Analysis of fighting in Fundamentals of Go example game

philosophyandgo · #1

In Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go, Toshiro Kageyama gives the first 89 moves of a game he played against a 1k. Normally he gave this student a 6 stone handicap, but in this game he gave the student a 9 stone handicap and proceeded to methodically play through the game and win convincingly.

I'd like to use this game as a lesson in close quarters fighting technique, but I am too weak of a player to understand the reasoning behind white's play on my own. I would like to request a "game review" of white's play so that I can study this game more effectively.

The attached SGF file is the game record up through move 89, where the book cuts off. I made this file on my own and so hope that it is okay to post it. If not, please let me know what would be a better way to proceed.

snorri · #2

If you look at the game, practically every move black plays is gote. Black is just trying to make enough eyespace to live everywhere or stay connected. Those are the rules of the experiment / challenge. White can play the way white wants because of this agreement, so white starts by building up power, surrounding a single black stone on the side completely, then proceeds to do similar things all over the board. Hardly any white move is a trick or a tesuji.

It's pointless to review every move. To get examples of better use of handicap stones, books like "Kage's Secret Chronicles of Handicap Go" are good.

It is not so much that black has to attack crazily to play proper handicap go. It's just that by playing moves that only have a single purpose---defense---points are lost bit by bit throughout the game.

tekesta · #3

The game here is between a Japanese professional and a Japanese high level amateur, so, at my current level of Go understanding, I cannot give you a play-by-play breakdown. One thing I can say, though, is that Black was not doing enough fighting.

In the first 20 moves Black failed to keep White's stones divided as much as possible; No. 6 at R12 was probably to avoid pressuring White and begin creating a base for the right center side Black group, but I believe playing this move at P12 would've threatened to cut up the White formation and so be more in keeping with the advantages offered by the handicap. After all, Black should not worry about territorial gains until the endgame. White 19 takes advantage of the wall that White has built up to this point. For the rest of the game White has sente (the initiative) in most instances, as Black has to mend any weaknesses in the shape of his stone groups to prevent White from gaining any advantage. Any unattended weaknesses in Black's groups are exploited by White to keep sente. General method of play for White in handicap games is to divide Black's stones on a global basis and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the handicap stones. To counter this, in handi games Black should keep White stones divided as much as possible and make use of friendly stones nearby, and, whenever there is a chance, increase the thickness of the handicap. Plays at G7 and G14 or C3 and C17 should be made by Black as soon as there is a chance.

To use a metaphor, Black in this game is a UFC fighter afraid of a 5-year old girl.

Bill Spight · #4

philosophyandgo wrote:

I'd like to use this game as a lesson in close quarters fighting technique, but I am too weak of a player to understand the reasoning behind white's play on my own. I would like to request a "game review" of white's play so that I can study this game more effectively.

As snorri says, Black let himself get pushed around. As a result, this game is not an example of close quarters fighting technique, at least through :w89:

.

What fighting?

Black played defensively throughout, let himself get separated, and made double sure of life. As a result he got five small live groups plus one stretching from the bottom side into the center, while White made strength toward the center, also known as outside influence. Black was also weak in the top left, which White invaded with :w81:

. By

the Black orphan on the top side is lost, while Black's two weak groups are separated. Given the difference in strength, one of them is sure to die, maybe both.

White's play is nothing special. Any number of players as strong as Black could have played almost as well. OC, they would not have done as well against this Black player, but that is because he would not have been afraid of them.

Black's wounds are basically self-inflicted.

A few comments.

Analysis of fighting in Fundamentals of Go example game

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