)The other game I thought I was losing when my opponent resigned, but then I counted and realized I was up by 20-30 points. I almost resigned myself even after seeing that my groups were alive when he lived in my corner. (You almost resigned a won game?! That would have been hilarious!
)I think I played decently in this game. Not my best, but my reading was pretty good if somewhat fuzzy in areas of my own living/connecting back.
So yeah, I'm back to 3k and I beat a 2k for the first time. Still not gonna call myself a 3k, but I think my studies are still continuing to improve my play. I'm particularly happy with my life and death skills. They have gotten much stronger since my 9k days. ("Much stronger" as in "I don't die everywhere all the time" but sure, "stronger"
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starts the first interesting fight of the game. I have no idea what the best reducing move is around here, but this probe looks like a reasonable try. It is okay if this stone dies, as long as you get your full money's worth from it. To that end, why not atari at D4 before B6? W cannot capture at A4, as that would permit you push through to D3 for a very good result. So you could get a free and possibly useful forcing exchange before coming back to the game move. Every little bit of aji helps.
should be at K13 for the center fight. It looks like W could play at that point in the game to capture the B cutting stones, which would be a disaster. This is the sort of game-ending fight you have to take time to read out. Fortunately W let you play there a move later. Now I think B has a won game.
is risky, giving W chances for counter-play against the center stones. Of course, if you read out that this kills the W group, then go for it. But if you are at all unsure, why risk a won game? The simple and safe response at K15 strengthens the center stones and keeps W strongly enclosed. Sure, W will probably live along the side, but B would still be far ahead in territory. This would be a good time to count the score, to see if a kill is really needed.
is a mistake, losing the important cutting stones in the center. Switching to L12 was still possible, if you saw the danger. W would get a good result above, but I think B would still be in the lead.
is not necessary -- B already has a connection here. Jumping into the W moyo at F9 is huge, and might be considered even if B was not safely connected. After 
it looks like W has taken the lead.
and 
were game winning responses to W overplays. Good job staying focused and finding these moves!
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) My counting was pretty accurate actually, but I lost it early.
. I have a lot of trees and comments and stuff for that move because I think it was the key to my win. I considered the move I needed, but didn't play it. If I'd only seen it then I may just have had an easy win... (Well if "ifs" and "buts" were candied nuts then we'd all have a very merry Christmas...)
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) I thought it would be nice to play a non-KGS game and I thought IGS would be a good choice since I have nothing to lose there - I've never even won a game on that server anyway. (Yeah, why'd you have to go and ruin that fun stat?)
trying to preserve my side points and keep black split. In response black was able to kill my group, but not without giving me a few free moves as ko threats. My choice - build outside influence and play the san-ren-sei. (But you hate playing for influence and you hate that fuseki!?! 
) I hate playing for influence and I really hate the san-ren-sei, but I felt that was my best bet if I wanted to win after that. (I just told them that... you know, you really should listen to me from time to time. 
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I played a long-knight's enclosure to my 4-4 and waited for my opponent's reply. He gave me a chance by approaching on the inside and I attacked his group. I killed half of it and then tried to build up the upper right. Sadly, my opponent invaded the 3-3. However, I had enough strength that I played the super aggressive variation. My opponent lived in gote and then I extended along the right to undercut him. At this point I was behind. I was counting on and off trying to estimate the score and I could see I was losing. I had to make almost the whole center mine. Thankfully, my opponent extended on the left instead of going to reduce my influence. I capped him at 
to build my center while threatening to attack his group again. (You know what a cap is? Well, I guess it gets played against you enough that it should be in your vocabulary...) At move 104 I offered up a sacrificial lamb to secure the left side. Peeped at 114 and finished my walling off at 116. I let black make reductions here and there, but with that center I was back in the game. (See, maybe playing for influence is your calling? Imagine: moyoaji - this generation's Takamiya Masaki!