According to plan. This is the first move I've been able to accurately predict from my opponent. Let's see if he connects.
Now, let me think ... too often I simply follow a plan without re-evaluating the board. What if I left the local area and played another big move?
I keep thinking about Bill Spight's "When in doubt, tenuki." There's wisdom in that. What happens in the local situation?
$$Wcm14 White tenuki at W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 5 4 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 7 . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wcm14 White tenuki at W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 5 4 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 7 . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
That looks alive ... either I make small life, or I jump out to the center. Wow. I can deal with that.
What if Black presses down instead?
$$Wcm14 White tenuki with W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 9 . 7 8 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O 5 0 O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 4 6 . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wcm14 White tenuki with W16
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . 9 . 7 8 . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O 5 0 O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , 4 6 . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
If I finish with a move at a, I'm positive I have enough space for two eyes. This is a more likely sequence of moves, as Black seals me in completely. However, In exchange, I can take yet another big point.
Where should I move next, then? Let's look at the whole board ...
$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . a . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . c . . . b . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . a . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . c . . . b . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
Four possible big points. What are the merits of each?
Note to all observers: PLEASE ask questions if you want to know more about anything. I talk a lot about different ideas in this post, and I'm trying to keep to a reasonable level of generality. Things like Direction of Play are also new ideas for me, so I find it difficult to explain my thoughts without direct questions.A) Left side. Once again, to make up for the influence I'm giving to my opponent, I want to play high to try and limit that potential. D10 is far enough away from his influence to be relatively safe (as safe as a single stone can be), and it will help me when it comes time to press down against what will undoubtedly be a fairly large corner in the upper left. The downside to moving here is that there's no reason for Black to respond at all. Black can play around R12 to both attack my Q10 stone and further secure his weak corner. Black can also approach my 3-4 and jump right into the middle of my growing influence. Still, I'm leaning towards this move as a countermeasure to the influence Black has already built. The remaining direction of play for his upper left corner is (theoretically) down the left side. Black will want to be able to play as far away from his influence as possible, so placing a stone on D10, an ideal point for a Black stone, I'm looking to counter his influence and build a little of my own. Currently, this feels like the best move.
B) Low Chinese formation. It would be interesting to play something like this aw White. Black plays it often for a reason ... it's very flexible. It loosely protects the 3-4 at C4, it's a good distance from my growing framework on the lower right, and is difficult to attack without strengthening me on some part of the board. The downside is that there are numerous known ways to deal with a Chinese formation. In particular, Black can press down on the left side (likely with a move around C7), extending far from his own thickness in the upper left. That would be a very good use for his thickness. I don't think the timing is right for L3.
C) Complete the shimari. This move is solid, no question. It also gives black no easy ways to invade, as there is no longer any easy approach to the 3-4 stone. Again, the idea is to play a move that Black would like to get himself. However, Black can respond to the shimari at E3 with a light move at F4 to handily press down on my framework, or take C10 or D10, extending from his own influence and stealing a move in the direction of play that the shimari is facing towards. Still, it takes solid profit. The problem is I need to watch that I don't give up too much influence in exchange for my territory. Right now, I still don't think I want to complete this corner yet.
D) Attack the upper right corner. I put this as an option, but it seems too early for this. All I would be doing is pushing Black into my weak group. I have no desire to do this right now, even though it is a big approach, and will squish the corner into a smaller space. If I get the option later, I will take it, but I expect Black to make a move at R12 before I get to come back to this area. That fight can wait until things are a little clearer about who wants what on the board.
So, if Black connects (which I expect him to do ... though I'm prepared to be surprised if he does not) I will tenuki (likely to D10), leaving my weak group yet again to the mercies of the two "strong" Black groups. If Black continues to attack, all he's doing is settling my stones for me. By then, I hope to have made using his influence difficult for him.
One possible game continuation from here (using a joseki I know vaguely that would at least suit me ... who knows what my opponent might choose to do?):
$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 6 . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . 4 . 5 . . 0 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wcm14 Move 14 - Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X O 1 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . 2 X . O . . O . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . X . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 6 . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . 4 . 5 . . 0 . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
In this continuation, Black doesn't continue to harass the White group up top. I'm not sure if Black should continue the attack or not. As shown above, the group is not easily contained or killed.
I wonder what effect my constant tenuki plays will have on my opponent? Will he be happy to take his wall of stones, even though I got two big points out of it?
Guess I'm just not that kind of player.
