77: robinz[12k] v. DIV[12k]

gaius · **#101**

Joaz Banbeck · **#102**

gaius wrote:

topazg · **#103**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

Joaz Banbeck · **#104**

Hey Graham, what are you doing here? Don't you have some AWOL soldiers to be chasing?

topazg · **#105**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

Hey Graham, what are you doing here? Don't you have some AWOL soldiers to be chasing?

Hehe, yeah, I'm not sure whether there's a suggestion coming or not, so I was leaving it a bit longer - no one likes a nag!

gaius · **#106**

topazg,

topazg wrote:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm62 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . . . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . 1 . O . O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . O X X . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X X X O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X O 3 . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O 4 2 O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . 5 O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Black gets sente back here, and the lower side is wrecked for White. Of course, the lower right group of Black's is looking very unhealthy, but it's easily fixable in gote with R2. This is still a big reduction for Black to make though.

The 63/64 exchange is not necessary (you can play it later on if necessary, or you can opt for the other atari. Notice that white's shape is also looking very thin. Let's write down some ideas... How about pushing with 65 to make sure that white cannot decide to sacrifice these two stones, then living with 67 - which might be sente against white's bottom group. If white now defends his bottom group, cutting around 'a' might become interesting.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm62 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . . . . . . . O . . . . a 5 O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . 1 . O 4 O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . O X X . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X X X O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X O . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O 2 . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . 3 O . . . . . . . . O 6 . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

topazg · **#107**

gaius wrote:

DIV · **#108**

I think Malkovich is giving me play anxiety, haha. Trying to think of the best moves and having a lot of time to do so is making me second guess too much or overplay, haha.

Here's my move, and thoughts.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm57 robinz vs DIV - Move 57; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . 1 . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So I painstakingly drew up this board at work on paper with a ruler and pen, it was a slow day. and then proceeded to do this to it:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm57 robinz vs DIV - Move 57; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . n . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O h . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . c . O . . O . j . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . v . k . . X . . i . . . . . | $$ | . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . w . g . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . q . x . p . , X . . | $$ | . l . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . b . . . m . O . y . . . t O . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O u O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . o z . . s . X X . . | $$ | . d . . X X X X . . O . . f . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O e , . . r . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Some of these moves require others of these moves to be valuable, and I am having a hard time deciding what to do. B seems solid but slow, m seems solid but not as good as b, c I like though I don't think it's really that big without H, k and I seem good, I better, J is small but nice to have at some point. L is potentially an overplay but would help A or be ajikeshi for a. V without c or k is not viable I think, n is nice but soooo small now,i want it later. o is nice I think but maybe aji keshi again. p x and q would be nice together with y, t and u have good potential with my ladder breaker if he plays to throw away the two stones on the q line. S could be nice with z and f. Lots of stuff I want and need, I think I'll go with B for safety, though I'm not really sure it's the best play. I think I am a few points ahead as of now and want to maintain that while trying not to give him much, and losing that group down on the lower left would lose me the game.

robinz · **#109**

Ha, I know the feeling. Although most often I'll just stare at the board for a while and just play one of the first moves that came into my head, which I haven't analysed or read out fully - probably not a good idea, but I can't help being lazy :razz:

However, this one I am going to take a while over - I'll hope to have a move at some point today. Here are some of my current thoughts, for observers:

gaius · **#110**

Can anybody see DIV's diagrammes? For me, they don't display unless I use the "Show Diagram Code" button, which makes it look a bit awkward.

Anyway: hidden section

robinz · **#111**

Gaius - some of DIV's diagrams (including the last one) don't display for me either; but I don't find it too much trouble to click "see diagram code" and find the move that way. It's probably due to there being a space too many or something - these diagrams seem to be quite temperamental that way. (Perhaps an admin could find those of DIV's posts where the diagram doesn't display and edit them so that it does - but I'm sure that they have far better things to be doing, and it's far from a serious problem as I just said

)

Anyway, my move:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm58 robinz vs DIV - Move 58; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I've thought of all kinds of crazy stuff here - I'm not really sure of the best way of playing this, so I'm hoping to learn something after the game when I see what the strong players have said about this position

The move I've chosen is a bit of a way of being non-commital for now; it's definitely sente, as if I'm allowed to push through at D7 then things don't look at all happy for black - one possibility is:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc robinz vs DIV - Move 58; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . 4 X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . 5 . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O 1 2 . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X 3 . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

- with C6 cut off white has several extra points on the side, and black is still having trouble making eyes.

So black has to defend, which he can do at D7 or D6. In either case, I can reconsider come my next move, but some continuations I'm thinking about include the following:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc robinz vs DIV - Move 58; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O 1 . 4 . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X 3 . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . 2 X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

with a nice eye-stealing tesuji (OK I've made an empty triangle, but it serves its purpose here I think); the stone at 4 may not escape, but it isn't easy to trap (at least I haven't seen a way yet) and it will at least give black something to think about.

Whereas if he responds at D6, then I can play as follows:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc robinz vs DIV - Move 58; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . 4 . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O 3 2 . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

,
again hoping to escape with those stones - if so, black looks to be dead.

I almost certainly will lose sente with any of these options - but if black dies I don't care too much.

As already implied, I may find flaws with these sequences when I come to consider my next move - but my current one looks both useful and sente, so there should be no major harm done yet.

Laman · **#112**

ad diagram problems: from my observation diagram doesn't appear when you copy the previous diagram with anything (including new line) after the "[/go]" tag. you can see it after you paste the code into a new message window - at the beginning of every diagram line are several (4) spaces. anyway, i can recommend using button "Preview" before hitting "Submit"

DIV · **#113**

The diagrams don't seem to always post for me when I am using firefox on this linux netbook, seems like i never have problems when using chrome on windows, I will attempt to be more careful. I thought it was just the netbook. I am working a split shift today and will try to respond when I get off work. Thanks for the tips on diagram formatting and the patience.

just a few thoughts:

DIV · **#114**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm59 robinz vs DIV - Move 59; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

robinz · **#115**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm60 robinz vs DIV - Move 60; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . . . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O . 1 . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O . , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Trigger:

Koroviev · **#116**

This is an enjoyable game to follow, especially as you're a similar rank to me. Thanks for the entertainment guys. :clap:

DIV · **#117**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm63 robinz vs DIV - Move 63; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O 1 , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O . . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

glad you're enjoying it.

sorry no thoughts on this move, there might be none in my head.

robinz · **#118**

I'm also glad to see others are enjoying the game

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm64 robinz vs DIV - Move 64; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O . . . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O 1 . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

DIV · **#119**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bcm65 robinz vs DIV - Move 65; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O . 1 . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

robinz · **#120**

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wcm66 robinz vs DIV - Move 66; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . 1 . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I still think the 63/64 exchange has been good for me, but my opponent has just made a good move, and I decided to sleep before deciding on my response this morning.

Why do I say my opponent's move is good? Because it simultaneously closes off my preferred route of escape for my E7 and F8 stones and builds eyespace for him below. The obvious first line of thought that followed was that I should escape to the North instead - there is little doubt that I can manage this, but I may be helping my opponent by doing so. If I play F9, for example, black can directly block at F10 - then I think I'm forced to play the empty triangle at G10, and my opponent then has all kinds of useful forcing moves against my fleeing stones. So G10 directly is better if I want to escape in that direction right now. The trouble is that black now has forcing moves that help him build eyes down below:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc robinz vs DIV - Move 66; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X 3 1 . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X 5 O 2 X . O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O 4 . . . . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X 6 . x . . . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

- true, I can now play on what looks like the vital point at x, but black certainly has little difficulty getting one eye here and can then hope to acquire another as he runs to the north (very probably while hassling my stones).

I don't hate this option, but the move I have chosen looks better, in depriving black of this, and also threatening to get out to the East via H7 as well as to the North as in the previous diagram. The strongest resistance from Black that I have considered is the following, but I still come out OK:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Bc robinz vs DIV - Move 66; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X . 1 . . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O . X 4 O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . O 2 3 . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . x . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

- on first glance this looks pretty hairy for white, but there are two possiblities to get out here, which black can't prevent both of (as far as I can see). The first is the ladder starting at x to capture black's stone three, while the second (assuming black plays at x, or a nearby point), is:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code: [go]$$Wc robinz vs DIV - Move 66; prisoners: Black 0 White 1 $$ --------------------------------------- $$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . | $$ | . . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . | $$ | . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . O , . 5 4 . . , . . . . . , X . . | $$ | . . . . X 3 X 1 . . . . . . . O X . . | $$ | . O . X . O 2 X O O . . . . . . O . . | $$ | . . O X O . O O X . . . . . O . O . . | $$ | . . X X . . . . X . . . . . . X X . . | $$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . . . . . . . | $$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . . . . X . . . | $$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . . O . . X . . | $$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . O . . . | $$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | $$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

which looks like a successful escape.

Black has other options too, of course - this is all getting rather beyond my comfort zone in how complicated it is! I'm a little bit worried that I may be staking the entire game now on whether I succeed in this kill - if I don't succeed then black will probably succeed in devastating my prospective territory as he runs away. (I've seen this happen too many times, and have been on both ends of this.) But I don't see a good "safe" way to attack here, so I may as well go for it, as I don't think it's obvious that black's going to live. I'm going to have to do a count of the game once the outcome of this particular battle becomes clear - but that could easily not be for another 20-30 moves! At least it's fun, and my opponent will probably make mistakes (as I will too)

Plus I can benefit from seeing what stronger players think of this position and the way we play it.

77: robinz[12k] v. DIV[12k]

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