Im not sure if hide tags are necessary but ill use them to keep everything clean and managable.

Don't have much to say at the moment.

The 5-3 point is an old-established move which was very popular in the Edo period (1600-1867). Its chief characteristic is that it places its main emphasis on influence - territorially.

My next move will be for one of the two bottom corners.

Mmmm, 5-3 opening. I used to play that a lot as black for a while in the past, typically with bad results. It tends to develop into a moyo game (at least it did for me) and I kind of don't really like those.

To reduce the possibility of a moyo game I feel like I should at least try to offer a diagonal opening in hopes that my opponent will accept it.

As for the specific point I should play in, I have no idea, but I think anything more or less can do for now. So here comes Mr. Flexible the 4-4. Let's see what black does.

I like to play where black gets one side of the board and white gets the other. I usually try to avoid games where one can get the far corner to where you get the diagonal effect because it makes for a very hard game at which I usually lose. How ever I have a plan (sort of) and dont mind playing this.
Now either white will take the last corner or play against one of mine.
If he takes the last corner I will either approach one of his depending on what point is played, or add an extra enclosure into one of mine, currently I am not sure which one I will do. If he approachs against one of mine I will take the last corner with another 3-5 approach.

I am not usually up for reading comments much unless specifically aimed for me since I think they sort of really have the possibility to change the outcome of the game but this will be a new thing for me to try and like antone said to be less competitive and more of a learning experience.
As seeing that antone said that he has used the 3-5 a lot this will be a very interesting game, makes me want to ignore comments just to see the outcome, obviously I have not played against to many people who know much about the 3-5 thats why I tend to use it currently. Im not sure how antone gets moyo games from it most of the time, though the 3-5 is quite versitile if you ask me and I have been able to easily change a game from a territorial into a influencial ( moyo filled ) and vise vera. But I usually somewhat avoid moyo games no reason specifically I just do not play that way. I had not noticed that antone wanted to play a diagonal game till after I chose it.

I think thats all I got on my mind about this, I seem lost somewhere though.

I think that my opponent's last move is a slight mistake.
The 3-5 point naturally aims more for the side than for the corner. Now both his 3-5 stones face my 4-4. While an approach from either side is big for black, assuming I reply with a low kosumi this automatically decreases the value of the other 3-5. So any gain black makes by approaching the upper left is nullified (maybe that's whishful thinking on my part)

I therefore decided to play another 4-4 here. It looks like it's not very easy for B to approach the bottom right and make his stones work well with either of his corners.

I also considered a 3-3 in this corner, but I discarded it because since black's best choice is probably making a shimari, now I'm fine with that, since it means that I get to make the first approach. Since the situation is practically symmetrical I will have no trouble making an approach that works with my own stone. It would be harder with a 3-3

I do not like the 4-4 much yet I do know enough about it to deal with them accordingly.
A simple enclosure here, it dosen't really aim or deal with at any of my opponents sides but it does offer a good extension at either D-8 or H-4 for later use in sente or such position or even a moyo run.
I believe antone will approach at the 3-4 in the top right to where as either I will avalanche or extend, there is not much for pincer in such position.
If I extend it will be out to N-16, M-16, M-17 or even out to J-17. At either N-16 or M-16 I can create a moyo with in a few moves. At J-17 would be in hopes that white cuts between it and the corner.
I can also create an avalanche with Q-15.
Ehh I am not sure what exactly I will do next, the 4-4s can yeild more territiory to white in this case against the 3-5s I have in play.
I am currently sitting on J-17 or the avalanche at Q-15.

Thats all I got at the moment.

The urgent points on the board are the incomplete top right corner and the bottom:

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[go]$$c Choices, Choices
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . c . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

C is a huge point, it's the ideal extension from black's shimari and from white's lower right corner. A point where both players want to play is not only extra big, it's also quite urgent. I considered taking it immediately, but then black would get another shimari on the top, and he would be way ahead in territory. Although I do get to steal his extension again AND make a double wing formation at the same time, I feel like it's not going to be easy for white to keep up, especially since I played diagonal with the purpose of discouraging moyos

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

Also black might consider 1 and 3 like miai, and play at , then the approach becomes somewhat of an invasion and I don't like it much.

B is another option, but I don't like it because it tends to give black a huge corner:

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

This is not terrible for white, my stones are working ok, but black gets a very big corner, and is way ahead in definite territory. Can white's influence be converted in as much cash in the end ? Maybe, but it looks hard.
Also black k4 is now an obviously very good move. I feel white is behind here.
To be honest there are other moves than . White could play something like O15 instead. I'm not entirely familiar with that variation, but it looks like the basic problem is the same, black gets lots of hard cash, white gets lots of influence, and it's a difficult game.

That leaves A, to break up the top left corner:

Hazushi says that if I approach he will play the avalanche. I'm not sure what he means since as far as I know there is no way to get to the avalanche here. I'm guessing he mixed up the names and he intends to play the taisha at Q14.
The taisha is a scary beast, but I think I can deal with it. Unfortunately it's so complex that there's not much telling how it will go, so I can't make any preparatory moves and have to jump right into the darkness.
Fortunately that goes for my opponent too. And if I change my mind there are ways to avoid it even after Q14.

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[go]$$Wc Taisha!
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . b 3 4 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If it does get to here, I will have the last chance to avoid complication with a, which kind of works ok with me.

The other main option for black is the press at Q15, but that looks bad for him.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc Press
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . 7 . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

looks like the wrong direction, and white gets decent corner territory and k4. Next a is huge for both, but even if black gets to play it white is still happy with even more territory.

Black could also play some kind of pincer, that would be surprising, I'll decide what to play when I see it.

Finally black might tenuki, probably at K4, but then I can pincer his stone on top and I think I'm still ok.

Whew! that was a lot of writing, this Malkovich thing is hard!

Oh, for reference, this is the avalanche

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[go]$$Bc Avalanche
$$ -----------------
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 1 6 . . .
$$ | . . 5 4 . . . .
$$ | . . 3 2 . . . .
$$ | . . a b . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .[/go]

Next black can play a for the small avalanche or b for the big one.

This move I use quite often at times its known as the 3 space pincer in conjuction with the 3-4 stone most notably used by Honinbo Dosaku. After veiwing some of my ideas they put me in an area I felt behind. And after a good sleep I re-thought out the position.

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[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . a , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c b . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

"A" through "D" are responces I have come across the most. "A", "B" and "C" usually have the best outcome for white in this situation.
I can not really tell where white will play next and thus I have no ideas about how I will play. Currently this is ok for me though it gives me possibilities at both sides.

Thats all the thoughts I have about this at the moment I have to see where white plays to know what to do next.

I'm feeling slightly uncomfortable. I've never had this played against me before, nor have I ever played it myself, actually I've never seen it, but it makes a lot of sense.
I'm going to play here because this reverts to something I know, namely, we could have got here if we had played like this:

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[go]$$Bc Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . |
$$ | . . . 2 . . . . . , . . . . . , 4 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 8 . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I would not really have tenukied to 8, but I feel like it's not an awful mistake, it might even be good.
Next I guess black is going to reinforce either the top or the side, that's ok because I will get an attack of the other one.

Or black might approach one of my corners, that's going to be an interesting play to answer.

Ah the reason why I like this move.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X a b . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . S . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . S S . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Whites most common responce is at "a" and that is considered the correct responce. If white "b" or "c" I can just run underneath at the marked "square". If white does not play "a" that leaves me open to play "c".
My marked stone, is to far to be successfully attacked, at least how I see it. It is just out of reach for a tight pincer or even an effective pincer if you ask me, and if pincered I simply extend out along the marked "squares".
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . b a . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . e . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . S . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . f f . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f f . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Now if white extends to "a" I can jump out to the "square". At the extension at "b" I can sucessfully cut in between leaving... a mess every where. Cutting the "b" extend is simple, my stones on the top and side wall make that cut easy to achieve with saftey and with out any complications at which I have the better outcome. Cutting the "c" extend however this is is not possible, the variation is easy to see and I will loose about 5-6 stone in the process, Thus I will just extend out also against this. There is also extending out to "d" where I could fall under to "e" or jump out to "f".





I think thats all of my ideas.

Attaching to this stone to ensure life in the corner. Once black gets a two space extension these stones are already strong, so I don't mind if they become stronger.
I expect black to extend solidly (common answer to the kick).

After that, the corner is practically alive, and I can tenuki, I think.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X W . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . 1 , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S S . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S S . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

Unfortunately, it's not easy to attack the lone stone on the right, because it has many directions to run to. Also the corner has a shape weakness at a.

Will have to think about what to do with my sente later (if I get it at all)

I caught antone's move right before I fell asleep last night. Honestly I havent really thought this move out but its good enough for me. Its aimed at the corner, if ignored I can do something like dive underneath to the mark. If answered at the mark theres enough room to play into the corner and live. Common responces though are at "a" or "b".

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . S . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . a . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
White can ignore this and play at "a" to where I will just simply extend and that still leaves white to look at his corner at the bottom.
Playing at "b" to defend the weak point I will just hop over to "c".
And choosing to pincer at "c" or "d" have also been thought out ( roughly ). Pincering at "c" or "d" and I will attack the weak point at "b" possibly, still thinking that one out might do something else.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . T X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . a , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Ehh thats all I got.

It is absolutely crucial for black to finish the joseki:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 4 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 5 . . X . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . 1 , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

By not finishing the joseki, black has given white a chance. Like this, black's two stones will be in trouble already (white 'a' instead of will do just as well). This attack is so annoying, that perhaps even can be called into question...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 3 . X . 2 X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . a , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 2 . . X . . X 1 . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . a , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I remember Mingjiu advocating this response to the kick, is it better here than 'a'?

Yes, probably you're right . It does look better, particularly because it kicks black's hoshi in the teeth.

For some reason I feel like I'm behind already in this game. I'm not too worried by that because it often happens to me to get this feeling in the first few moves especially when playing white. Still it looks like it's going to be a hard game.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c Prisoners: B=0, W=0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X O . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . a , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . c b . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

These were the moves I considered playing, and here's some reasoning:

My opponent's tenuki surprised me quite a bit, I'm pretty sure he should have played P16 so that's a prime candidate. The move he actually played is also surprising, it looks like he's trying to strike some sort of balance between helping his R12 stone, and attacking the corner. But it's still way overextended from his other stone and also a bit too far from the corner. At the same time he's pushing me towards the big point on the bottom. I guess he's not really aiming for the corner, and instead intends to attack next from the left, building towards his shimari and possibly giving up on this approach stone. If so, for me to play P16 now might be a mistake and I should just play O3 or N3.

However it just looks to me like P16 is really urgent (hello, contact play?), even if black can just defend easily it's still huge.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$c
$$ --------------------
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . X . 1 X O . . . |
$$ , . . . . W , O . . |
$$ . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . a . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |[/go]

Just getting this point means that A is no longer such a weak point for my group, therefore an attack on the black right group becomes quite possible, especially with that enormous gap between the two stones. Additionally if black does not play then white can capture P17 whenever he wants, getting a _huge_ corner and later a strong attack on the top. So really, P16 attacks two groups at the same time, it feels hard to just let this chance go by.

Supposing black tenukies again, the only thing that really makes sense to me is an approach around O3. That would be tricky to handle, and black surely gets some sort of profit on the bottom, but since the R7 group/stone is now weakish, I hope white can come out of it ok. I would really like to play around O3 myself, but if I omit playing P16 first I can't really fight back seriously.

Like I said before I will just extend out I have already thought of this and I know I will achieve enough territory else where. And like earlier it depends where my opponent plays now, I have already shown ideas earlier thats the best I can do at the moment since I am beyond busy at the moment but I still base my ideas on those roughly. In all it now depends on where my opponent plays.