2010 US Open, round II

[daniel_the_smith]

I got a forfeit win for round I (which screwed my tiebreaks), so here is the first game I played in the open. I had it reviewed by a pro-- see if you can predict what they said.

(;GM[1]FF[4]SZ[19]AP[SmartGo Kifu1.1.2]
GN[2010-08-02a]
PW[Daniel Smith]
PB[Edward Downes]
DT[2010-08-02]
KM[7.5]
RE[W+R]
RU[AGA (Area)]CH[1];B[dp];W[pp];B[cc];W[pd];B[ed];W[cn];B[cj];W[fp];B[eo]
;W[cq];B[dm];W[cp];B[dq];W[jd];B[qf];W[pi];B[of];W[nd];B[rd];W[qc];B[rc]
;W[rb];B[qd];W[pc];B[hc];W[pe];B[qh];W[qi];B[oh];W[cm];B[dl];W[pm];B[nq]
;W[pq];B[kq];W[ri];B[rh];W[jp];B[jq];W[ip];B[lo];W[im];B[gn];W[km];B[mm]
;W[no];B[mo];W[np];B[mq]
(;W[lm];B[nn];W[gm];B[fn]
(;W[kj];B[pn];W[qn];B[om];W[pl];B[mj];W[gi];B[ei]
(;W[he];B[ff];W[ib];B[si];W[sj];B[sh];W[rj];B[or];W[pr];B[gk]
(;W[bk];B[bj];W[ck];B[dk];W[hj];B[ic];W[jc];B[hb]
(;W[eh];B[eg]
(;W[gh]
(;B[dh];W[iq];B[lf];W[lh];B[jf];W[ke];B[hf]
(;W[gf];B[gg];W[if];B[ge];W[ig];B[ol];W[pk];B[po];W[qo];B[ps];W[qs];B[os]
;W[qr];B[me];W[md];B[ak];W[bl];B[dr];W[do];B[dn];W[co];B[ep];W[cr];B[jn]
;W[in];B[kn];W[jm];B[kf];W[ds];B[ir];W[hr];B[js];W[jb];B[kh];W[li];B[ji]
;W[jj];B[ii];W[hk];B[ie];W[je];B[hd];W[hh];B[gp];W[ha];B[ga];W[ia];B[gb]
;W[gq];B[es];W[cs];B[fr];W[hp];B[go];W[gl];B[fk];W[oq];B[nr];W[lp];B[lq]
;W[kp];B[mp];W[ln];B[ko];W[mn];B[ni];W[ml];B[nk];W[on];B[oo];W[op];B[on]
;W[mg];B[mf];W[pf];B[ph];W[ng];RB[];W[rg])
(;W[dr];B[er];W[cr];B[ka];W[eq];B[fq];W[ep]))
(;B[fh]))
(;W[fh]))
(;W[fh];B[eh];W[fg];B[eg];W[gf];B[hq];W[fe];B[ef];W[ee];B[de]))
(;W[dr];B[er];W[cr];B[hg];W[fr];B[eq];W[es];B[fq];W[gr];B[gq];W[hr]))
(;W[ib]))
(;W[gj]))
(;W[nn];B[lm];W[kk]))

I think if he had given me the two stones near the end it would have been a half point game.

[mitsun]

OK, I'll give it a shot, with a few comments on the opening.

Move 11) B should almost certainly block at C4. Since B knows which side he wants to block, he should play there immediately. After W responds D3 (forced), B should hane and connect at B3. This is a fairly common joseki which properly emphasizes the left side for B. On the other hand, when B fails to block, I am not sure whether W should next play C4 or D3. Both look good for W. Playing at D3 lets W hane at B4 after B blocks, making the B capture of the C6 stone over-concentrated. If the pro commented on this area, I would be interested in his analysis.

Move 21) B should just slide to S11, the joseki move to make a base for his group. W should ignore S17 to take a large move elsewhere. The exchanges S17-S18 and R16-Q17 are good for B (compare to a W move at S17 in the endgame). But B leaves this situation unsettled at move 25. Since W answered in the corner, B still has not established a base, and the slide to S11 is still required.

Move 26) Right idea by W, but wrong execution. W should press the B group from the other side at R12, making territory while attacking. W needs to play on the weak side, forcing B to run toward the strong upper group, not the other way around. With any luck, W will get an opportunity to defend the weakness around M16 during the attack.

[daniel_the_smith]

Exactly right