown in the diagram, it is worry free and can't be bad.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
I see what you mean by double approach, not answering that appropriately seemed to be my downfall the lower left corner. I'm aware
![black 1 :b1:](./images/smilies/b1.gif)
in your chart is a standard opening move, but its a response to white's approach rather than just a regular opening move like I did in my game with
![black 4 :b4:](./images/smilies/b4.gif)
.
kvasir wrote:
Next the decision to let go of the stone that was in atari was something that weakened your shape instead of strengthening it. If you just connect then you will have many ways to surround some space in the corner, surrounding space is an easy way to make strong groups and it is quite big because it is territory too. You could have played as in the next diagram.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 . X 1 X O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O 2 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
I remember thinking that sacrificing that stone in atari would be less painful than trying to protect it, my gut isn't always right when it comes to go! Even my opponent pointed it out when he captured it and we went over that play later. Interestingly, in his review later he suggested playing here:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X 1 X O . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . X W . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Doing so is a bit more conservative, but plays for central influence and gives up white's marked stone.
Recognizing and making good shape is something I need to work on, I've started making flashcards in Anki of common shapes (good and bad) and I'm hopeful that'll be useful.