#197 Magicwand vs Joaz Banbeck

Magicwand · **#21**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Bill Spight · **#22**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm10 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I would play low. After all, I am not going to pincer or invade any time soon.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm10 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This cuts the sector line between the White stones, but hardly seems dynamic.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm10 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . a . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Protects the corner and threatens to invade at "a".

Edit: Unhidden.

EdLee · **#23**

Joaz Banbeck · **#24**

@Magicwand: Please pardon me, but it may be a day or two. It is the holidays and there are some admin issues to resolve.

@Observers: Click to show

@Unusedname: Sure, I'll keep your request in mind.

Joaz Banbeck · **#25**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . B . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

What is MW doing here? This feels like hamate, intended to exploit some DDK. It can't be a good move. Ok, I'll grant him that it takes one of the spots that I want to use to develop my stones, but once I find another path for them, what does it do? The honte move for white in the region seens to be one point lower at R12.

There are 5 possibilites here:
A) The natural developing move around 'a'. It feels like the proper direction for high stones to move out.
B) The pincer. This was implicitly threatened with my previous move. It is tactically consistent.
C) The territory grab. It feels premature, but making points does win the game.
D) Pincer the newest stone, and make an extension off of the lower right hoshi.
E) Tenuki. I list this for completeness only; I don't take it seriously.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . c c . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . b b . O . c . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . a a . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . d d . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Let's look at them in more depth:

A) The move out into the center feels right at first, but white just slides at 2, and has the two circled points as miai for easy life. Meanwhile, my group is twisting in the wind with little prospect for eyespace. It can't attack the nearby stones northward because they are alive. It could attack southward, but that is one light stone with lots of room to run. So it looks insipid.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . C . . O . . C . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This group looks even more feeble, for black 1 is less able to support an invasion when white starts trying to take territory up top.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

B) Upon closer inspection, the pincer appears premature. If white does the natural dodge at 2, he has miai at the circled points. True, I do get to invade his impending territory up top, but again my group looks eyeless.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . 1 . O . . C . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . C . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

C) One of the things I learned from looking at 'a' and 'b' above is how much white wants Q17. When combined with his stone at Q12, it can greatly inhibit black's Q14/Q16 group. So that is a good argument for taking it myself.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . C . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . C . . . 1 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . C . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . C . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It not only gets a good grip on the corner, but it threatens pincering white, sliding under white, and crunching on top of white. The possible territory up top does not look easy for white to defend. And if he does, it is gote.
The one argument against this is that it is not the proper direction.

D) While the various pincers around 'd' look unpleasant, the sad truth is that his Q12 is light and has room to run.
Or, he can strengthen it a tad and then play 4. Hmmm...white always seems to look good when he gets Q17.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 3 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

E) Tenuki? No. The corner is urgent.

In conclusion, none of the possibilities really feels like an unalloyed good move. All have drawbacks. But the one thing that stands out is that he wants Q17. So I'm going to take it myself. After all, he made a move that blocks my natural development, so I'll make one that blocks his. A negative balances a negative.
On the positive side, my move starts to make territory, his has little benefit for him. Unless I'm falling into some hamate, I think that this exchange benefits me.

The long term problem here is that I really want to move out into the center with this group. I must keep an eye out for the possibility that he locks me in. In a sense, I sort of owe a move. But it is a small debt.

Magicwand · **#26**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . W . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

EdLee · **#27**

Joaz Banbeck · **#28**

I've been busy with the holidays, and dealing with various admin matters, so the analysis of my next move gets a few slices of time here and there, crammed in between more important stuff. It is very easy to forget that I 'owe a move' into the middle from the upper right corner.

I'd like to pincer his right side stone; I'd like to take the big point at K3/K4; even a cap at G14 looks like fun. It is complicated. So, to deal with all of this, I have a new secret weapon: Malkovich cat.

I have a cat, named Jaune-Tom, who head butts me whenever he wants food, or when he wants out, or when he wants the heater turned on, or, I think, whenever he is bored. I decided to use this constant interruption to make my go game better. Now I have a frequent reminder.

Joaz Banbeck · **#29**

If I can posta move, I'm going to do it. A long explanation will follow when the server problems are fixed.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . B . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Magicwand · **#30**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Joaz Banbeck · **#31**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

For observers:

Much to my surprise, this is becoming a semi-moyo game. I expected running groups with lots of fighting. MW is full of surprises.

By semi-moyo, I mean that each side is a move or two away from making big territory: he up top, and me on the left. Let's look at his first.

I have a potential invasion point around 'a'. That tends to make a move around 'b' sente for white. On the other side, 'c' is sente for white and can be followed up with something like 'd'. White's upper side can grow surprisingly quickly.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . | $$ | . a a . . b . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . a . . . . . . . . . . d . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The horsehead move at N15 neutralizes any advance that he may make against my left side. In any such echange, I would get territory, but N15 would be already reducing his attempted territory from the back side. It of course nips in the bud any attempt to expand the right moyo wall with 'c'.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . B . c . . . . | $$ | . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Then there is the possibilities for my left side expanding into a moyo. If I get more strength in the lower left...

The attachment at H16 is looming since black has N15 to attack the white 2-space extension.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . 2 3 7 O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O 1 4 5 . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . 6 . . . . B . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |[/go]

So white may choose a different defense:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . 4 . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . 0 2 3 . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . 9 O 1 6 8 . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . 5 7 . . . . B . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |[/go]

The above may not be optimal play, but it illustrates the general idea of black feigning an invasion to get a wall along the 15th rank.
So N15 indirectly helps the growth of my left side.

On top of all of this, N15 gives my upper right group a good direction of play - now that the previous direction has been stymied by white's Q12. It opens up several complex invasions around M18.

So, what is going to happen in the future?

I expected :w1:

. It seems the easiest way to get some toehold on the lower half of the board, becaise Q12 is over there. ( Actually, K3 is the easiest way, but MW would rather eviscerate himself with a dull spoon than play something so passive. Maybe it is more accurate to say that R6 is the easiest active way to get a toehold. )

A pincer seems the only way to play here. If I were to play something around 'a', then he can play 2 or 'b' himself, and start getting easy territory.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . W . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . B . . . . . . . . B . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . B . . . . . , . . . a . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . a a . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So we are heading to a running fight. Everybody runs westward. There are 5 stones ( circled ) on the board that might exert some influence to eventually affect the result.
Four of those five are mine.

Joaz Banbeck · **#32**

For observers:

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

...
A pincer seems the only way to play here.

I didn't proceed from that to a decision of which pincer.

The problem with both of the close pincers is that they can be threatened too easily, often in a manner that gets Q12 involved. I want a pincer that not only attacks white's most recent move, but that keeps Q12 isolated. One of my long term goals is to kill Q12 on a large scale and take big territory on the right side and upper right side.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Tight pincer $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Another tight pincer $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . 7 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . 5 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Even a looser pincer can be profitably attacked if it is low:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 2 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . 4 . X . 5 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So the pincer that I chose is high and 2-space.
Below is one possible version of it, chosen almost at random, but which illustrates how it is possible to prevent white from connecting to Q12:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Another tight pincer $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . 4 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O 3 O 6 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . X . X . 1 . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . 8 7 5 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

====================================================

BTW, I expect his next move to be this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

He will probably try complicate matters so that in the confusion he can increase the strength of 1 so that he can attack 2.

This, IMHO, will be the guiding theme for both players in the next ten moves or so: white will try to bypass or capture the pincer stone, and black will try to hold and strengthen it.

topazg · **#33**

Magicwand · **#34**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Joaz Banbeck · **#35**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . B . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Magicwand · **#36**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

EdLee · **#37**

Joaz Banbeck · **#38**

For observers:

Joaz Banbeck · **#39**

To all: business is piling up, so it may be a few days until I get back to this.

Joaz Banbeck · **#40**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm1 Prisoners: none $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . . O . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . X , . . O . . B . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . X . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Beginner note:

#197 Magicwand vs Joaz Banbeck

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