A very few comments.

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

I've heard that about Go Seigen and mukai komoku before, but I don't understand why exactly. That white doesn't have the approach backed up by a corner stone seems obvious, but I never found a spectacular pincer strategy to use or anything else that seemed to really make it shine. What was his reasoning behind it, or was there a particular game plan that went with that analysis?

I was in the Nova Chinese New Year tournament last weekend and played three games (plus a disappointing win by forfeit).

I'm not going to go into the games too much, but I've noticed something about my go that is remeniscent of something I think Uberdude said about the team malkovich game we played.

Several times, I put myself in terrible positions by making invasions where I should have just played to make my opponent overconcentrated or played on the other side.

Here are the beginnings of the two games to see what I am talking about:

It's been a while since I've posted in here, since I haven't been playing as regularly of late. I'm attaching a game I lost, but in which I felt I played fairly well, along with a self-review. I felt behind for much of the game, but in the end, I think it turned out okay. I certainly lost by less than I expected when the group got cut off.

Another close loss from DGS:



I've made some comments in the game, but would appreciate any insight into the points raised or other things that stand out.

There are several quite interesting situations IMHO. First, can White intercept Black 1 with White 2 below? In the game White played 2 at 8 and Black was able to reduce the left side significantly.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Can White intercept?
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X . X . X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . . . . . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . 4 3 X X X O X . . . . X . . X . |
$$ | . . 8 1 2 7 . . X O . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 6 5 . . X . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O 9 . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Of course the real question is whether Black can live on the side. There are various issues but White has to remain calm...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 White keeps giving way.
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X . X . X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . . . . . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O 0 O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . 9 O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . 8 X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . 6 7 . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O 5 O X O O O O O . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . 3 4 X X X O X . . . . X . . X . |
$$ | . . . X O . . . X O . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 2 . . X . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The harder stuff is deciding how to answer things like 3 below.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 The trickier bits
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X . X . X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . . . . . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X X X O X . . . . X . . X . |
$$ | . . . 1 2 . . . X O . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

_________________
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21

But the more interesting position is in the center. When Black descends at 1 (155 in the game), White should not answer. Instead it seems that White should play the sequence of 2 through 6, rescuing the two stones and threatening to cut off Black's center. When Black pays 7 to capture the three stones, White calmly plays 8. Black can not resist here and has to allow White to break into the lower right corner.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 The more interesting position
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X 3 X 5 X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . 2 6 4 . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O . . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X X X O X . . 7 . X 8 . X . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . X O . O . . 9 . 0 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 1 . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If Black tries to resist with Black 1, White has the beautiful series starting with the atari of 2...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Resistance is Futile! #1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X X X X X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . O O O . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O 9 8 O X O . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X X X O X . 0 X 2 X O . X . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . X O . O 5 4 3 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . O . . 7 6 . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If Black tries to force with 7 below, White ignores it and...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Resistance is Futile! #2
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X X X X X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . O O O . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , . O X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X . X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O 0 . O X O . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X X X O X 9 7 X 2 X O . X . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . X O . O 5 4 3 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . O . . 8 6 . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Wins the capturing race after 6!

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1 Resistance is Futile! #3 (5 connects)
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . O O O O X . X O . . . . . |
$$ | . X O O O O X X X O . X O O X . X . . |
$$ | . X O X X O O X O O . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . X O X X . X O X . X O O O X . . . |
$$ | . . X O O X X X X X X X X X O . . X . |
$$ | . . O . . O O O . O O O . X O X X . X |
$$ | . . O . O O X O O . X . O X O O O X . |
$$ | . . . . O X X X . X . X O X O . O O . |
$$ | . . . X O . . X . , 3 W X O X O X X O |
$$ | . . . . . O O . . X 2 X X O X O . O . |
$$ | . . O . O X O O O O O O 1 O X O . . . |
$$ | . . O X . X X X O X X X X O X O . X . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . X O O 4 X O X X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . X . O . 6 O O . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , O . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . O X . . X O O . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . X . X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

_________________
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21

I remember looking at that center situation long and hard with my aji-sense tingling, but without being able to formulate a plan to make better use of it than I did. I suppose I just need to train my reading skills more, as always .

Thanks for taking a look, though.

A fun game I won with a bit of luck.

A few quick comments:
-For , this feels like pushing White into your moyo, and I think you want White to take the small move of connecting under. Did you consider something like J4 or K4 to try to seal off the middle?
-Did you consider what happens if White plays L1 for move 200? It looks like it kills. Your variation at 199 prolongs things, but the capturing race is quite complicated.

I did think about leaving it open, but I felt that letting white connect wouldn't leave me with enough territory in compensation, as I didn't feel I had a good move to claim a lot and build outside strength at the same time. In the game, at least I was able to seal off the corner and set up the temporary seki (though maybe I should have waited on that). What move would you play instead?

I didn't write about it, but I did notice L1 at move 200, and figured I'd need to separate and have a big capturing race that it looked like I was going to lose, but then my opponent didn't play it. Hence the luck. I think he was trying to make sure he preserved his own eye at J3, but it's a hard eye for black to take.

At 183 just play atari at E16 and White has no second eye, no?

_________________
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21

I mentioned a month or two ago that I'd gotten back into playing go again after a hiatus of a couple years and a few children. I've mostly been playing on DGS as I don't have the time to sit for a game without being interrupted, and also have odd anxiety related to playing live games online for some reason.

This is the first game I see as worthy of posting because I lost it, but it was close. I think I may have started playing again underranked and have been doing unreasonably well as a result for the most part.

I thought the opening went well for me as white. Maybe was a bit questionable, but by move 20 or so, black had spent 5 stones in the bottom right and still had a ton of aji from the white stone, and white had a slightly advantageous position in the top right.

In the fight that breaks out in the top left, I feel white went slightly awry somewhere. :w28 seems reasonable to me, but at I felt that if white continues to come out, it would just damage white's prospects elsewhere. is big, but perhaps white should just protect the corner instead, and let black devastate the side a bit?

I suppose up to could be seen as a trade of sorts for the outside, but I feel white should have been able to do better with the initial situation.

I was happy with white living in sente and still having aji in the bottom right, up to move 71, but I'm not sure if the slide to threaten to rescue the lone white stone was big enough. If white just secured the corner, white's bottom left is very large. I also wonder if white shouldn't have come into the center at this point. At the time I thought white has two ways in, but in retrospect a black move around o13 would be quite big, though gote.

By move 106, I thought white was quite comfortable, but I managed to throw away the game afterwards. Instead of playing around on the side, I think white should just look to make points in the center while threatening to cut off the black group on the top. Move 124 is too direct and doesn't really work. There's no real benefit to white connecting on both sides here. When white forces the issue, it leads to white losing a lot of stones in the center group and probably puts black ahead for the rest of the game.

I've continued playing sporadically on DGS for the past 5-6 months but haven't felt there is much to post in way of games because I've been consistently winning as I try and figure out where my rank should be.

I did win the game below, but it was by the skin of my teeth and is one I felt I should have lost.

I was pretty disappointed with myself for and feel I didn't do so well with some of the play on the right side later. By or so I was pretty sure I had lost already and was trying to engineer a splitting attack against both the white groups, which I think only succeeded in the end due to some oversight on my opponents' part.

I've looked over it with leelazero and saw a few points where I made clear mistakes, but would appreciate any more actionable feedback.