Making good shape #1

For lessons, as well as threads about specific moves, and anything else worth studying.
Post Reply
nickxyzt
Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:48 am
Rank: 4 kyu
GD Posts: 30
Been thanked: 2 times

Making good shape #1

Post by nickxyzt »

Hi,

In the book "Making good shape", chapter one, the following example of good shape appear. Given the initial position:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc Black to play
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ . . . . X O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
the sequence below gives White bad shape (called dumpling), while Black's center stones are projecting influence.
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc Black to play
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ . . . 4 X O X X . . |
$$ . . 7 3 2 O O X . . |
$$ . . . a 1 5 X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
My question is: shouldn't Black worry right now about a cut at 'a'?
User avatar
EdLee
Honinbo
Posts: 8859
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:49 pm
GD Posts: 312
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Has thanked: 349 times
Been thanked: 2070 times

Post by EdLee »

I think if B has already checked the ladder is good for B, then B doesn't have to worry about (a).
And if the ladder is a big problem for B, then B can connect at (a) instead of the extend on :b7:.

Note that W also has the option to atari the other :bc: stone:
( I didn't realize this is already covered in the book when I did this diagram. )
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B :w6: connects
$$----------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . X O X X . . |
$$ . . . . 5 O O X . . |
$$ . . . . 1 2 B O X . |
$$ . . . . . 3 4 O X . |
$$ . . . . . 7 . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Perhaps one key point of this example is to show the tesuji of :b1: which
appears in other situations; for example, this joseki:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$----------------------
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . X . O . |
$$ . . X X X . . X O . |
$$ , O O O O X X O . . |
$$ . . . . X O X O . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X O . |
$$ . . . . 1 . . X O . |
$$ . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
nickxyzt
Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:48 am
Rank: 4 kyu
GD Posts: 30
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Making good shape #1

Post by nickxyzt »

Yes, the point was the tesuji of :b1:, but there was no reference to the ladder.

I was thinking that even if the ladder doesn't work, maybe there is a tesuji for Black after a cut at 'a' - a loose lader or a net, but I wasn't able to find one.
User avatar
EdLee
Honinbo
Posts: 8859
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:49 pm
GD Posts: 312
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Has thanked: 349 times
Been thanked: 2070 times

Post by EdLee »

nickxyzt wrote:In the book "Making good shape", chapter one, the following example of good shape appear.
In your copy of the book, is it under "Chapter One: The Efficiency of Stones,"
and under section "2. Dumplings" ? Maybe another key point is W's dumpling shape.

Sensei's page here leads to this review. I wonder if there exists another review, at pro level ?

From the book: "However, the two marked stones burden White's position with bad aji."
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . Y O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . Y O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Then, the section proceeds to show the tesuji of :b1:.
So perhaps B would wait until the conditions are good for B to exploit this aji.

If the main point of the section is on dumplings, then maybe the initial :b1: tesuji is a secondary concern.
Perhaps how B replies to the :w1: cut depends on the whole board ?
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . O O O X X . . |
$$ . . X X O O O X . . |
$$ . . . 1 X X X O X . |
$$ . . 2 3 5 7 . O X . |
$$ . 8 . 4 6 . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Another possibility, if the top is not important to B, and :wc: is a potential target ?
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . O O O X X . . |
$$ . . X X O O O X . . |
$$ . 5 3 1 X X X O X . |
$$ . . 4 2 . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . 6 . . W X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
nickxyzt
Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:48 am
Rank: 4 kyu
GD Posts: 30
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Making good shape #1

Post by nickxyzt »

Ok, thanks for the clarification.
The main theme is dumpling, so the stress is on :b1:.

It's clear for me now that Black should wait for a favorable context so that the cut is not a threat.
There is no net right now for the piece at 'a'.
User avatar
SoDesuNe
Gosei
Posts: 1810
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:57 am
Rank: KGS 1-dan
GD Posts: 0
Has thanked: 490 times
Been thanked: 365 times

Re:

Post by SoDesuNe »

EdLee wrote:From the book: "However, the two marked stones burden White's position with bad aji."
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . Y O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . Y O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Then, the section proceeds to show the tesuji of :b1:.
So perhaps B would wait until the conditions are good for B to exploit this aji.
I know there are always different views about forcing moves but I would like to play :b1: (at O14) immediately and when there is no clear way for Black to defend the remaining cut, I would play Tenuki.
In my opinion the situation could be compared with White playing at O14 himself. This should kill all Aji, shoudn't it?
But when Black already forced White into a dumbling shape and White decided to cut or play something larger in scale (either directly after Black plays Tenuki or later on) then Black might still have quite some Aji left.
User avatar
HermanHiddema
Gosei
Posts: 2011
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:08 am
Rank: Dutch 4D
GD Posts: 645
Universal go server handle: herminator
Location: Groningen, NL
Has thanked: 202 times
Been thanked: 1086 times

Re: Making good shape #1

Post by HermanHiddema »

@EdLee: Don't atari the cutting stone :)

If the ladder is bad, why not just:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . O O O X X . . |
$$ . . X X O O O X . . |
$$ . . . 1 X X X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . 2 . . W X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Now white still has two problems. (Or maybe three, if we count :w1:)

Perhaps it would go something like:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . O O O X X . . |
$$ . a X X O O O X . . |
$$ . 5 . 1 X X X O X . |
$$ . . . 3 . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . 2 4 . W X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
And the fighting is still unclear. Black can push out at a and white needs to be very careful, his top stones don't have that many liberties.

This looks playable for white only if he has support along the top side somewhere.
User avatar
EdLee
Honinbo
Posts: 8859
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:49 pm
GD Posts: 312
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Has thanked: 349 times
Been thanked: 2070 times

Post by EdLee »

Maybe it's interesting to figure out how the sequence happened:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X b X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . X O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Locally, B has played 13 moves. W has played 12 (I'm guessing B captured 1 W stone at (b)).
It is still B's turn, so W tenuki'd once locally ?

HermanHiddema, thanks. :)
Bill Spight
Honinbo
Posts: 10905
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:24 pm
Has thanked: 3651 times
Been thanked: 3373 times

Re: Making good shape #1

Post by Bill Spight »

Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc Black to play
$$ --------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X . X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ . . . 4 X O X X . . |
$$ . . 7 3 2 O O X . . |
$$ . . . a 1 5 X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . b . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
First, as Ed says, correct play depends upon the whole board.

Second, as Ed's diagrams illustrate, even if the ladder does not work, Black can sacrifice his stones in return for outside strength. This is called treating the stones lightly. Black can do that because they have already done their work. After all, in the initial diagram Black was outnumbered 2 to 11.

Third, :b7: takes gote in this diagram, which suggests two things. First, that the ladder works. Second, that Black is attacking the White stones on the top side. Black could take sente, after all, as part of treating the stones lightly. And if Black is worried about the cut, he could simply connect instead of extending with :b7:. He could also have made a play like "b", if he wished to attack the stones on the right, instead.

Fourth, forcing bad shape on White is good, even if Black later sacrifices his stones. Therefore, this kind of play is usually made early, without worrying about whether Black can save his stones.
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.
Bill Spight
Honinbo
Posts: 10905
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:24 pm
Has thanked: 3651 times
Been thanked: 3373 times

Re:

Post by Bill Spight »

EdLee wrote:Maybe it's interesting to figure out how the sequence happened:
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ . . . O X b X . . . |
$$ . . O O O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . X O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
Locally, B has played 13 moves. W has played 12 (I'm guessing B captured 1 W stone at (b)).
It is still B's turn, so W tenuki'd once locally ?

HermanHiddema, thanks. :)
Here is my guess for the last few plays. :)
Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ ---------------------
$$ . . . . . 2 . . . . |
$$ . . . 1 X O X . . . |
$$ . . 3 5 O X X . . . |
$$ , . . . 4 O X X . . |
$$ . . . . . O O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . X O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]
:w3: is a mistake, OC. ;)

The position looks contrived to me, but who knows?
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.
Polama
Lives with ko
Posts: 248
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2012 1:47 pm
Rank: DGS 2 kyu
GD Posts: 0
Universal go server handle: Polama
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 148 times

Re: Making good shape #1

Post by Polama »

As Black, I'd be happy to get the chance to fight over the ladder in the opposite corner as well. If white ends up extending, or playing a close by ladder breaker, I get a free move in the other corner. It's sort of like a picnic ko: black didn't have anything special going on in the area to begin with, so if he gets an advantage elsewhere it's a good trade.
Post Reply