Ask for review: 9x9 with computer - why I can't win?

[gogeo]

Hello, since few weeks I can't beat Crazy Stone program on mobile.

I am sure, I am missing something simple but important.
If someone can give me hint what to improve I will be very grateful.

Thanks
GoGeo

First Game

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=3718

Second Game

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=3717

[PaperTiger]

Hello, since few weeks I can't beat Crazy Stone program on mobile.

I am sure, I am missing something simple but important.
If someone can give me hint what to improve I will be very grateful.

In the first game, White is dead in the upper left corner. Four empty spaces in a box is one of a handful of very simple life and death shapes that you need to learn.

[Joaz Banbeck]

...In the first game, White is dead in the upper left corner. ...

Except that those stones are connected to the lower right.

[Joaz Banbeck]

... I am sure, I am missing something simple but important.
If someone can give me hint what to improve I will be very grateful...

Work more on keeping your stones connected. In particular, try not to make so many keimas in the middle of the board.

[emeraldemon]

Crazy stone is quite strong on 9x9. I use the android version ("champion go") on my phone, and I usually let it give me a 2 stone handicap or play reverse komi (I play black and get 7.5 points). I do play on the highest difficulty setting ("5" whatever that means).

My advice would be to start with a high handicap where you are sure you will win (maybe 5 stones?) When you win, start taking 4, etc. At some point you should find a decent challenge for your level of play.

[gogeo]

Crazy stone is quite strong on 9x9. I use the android version ("champion go") on my phone, and I usually let it give me a 2 stone handicap or play reverse komi (I play black and get 7.5 points). I do play on the highest difficulty setting ("5" whatever that means).

My advice would be to start with a high handicap where you are sure you will win (maybe 5 stones?) When you win, start taking 4, etc. At some point you should find a decent challenge for your level of play.

Thanks I am doing like this as well on champion "GO" my current matrix is following:
M = Medal
0 = I can't win It is just ca. 30 moves... It can't be so difficult.

12345 - Level
MMMMM
MMMMM
MMMMO - komi
MMOOO - even
MMOOO - white komi 0

Other 18 games I won relatively fast... But on last 7 I can't progress at all. It drive me almost crazy

Thanks
gogoe

[PaperTiger]

Except that those stones are connected to the lower right.

Oops, that was embarrassing. Sorry for the noise.

[Bill Spight]

I would not worry too much about winning or losing, particularly by a small margin.

Some comments. As always, no guarantee that I have not goofed.

(;ST[2]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]FF[4]CA[ISO8859-1]SZ[9]GM[1]RU[JP]KM[6.5]PM[2]HA[0]FG[259:]BS[0]PB[Player]PW[COMLv3]GN[Champion Go]DT[2013-10-09 14\:59\:34]VW[]RE[W+2.5]WS[3]
;B[ee]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eg]
;B[ec]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gf]
;B[cf]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fd]
;B[fe]TL[2,0]
;TL[2,0]W[ge]
;B[fg]TL[9,0]
;TL[2,0]W[ff]
;B[ef]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[ed]
(
;C[*** See variation.]B[dg]TL[0,0]
;C[*** Huge play for White. The Black stone on the top side is obviously misplaced. End of comments.]TL[2,0]W[dd]
;B[fc]TL[3,0]
;TL[1,0]W[gc]
;B[gb]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eh]
;B[dh]TL[6,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fh]
;B[hc]TL[3,0]
;TL[1,0]W[gd]
;B[bd]TL[4,0]
;TL[1,0]W[dc]
;B[db]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[cb]
;B[ea]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bc]
;B[cd]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[cc]
;B[hd]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[de]
;B[df]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ce]
;B[be]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ad]
;B[af]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ac]
;B[he]TL[8,0]
;TL[0,0]W[hf]
;B[if]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ig]
;B[ie]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[hh]
;B[ei]TL[4,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fi]
;B[di]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ae]
;B[bf]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ca]
;B[fa]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eb]
;B[fb]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[hb]
;B[ib]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ic]
;B[ha]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[da]
;B[bh]TL[7,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eb]
;B[gh]TL[8,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gg]
;B[db]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gi]
;B[eb]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[tt]
;B[tt]TL[0,0]
)
(
;C[*** Very important play.]B[dd]
)

)

Main focus: Don't just let your opponent rip your position apart.

(;ST[2]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]FF[4]CA[ISO8859-1]SZ[9]GM[1]RU[JP]KM[6.5]PM[2]HA[0]FG[259:]BS[0]PB[Player]PW[COMLv3]GN[Champion Go]DT[2013-10-08 23\:33\:36]VW[]RE[W+2.5]WS[3]
;B[ee]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fg]
;B[dg]TL[4,0]
;TL[0,0]W[dc]
;B[gf]TL[4,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ce]
;B[fc]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[gg]
;B[hg]TL[2,0]
;TL[1,0]W[hh]
;B[hf]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[ef]
;B[df]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[de]
(
;C[*** This is a complicated position. See variation.]B[ed]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ff]
;B[dd]TL[3,0]
;TL[1,0]W[cd]
;B[ec]TL[0,0]
;TL[1,0]W[bg]
;B[ch]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eh]
;B[db]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[cc]
;B[cb]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bh]
;B[ih]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gh]
;B[bc]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bd]
;B[ab]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ad]
;B[fe]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[cg]
;B[ig]TL[11,0]
;TL[0,0]W[hi]
;B[ac]TL[3,0]
;TL[0,0]W[cf]
;B[ii]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[tt]
;B[tt]TL[0,0]
)
(
;B[eg]
(
;W[ff]
;C[*** Now it comes down to a fight between the two groups on the bottom side. The fight seems to favor Black, even though it is White's move.]B[fe]
;W[eh]
;B[dh]
(
;W[fh]
;B[gi]
;W[hi]
;C[*** White has only one eye.]B[ih]
;W[ch]
;B[ei]
;W[cg]
;B[fi]
;W[cf]
;B[gh]
)
(
;W[gh]
;B[fi]
;W[ei]
;B[di]
;W[fh]
;B[ih]
;W[gi]
;B[bh]
(
;W[bg]
;B[bf]
;W[be]
;B[ag]
)
(
;W[bf]
;B[bg]
;W[ag]
;B[ah]
;W[bi]
;B[cf]
;W[be]
;B[ch]
)

)

(
;W[fi]
;B[gh]
;W[fh]
;B[ih]
;W[gi]
;B[bh]
;W[bf]
;B[bg]
;W[ci]
;B[di]
;W[bi]
;B[cf]
;W[be]
;B[ch]
)

)
(
;W[eh]
;B[dh]
;W[fi]
;C[*** Bigger than it looks. Only White has a weak group.]B[ff]
(
;W[ih]
;B[di]
;C[*** White lives. ]W[fh]
;C[*** Big.]B[eb]
;W[db]
;B[bf]
;W[be]
;C[*** Black wins.]B[bg]
)
(
;W[eb]
;C[*** Kills the White group.]B[di]
;W[gc]
;B[gb]
;W[fb]
;B[hc]
;W[gd]
;B[hb]
;W[fd]
;B[hd]
;W[bg]
;C[*** Black wins. See continuation for how White cannot live in the bottom right corner.]B[bh]
;W[ih]
;B[hi]
;W[gi]
;B[fh]
;W[gh]
;B[ei]
)

)

)

)

The 9x9 is a very tactical game, and when White cuts, the resulting position is difficult. Black needs to engage the enemy at that point. One thing that begins to stand out, I think, is how big connecting can be. Another thing to note is how big the diagonal play on the second line can be when either side could make that play.

[gogeo]

Thanks again for so many hints - and they are working. Now I beat Champion Go at level3 playing black. Now I have to beat him as white

Any comments for this game?

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/download/file.php?id=3725

Thanks a lot

gogeo

[Bill Spight]

Well done!

(;ST[2]AP[GOWrite:2.2.21]FF[4]CA[ISO8859-1]SZ[9]GM[1]RU[JP]KM[6.5]PM[2]HA[0]FG[259:]BS[0]PB[Player]PW[COMLv3]GN[Champion Go]DT[2013-10-10 22\:20\:40]VW[]RE[B+R]WS[3]
;B[ee]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eg]
;B[fc]TL[0,0]
;TL[1,0]W[ce]
;B[gf]TL[6,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gg]
;B[df]TL[0,0]
;TL[1,0]W[ff]
;B[fe]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[ge]
;B[hf]TL[1,0]
;TL[1,0]W[hg]
;B[he]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gd]
;B[ef]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fg]
;B[hd]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[cg]
;B[cf]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bf]
;B[dg]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[dh]
;B[ch]TL[9,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bg]
;B[eh]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fh]
;B[di]TL[2,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bh]
;B[cd]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bd]
;B[cc]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[bc]
;B[bb]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ab]
;B[ba]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gc]
(
;C[*** See variation. End of comments.]B[hc]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[gb]
;B[hb]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ec]
;B[fd]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[fb]
;B[db]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[eb]
;B[dd]TL[0,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ha]
;B[ea]TL[7,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ib]
;B[ic]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[if]
;B[ia]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ga]
;B[dc]TL[1,0]
;TL[0,0]W[ib]
;B[ed]TL[6,0]
;TL[0,0]W[id]
;B[ia]TL[1,0]
)
(
;B[gb]
;W[hc]
;C[*** This is called a loose ladder.]B[hb]
)

)

See move 37.