I don't see "a" in the first as bad. I think that because black hasn't played a pincer, he hasn't commited to a side and he wants to keep his options open.
$$B
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- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
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Is the black shape that ugly? Sure there is an empty triangle and not that many libertie but all the stones are connected as a single string. a, b, c or a move around the top all look like reasonable follow ups.
$$B
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- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
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I agree that it's probably gote but does it means that the move is bad? I feel like it's gote because it's hard for black to continue locally, because he wants both the turn and an extension but he can't get both in one turn. In one move, white cuts black and connects all of his stones while a black stone at the same place would also connect all the black stones and cut the white stones.
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- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
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In a position like the one above, playing at a may very well be gote as the opposite stones are in such distress you would be better off doing something else on the board. It would still like a great place to play.