Shawn's Study Journal

Shawn Ligocki · **#21**

Right after that last game, I tried to play out an orthodox opening based on a lecture from In-seong Hwang's class. However White did not play along and I ended up with a very confusing fight on the right. I'm not very proud of my play in this game :/

I'm not sure if I should have tenuki'd after :w10:

, but I feel like a got a pretty good result on the left, so maybe it was worth the cost in my upper right corner.

I think :B53: was an overplay. White's stones are light and she's happy to sacrifice them. I'm guessing I should have played more solidly and let White try to make a small life.

:b61:

is clearly too ambitious, it only helps White. And :b67:

is also way too small, gosh I don't know what I was thinking, probably that it was good enough to get solid territory ... and that I didn't realize how weak my right group was.

I wonder if :b91 should have been at the top at G14 instead. I thought the bottom would make more sense to expand both walls of my moyo, but I think White's push at G14 was too good.

I'm guessing Black 105 should have been a knight's move instead. The one space jump looks a little weak in hindsight.

I see now that Black 145 was too much. I should have played on the second line to avoid that horrid ko.

Black 149 was an overplay and allowed White a bunch of forcing moves to cut my groups apart. I thought it didn't matter if they got cut apart because they were both alive, but perhaps it gave White more forcing moves on the right because my group there wasn't as lively as I wanted.

Finally Black 209 was a disaster. I had no idea how big White's peep was, sigh. I played that defense really badly.

EdLee · **#22**

.

getting out is very big.
. :w22:

joseki is E18 ?
. :w34:

Thank-you move.
. :w36:

W missed B5.
. :b39:

small, slow.

1/7,000,000,000 · **#23**

138 M2 seems to be working

Shawn Ligocki · **#24**

Thanks for the comments. During the game I thought that :b39:

might be a little slow, but I wanted to stop White's repeated reductions. But I can see now that grabbing sente and letting her continue to take small points would be a good trade-off.

As for :b11:

, that makes a lot of sense, my upper right group definitely ended up taking a beating after I tenuki'd from it. I wasn't sure what would be a good move to follow up. During the game I was considering the inside plays a and b. But it seemed like whichever I took, White would take the other and my eye space would be cramped. It sounds like you are saying that I should have come out. My ideas would be to c or d. In both cases though, I still feel cramped. Are these reasonable?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$ Black to play $$ --------------- $$ . . . . . . . | $$ . . . a . . . | $$ . O . . . . . | $$ . . . X . . . | $$ . c . . . b . | $$ . d . X . . . | $$ . . . . . . . | $$ . . O . O . . | $$ . . . . . . . | $$ . . . . X . . | $$ . . . . . . . |[/go]

Shawn Ligocki · **#25**

Here's a game that I felt quite good about that I played a few weeks ago at the local club. I play Black.

A few things that I think I should have done differently:

1) :b42:

at Q14 would have made this fight much nicer for me.
2) :b90:

was way too aggressive. I think I should have played much further off with that one. Likewise with Black 120.
3) Black 164 is a thank you move. Q1 seems like a better move (helps the corner in sente).
4) Black 166 is tiny.

A couple things I'm not sure about:

1) Was :b12:

a good response to :w11:

? I wanted to protect my one stone, but also keep White cut and put some pressure on the R14 stone. But I wonder if this thinking is too local and I should have played for bigger moves?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm11 Is a good response to ? $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , 1 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

2) I think White made a mistake and let my corner live (White 189 at R1 looks like it kills). Could I have played better in this corner? Perhaps playing a instead of b? Or should I have defended it earlier?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | X . X X O . . . . O . . . . O O . . . | $$ | . . X O O X . . . O O . O O . X X X . | $$ | . X X O . X O . O X X X X O X X O O X | $$ | . O O . . X O X . O X . X X O . O X . | $$ | . . O . . . X O O O X X O . O X O X . | $$ | . . . . X X X X X X O O O O O X X X . | $$ | . . . O O O X X O O X X X X O . X O . | $$ | . . O X X X O O . O X . . X O X . O . | $$ | . . . O . O . . X X . . . X X O O . . | $$ | . . . O . . O . O O X . . X O O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . O O . X O . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . X X . X O X . X O . X . X O . . . | $$ | . . O X O . X . X . X X O O X O O O . | $$ | . . . X . . . . O X X X X X O X . X b | $$ | . . O X . . . . X , X . O O O X X a . | $$ | . . O X . . . . O X O O . O X X . @ . | $$ | . . O O X . . . . X X . O . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Shawn Ligocki · **#26**

This month I started playing in In-seong Hwang's American Yunguseng Dojang. In this online academy, In-seong teaches 3 lessons each month and we play 5 league games against other players around our level which In-seong reviews.

So far I have noticed mostly two types of lectures:
1) Theme lectures - which talk about a fundamental idea of playing go. Often it is what In-seong calls "the proper way". You should try the proper way first, and only if it doesn't work, try the special way. I love these lectures and they are often very easy ideas that work better than fancy moves (Reduce eye space before putting the stone inside, play lightly to catch an invading stone "Fish is slippery, if you grab the fish it will slip away", 1-2-3 reading: if you try the proper way and it doesn't work, try playing the move your opponent used, 6 in the corner is dead, if you see a knight's move: try to cut it with a cross attach, etc.).
2) Local Technique - which discuss Joseki and good follow ups to specific situations (what are good moves to play after common Joseki, after common corner enclosures or after common openings). I do not like these lectures as much (I think they are a bit over my head at the moment although I think I am learning some general ideas about shape and how to fight from studying these established patterns.

He's also given a few lectures on other topics, like endgame. So far I've played 3 games in the league and although I'm proud to have gone 2-1, there is a lot I have to learn. I'll post the games and comments In-seong provided.

Shawn Ligocki · **#27**

AYD Game 1 - vs. steve:

Black Mistakes:

1) :b19:

is a thank-you move, it helps White to settle. I thought that if I didn't play there, White would get R3, but it looks like that won't work for White any more. I should have focused on splitting or at least undercutting White's weak groups.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm19 a or b would be better. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O 1 . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . X X O , . . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

2)

needed to protect the Right side around Q11

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm23 Black needs to protect around a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . X X O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

3)

seems a bit slow and is in the wrong place. White can still live in the corner with this move and it's not sente against White's middle at all.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm43 a is still urgent, b is better locally. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X X X O . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X O X b . X . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . O O 1 . . . . . . | $$ | . X X . . . . . O . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . X X O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

4)

was a clear overplay. Because of this White got a large group on the right side.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm47 Should be at a to save group, still good for White. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X X X O . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X O X . . X . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . O O X . . . . . . | $$ | . X X . . . . . O . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 O a . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . O X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . X . . X X O , X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

5)

is too friendly. I could have cut at E6 and made this game much better! I think I considered this during the game but decided against it for some reason ... maybe I was intimidated because I thought that steve was stronger than I.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm69 Cut at a is great! $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X X X O . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X O X . . X . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . O O X . . . . . . | $$ | . X X . . . . . O . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O O . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . O X O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . O . | $$ | . O O O a . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . X X X O X . . . . . . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . 1 . . . X . . X X O , X . . | $$ | . . X O O X . . . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

6)

was a final disaster. I could have killed the corner and stayed in the game, but I played rashly (partially because I only had 30s byo-yomi left - but that's no excuse, my instinct should have been to cover and stay safe!).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm87 a kills, game move leads to terrible fight. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 O O O O O X | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X X X O X X O X . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . O X O X O . X X X . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . O O X a . . . . . | $$ | . X X . . . . . O . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O O . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . O X O X . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . X . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . O . | $$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . X X X O X . . . . . . . O . O X . . | $$ | . . X O O X . . . X . . X X O , X . . | $$ | . . X O O X . X . . . . . . X X . . . | $$ | . . X X O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Soon after I lost on time. The most important lessons I want to take away from this game are:
1) Don't play moves which help your opponent strengthen a weak group ( :b19:

).
2) Protect your territory. For example, on the Right. Especially after White did not exploit it, I kept ignoring it (thought about it, but figured it was safe enough).
3) Be more aggressive, for example at :b69:

, starting a fight here would have been good for me.
4) Don't make thoughtless attacks/cuts when you have the weak group and haven't read the sequence ( :b47:

).
5) Cover and stay connected before trying to kill groups ( :b87:

)

Shawn Ligocki · **#28**

Game 2 v. brittany:

This game was much more one-sided in my favor, but I still made some key mistakes that my opponent could have taken advantage of:

1) Local technique - :w16:

should have protected the cut at D4

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm16 White should protect cut at a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X a O . O . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . X X O . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

2)

should complete me wall at Q14

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm28 White should finish wall at a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . a X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X , O . O . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . X . X X O . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

3)

should attack Black's other weak group (which also protects White's running group)

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm58 White should surround Black at a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . O O . . . . O O O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . X . O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . . . O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . O . . . . X X O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . 1 . O X . . X . X X O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . O . X a . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O O . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X , O . O . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . X . X X O . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

4) White 118 is a huge overplay, White cannot hope to kill Black because Black can run out to the center, White should focus on keeping his bottom group alive!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm118 $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . O O . . X . O O O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . X . O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . X . . . O . . X . . O X . . | $$ | . O O X O . . X X O . . . X O O X . . | $$ | . X X X X O O . O . O X X O X X O . . | $$ | . . X . O . . . O O X . . O . O O . . | $$ | 1 . X O . . . . . . . X O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , X . . . O X X . . | $$ | . X X . O . . . O . . . O O X . . . . | $$ | . O X . X O . . . . X X . O X X . . . | $$ | . O . . X . . . . . . . O . O . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . O X . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . X O O . . . X . . | $$ | . . X , O . O . . , X . . X . , . . . | $$ | . X . X X O . . . . X O O . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

5) White 142 is White's last chance to save Bottom group:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm142 White needs to connect at a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . X O X X . . | $$ | . . . . . X . O O . . X . O O O X . . | $$ | . . . O . . . X . O . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . . . O . X . . . O . . X . . O X . . | $$ | . O O X O . . X X O . . . X O O X . . | $$ | O X X X X O O . O . O X X O X X O . . | $$ | . . X . O . . . O O X . . O . O O . . | $$ | O . X O . . . . . . . X O . O O X . . | $$ | . . . , O . . 1 . , X . . . O X X . . | $$ | a X X . O X . . O . . . O O X . . . . | $$ | . O X . X O O O X . X X . O X X . . . | $$ | . O . . X X X X . X . . O . O . . . . | $$ | . O O . . . . . X . X . . . O X . . . | $$ | O X O . . . . X . . X O O . . . X . . | $$ | . X X O O . O . . , X . . X . , . . . | $$ | . X . X X O . . O . X O O . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . X O . . O X . . . . X O X . . | $$ | . . . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

In the end I lived by making a ko, but as In-seong pointed out later, this was not a real ko and Black should have just connected and killed all my stones. I got very lucky that Black played the ko and played it poorly.

Lessons I learned from this game:

1) Staying connected with good shape can be more important than sente in the opening ( :w16:

and

- although :w28:

was probably even sente ). Play better when my opponent doesn't follow Joseki.
2) In a running fight, defend you weak group while attacking ( :w58:

)

And most importantly:
3) When ahead, play solidly!! ( White 118 ) I think this is a problem I often have, even when I'm ahead, I get greedy and try to take more. This often ends poorly. I should be satisfied with my lead and maintain it solidly.

Shawn Ligocki · **#29**

Game 3 v. Flenwan:

Of all my games so far in the Yunguseng Dojang, this is the one I'm most proud of. I think I played it very well, but I almost lost it with :w56:

! I think I have a lot to learn about fighting.

White Mistakes:

1) :w30:

focusses on the wrong area, it should defend the side

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm30 White should play around a to build up the side moyo. Black has a strong follow up at b. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . . . . . . X . X O . . | $$ | . . O O . . . . . X . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . X , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

2)

should break the dog's face in sente now. I got this move eventually, but that was only because Black played poorly. If Black gets this move, White's top group will be weak.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm42 White should break the dog's face at a to put more pressure on Black. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . . . . . . X . X O . . | $$ | . . O O . . . . . X . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . O . X X O . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . a . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . X , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

3)

was too passive. White needs to protect both weak groups here.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm56 White needs to protect both sides with a move like a. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . . . . . . X . X O . . | $$ | . . O O . . . . . X . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . O O X . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . O . X X O . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . O . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O X a . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O . X . O . . . , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . X O . 1 . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . X , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

I spent a couple of minutes on this move because knew it was bad, but I could not find any good move, afterwards, in his review, In-seong showed us a good sequence for White to defend both weak groups:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm56 Good sequence for White. Both groups are now out and stronger. $$ +---------------------------------------+ $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . X O O . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . . . . . . X . X O . . | $$ | . . O O . . . . . X . . . . . X O . . | $$ | . . . . O O X . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . O . X X O . . . . . . . . . X O . | $$ | . . . . . . O . 7 . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . O . X X O . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . O . X . O 2 4 6 , . . . . . , . . . | $$ | . . . . X O 3 5 . . . . . . . . X . . | $$ | . . X X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . X , . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ +---------------------------------------+[/go]

Luckily for me, Black made a huge mistake with :b65:

and I was able to win the fight. But I need to get stronger at fighting.

Important things I took away from this game (and review):

1) When I have sente to take a big point, consider sides as well as corner enclosures ( :w30:

)
2) When attacking a weak group, threaten to cut as soon as possible ( :w42:

). Breaking the dogs face of a weak group is extremely strong.
3) When in a fight where you can't afford to get pushed around, use attachments and ataris to force your opponent to make you stronger on all sides. ( :w56:

)

Tomorrow is my 4th game (against the 2nd strongest player), wish me luck!

Shawn's Study Journal

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