I was going to change it here if he didn't.

Sure it's a crucial area, but why do that now when there are still sente left against the floating white group?

Topazg gave me a lesson not too long ago about stuff like this. Attack and defense-like. At first glance, the move closes in the side group. Makes the monkey jump more severe. Threatens to attack our bottom group with H4. However, the true purpose of this move (I think) is to set up the attack on H14. Going to have to consider the best way to handle this.

Let me translate this for you: "Sure, this is weak point for us, but why defend it now, when we can still make the white group stronger?"

Okay, as I said in my previous comment, there are three areas being influenced by this one move. I didn't see this move coming, and I really like it (except that my opponents played it). Okay, so I think I will start with the most minor area (to get it out of the way), then go to the most l&d area, then think about the heavy top. As an aside, I think black is ahead in this game, because they have the bulk of the thickness and we have at least one weak group.

The South
The West
The North

So, we have two options. Start with our weak group and jump, or start in the west and cut into the center. It seems best to me to jump from the weak group. That buys us stability, even if I misread. By the way, I'm jumping south mostly because our followup on that side is more threatening. Jumping east would reduce black's potential in the area, but I think that black could more easily force us to keep jumping that way.

Team, if I misread something stupid, I apologize! =D

While most, if not all of younger brother's reading looks good, the overarching logic troubles me.



Here he notes that having a weak group is a liability, but then is perfectly willing to allow the opponents to make a move that connects two of their weak groups. I agree with him. of course, that having weak groups is bad. So I think that we should make moves that keep the opponents' groups weak.

My first inclination is to do exactly that, splitting the opponents' groups like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X 4 . . . C . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X 3 5 . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . O O O 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But we end up with several weak groups ourselves, and the result is hard to predict. So I'm going to go for some of the weaknesses of their group, and when the running starts, we may have an extra stone to help.

I have not read this exhaustively. It feels good. ( Some of the details were posted here: viewtopic.php?p=15834#p15834 ) If I made a mistake, it won't cost us much for Shapenaji to correct it.

Of Joaz's and Chew Terr's Moves, Terr's is actually better, it threatens both sides, whereas Joaz's is aji keshi, it's peeping at a cut that we already have, via "a", and inducing black to fix himself, I'd much rather build power in the center and let black spend a move trying to fix himself. Then we trade "b" for "c" and can aim at black's upper side:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 54B: W 28, B 23
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | c X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . b O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . C . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . O O O . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This was my first instinct. The move seems to complete shape. White's response is obvious (unless there's a more obvious one inside my shape in the spirit of the one seen at 54B, but I don't see it).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X . 1 . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . O O O . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After a white jump into my shape as in 54B doesn't seem to be very meaningful. Just blocking it one space above seems to defend adequately.




I'd have liked to reach out further toward the center here, but I'm afraid this can be cut to shreds starting with something like E9.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . O O O . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Actually, I really dislike the passivity of this move, but it does pretty much fix things, and better than the tiger's mouth / hanging connection would have done. The last thing I want is a 10 move correction fight because we've left weaknesses where the correct path through is complicated. Will re-assess global strategy starting next move I think.

That said, I don't think Violence will like this one either. Maybe I should change it just to make his change cost less? Bah, silly meta-gaming nonsense!

When you have a problem... fix it.

Especially since we have a problem on the top side. This way, we don't have to worry about this group, so white's stones become weaker by comparison.

Don't think of it as defense.

Think of it as making a fist.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X 1 X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . W . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . 2 X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X . X . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . O O O a b . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X d . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought about doing something like this. At first, I thought black would have to let us capture a few stones, giving our group stability. However, it looks like they can just barely cover it. We get a forcing move or two around 'a' and 'b', but not enough to get the cut we need. Cutting directly also only seems to buy use 'a' and 'b'. We could use that to cut off the group below (at d), but that group is easy enough for black to settle. The way I choose to take all of this is that we just got our top group's jump in sente. So it looks to me like we should tenuki to the next largest place.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc 55A: W 28, B 24
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . d . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O X . B . . , . . . . . , a . . |
$$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . c , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I looked all over the board for things that looked big or urgent. The most urgent things are helping either the middle group or the bottom left group. The best things I can see off the top of my head are 'a', 'b', and 'c'. 'a' was my initial best bet. It is a huge point, and it also offers the center group somewhere to run to. 'b' buys stability for our bottom group while making more framework on bottom, but it looks smaller than 'a'. 'c' did not originally appear to me, until I realized that in all likelihood it is sente. Remember how I just said we could cut at 'd' in the previous diagram, but the group below had too many options for stability? This takes most of them away while giving us points. Since we can get the cut (or kill a group), this move seems to have a fair sente value, while taking the corner points. If we decide this option, perhaps we should not take it right away. Perhaps we should first use the prior diagram's moves as a probe, to give black the option to sacrifice 1-2 stones. If black refuses, then we get the cut and black has no way out.

So... should I play 'a' now, while it's safe and I'm sure we can get it, or should I probe the weak group while threatening to cut off the tail? If I am entirely right, the 'c' may be bigger. However, there are a few things that could happen. The worst of these is probably that black will sacrifice a stone or two to defend the cut in sente. Our running group would get safe, but black could then take the big point on the right and make it hard to catch up. So I'll take 'a' while we can, and eye the stuff I mentioned for later.

'd' in the second diagram looks okay, but is too optimistic. I am concerned that black could split that stone from our running group, and we would be running with two weak groups.

As an aside, for my teammates... I can communicate to you guys all I want, but you guys are a black box to me. The only way you guys can communicate back is to make moves. I can, however, set up backup plans that I set into place if you override my move. If you guys play at 'c' or play the first moves in my first hidden diagram, I'm going to assume that you want me to aim for that cut, and play moves like that sequence.

Free points!

I really wanted to get F6 for us. It was worth double. If we get it, it endangers two of their groups. If they get it, we are locked in on the left. If Violence likes it, enough to play it in - what appears to be - gote, it probably is a threat to kill us.

The most vigorous attack that I can see at first glance is not lethal, but it does give black territory in the lower left in sente. Just that sequence is worth more that two points to black, so I can cut our losses by changing the move and making the total loss less.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc B10 and 'a' are miai to live
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . O X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O . O X X . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O X O X . X . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X O X . X O O X . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 O X . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . X . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 2 O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | 4 1 O X . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | 8 X X O X . X . . , . . . . . , W . . |
$$ | . O O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | a 6 . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 7 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . O . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . 9 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The move that I chose is sente, for it threatens to kill the black corner. It burns a ko threat, but it does preserve the left side group against whatever evil things Violence is contemplating.

Also, most importantly, it sends a message to Chew Terr: "This is the second time your tenuki has been unapproved. Please focus on the urgent moves, not the big ones."

Oh, I'm stupid, I think? I think this is sente, so we can probably do it to get those points for free, now that it's not at the expense of our running group, necessarily. I had read to see that we lived on the side (I still think we can), but, on seeing us alive, erroneously thought that the side wasn't worth worrying about yet. This move, however, seems to be enough points in sente to be worth Joaz's correction and then some.

Whoa... taking this sente now?

Is... Joaz afraid of us?

Thank you little brother! I was hoping I wouldn't have to change a move to play this one, it's a big move

This descent is bigger than the one at C19 because it has a bigger follow-up in the case of a white tenuki. Right?