dmpeyton wrote:OK, you can now enjoy looking at one of my games!
Hi dmpeyton,
The first unusual thing in this game is Black E16. Usually, the 4 first moves must be played around the 4 corners.
There can be NO better move on the whole board, for any player of any level, than taking an empty corner !
There may be moves that are EQUALLY as good, but it requires already a good knowledge of the game to spot them. And they are the exception rather than the rule.
Hence, move 4, ignore Black and take another empty corner.
If Black insists and attacks your stone, keep ignoring and take the last corner.
Then, Black may finish your stone with a third move. In this case, you have two corners, Black has two (including one with a White stone inserted inside), and its your turn to play. The result is correct.
The game ended with Black capturing two white stones. Stones that were in the center and securing no territory. You could afford to loose them without problem.
Actually, according to go strategy, Black's move 21 is a mistake. He should have taken one of the two remaining corners instead. That's bigger. You are resigning when Black takes the little and leaves the big for you !
In a 19x19 board, the basics are:
1-Take empty corners by playing on, or immediately near the star point (only exception: avoid the 5-5 point, that's a bad opening).
2-If a corner has been claimed with a stone on the 3-4, 3-5 or 4-5 point, make an enclosure or prevent your opponent from making one (enclosure shape : c4+e3 or c4+e4, prevent by playing the other point yourself, like Black 3 in your game).
3-Extend from your corners to the edges playing on the 3rd or 4th line from the edge. Minimum distance between friend stones : 2 empty interesection, minimum distance between stones of opposite colour : 1 empty intersection). Exceptions in the corners : stones can be closer that that. Make large extensions (the distance from one star point to the next) if your new stone has room enough to extend further or back 3 intersections (2 empty ones in between) without getting too close to the enemy (cf minimum distances).
Securing the life of your stones is the principle that comes just next. It has the same priority as the principle 3 above. In your game, you applied it before principle 1 (take empty corners).