Any pro games that are inspiring?

[oren]

Checking on a database, the shoulder hit to a 4-4 is uncommon but not especially rare. Watching this game on baduk tv english, I was able to guess what the play would be. It's a great play, but the highlight for me was the earlier sacrifice and ensuing fight.

[judicata]

Checking on a database, the shoulder hit to a 4-4 is uncommon but not especially rare. Watching this game on baduk tv english, I was able to guess what the play would be. It's a great play, but the highlight for me was the earlier sacrifice and ensuing fight.

The sacrifice was huge. I would say "ballsy."

You were able to guess the move, but as a player, could you really stomach giving white all those points in the corner, confident that your center territory would make up for it? I was eyeing the 1 space high approach, although it is hard to see a way for black.

[Splatted]

I agree with Noskill. It's an odd move, but I would can't see how you wouldn't at least consider it in this situation.

Shoulder hitting a 4-4 stone is basically never good. This is one of the incredibly rare exceptions.

A shoulder hit on that stone gives your opponent free 4th line territory in the corner. That is enormous. If white had wanted he could have had a 20+ point corner. It is only because of Takemiya's enormous potential in the center that white started a fight there later. Normally getting a 20 point corner is good by every conceivable measure, but it wasn't in this rare case.

Center territory is so fickle that most players don't emphasize it. Takemiya is well known for his use of moyos and building lots of potential in the center at the expense of granting his opponents large swaths of territory in the corners. This can definitely work as shown here, but unless you are as strong as Takemiya, I don't think you should play this way. One mistake in your wall and you lose the whole game.

If I was playing like Takemiya, for the center then yes, I would look at this move, but it goes against a lot of conventional wisdom.

The fact that 4th line territory for 5th line influence is normally a bad exchange shouldn't stop you from playing it when the centre is obviously worth more than normal, and doing so doesn't go against conventional wisdom in any way.

[SmoothOper]

I think the failed ladder qualifies.

[otenki]

This game really inspired me, it teaches the pain of weak groups.
It's also very understandable (at least thats what I believe) for kyu's.

Cheers,
Otenki