=== Discussion for black 38 ===
$$Bcm38 Prisoners: B 1, W 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . x d . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X X X X . X . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X O X O . . e . . . X . X . . . |
$$ | . . O O O X O . . O . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . X . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . c a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------
[Kirby] When I put my attacking cap on, I want to play 'a' to threaten to connect. If white blocks, then I want to jump out around 'b' to split white apart, and start causing some damage. However, I am somewhat worried about the health of our group on the top. I am worried about white's potential to take away eyespace. For example, Diagram 38.A.1, below...
[JoazBanbeck] I like 'a'. See diagram 38.A.2 below. I like 'c' for the same reason. ( How do we develop the group in the lower left after we play 'a', and he blocks at C9? I like 'c' better when I think of follow-up moves. )
I could really like 'd' if someone could show me that 'x' kills if he tenukis.
[Kirby] Your sequence is convincing to me. If we play something like 'a', It's also possible that white tenukis, and then we'd have to respond to get two eyes (see diagrams).
[daniel the smith] Didn't we determine a while ago that this white move threatens to kill our stones on top?
[JoazBanbeck] Not that I recall. I think that some gang members claimed that it was so, while others - such as myself - remained uncertain. ( Perhaps we didn't have E11 at the time. That would have made escape by white easy. )
BTW, the sooner we play 'b', the harder it is for him to threaten our upper left group, because it threatens to kill more easily as it runs southward.
[Dusk Eagle] I feel lost in this situation. I'll propose probing at ''e''. If he defends on the right, we can drop down to J18 in response to him playing H18. If he defends on the left, we have gained the aji of cutting through his stones on the right.
[JoazBanbeck] Playing at 'e' is too slow IMHO. See diagram 38.E.1. I think we need 'a' or 'b' or 'c'.
[Dusk Eagle] I think we need to add a move to the top side, since white got the coveted 3-3 point. Our group on the left can still escape along the left even after 38.E.1.
[Kirby] I agree with Dusk Eagle that our group will probably survive after 38.E.1, but it'd be too bad to lose out on the chance to split white and attack him. On the other hand, it is hard to attack the top white group severely, since white has forcing moves against the black group on the top. I'm also at a loss. We need to decide on something, though, so I'll vote 0.5 for 'e', and 0.5 for 'a'.
[daniel the smith] 1.0 for ''e''.
[JoazBanbeck] I think that 'e' is aji-keshi, and it strenghthens his top group which weakens the effectiveness of moves like 'b'. I'll support any of 'a', 'b', or 'c'. But eventually we must play 'b'.
To be precise, my vote is negative one against 'e'.
[daniel the smith] I guess that means that DE gets to pick the next move!
[Dusk Eagle] I'm also voting ''e''.
[Kirby] I guess I'll switch to 1.0 for 'e'.
. But now, I feel I'm only continuing to contribute out of obligation, and would be fine with stopping.
