Interesting. In this diagram, of the three normal approach moves

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[go]$$B
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . c b . O . . . . . . . . Q . . . . .|
$$ | . . a , . d . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . c . . . . . . . . . Q . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

(a) and (b) can both be pressed down and allow white to build a wall facing . So the approach at (c) seems good here. However, I still can't understand the B(a) W(c) exchange so early unless his next move is to continue to press white down on the top at, say, (d). Any input?

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[go]$$Bm1
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . 3 . . . . . , . . . . . 1 . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . . , . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . 7 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . 6 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . 8 , . . . . . , . . . . . 4 . . .|
$$ | . . . 2 . . 0 . a . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

In this corner pattern, the two space extension is too far. There's no immediate punishment (I asked some time ago, but can't remember where), but the corner has a lot of aji that's not there after playing the one space jump. a becomes a very nice point for Black to try and get at some point in the future.

Dunno; maybe check with a pro first?

This game has been on my mind for quite some time now. I've debated off and on about how to respond. B16 is obviously a move I'll eventually have to make, but it seemed too small at this point. This could end up biting me in the rear-end, but it would hardly be the first time that's happened. lol

Maybe either enable co-ordinates, or use markers (I prefer markers )?

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[go]$$Bm7
$$ +--------------
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . O O . O . .
$$ | . a X , . . .
$$ | . . . X . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 3 . . .
$$ | . . . . . . .[/go]

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[go]$$Bm9
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . c . . . . .|
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . d . . .|
$$ | . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

The move I considered.
- I think he'll answer to a, because of the weakness at z. I prefer a in the 4th line rather than the 3rd because if I play it on the third, the cap will goes well with his already played stones (almost all are on the fourth line)
- b and c are my second favorites, with a preference to b, but no rule to choose between them
- d is likely as good as b and c, but I consider this move to prevent my opponent doing what he wants (I'd be black, I'd love to play sanrensei) rather than to build something I want.

I plan to follow up this move with a 3-3 invasion. But this could change. Part of my reasoning for playing here is to see how he'll respond. I know my top left-hand stones aren't exactly settled yet, but I don't think I need to worry about that yet.

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[go]$$Bm11
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . .|
$$ | . . . Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . 1 c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . O . b . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

- Ba Wc Bb is classical but in this case, I'm umconfortable with
- I'm tempted by c, then approach his bottom right corner, that's what I'd play in a normal game, so I'll play that

I think playing here gives me a few good places to play nearby, and I think this lives with relative ease.

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[go]$$Bm13
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . a b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . 1 . O . . . . . c . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

At first, I considered a, then I thought that B crosscut could lead to dangerous result, and maybe I should switch to b.

I tried to read as far as I could the crosscut and found no really defavourable sequence. Furthermore, a is sente whereas b, I'm not sure.

I hope he'll lose time to make the corner alive, so I'll have sente to play around c or d, using the wall I'd have made.

This is the only plausible move I saw. And I didn't think too hard. But looking at this, I think I should have played my previous move in the opposite direction. I think it would have been easier. Life just got a whole lot tougher for me in this game. I'm prepared to sacrifice some stones if need be.

-_-;;;;;;;;;;

No braining, as I've read frequently on this forum

I seem to be taking risks by not responding, but I'm confident I won't die there if I don't respond, so I'm going to play elsewhere. I like this move because I've decided I'm going to try and target as much of the right side as possible for now. As for W's wall, I plan to attack that next.

This game is hard for me. Both of my B groups on the left side are very unsettled, but I don't want to become over-concentrated either.

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[go]$$Wm12
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

Do you think playing there here would be better than what I played move 13? Er, I hope this is a legal question. If not, feel free to tell me.

That loses the corner and kind of hurts your group above, if the white stone above gets to connect. I prefer the obvious hane to D7, as it has less effect on your group above, better separates the lone stone, and gets out more.

Hm, I never even imagined doing that. lol

As a french singer I like says : "Ça sent la peur, ça pue la mort !" (Smells like fear, stinks like death).

I'm not very good at covering all variations, so I may fail. First move must be this one (first reduce the space, normally with a hane, but here it's gote), vital points must be 2-1, but even if I fail, I'll have a nice wall I think he tenukied too early, or he reads better than me, what is quite easy...

A thinking : I find MHO's position on the right edge weird. The low central stone invites to reduction and seems to negate the two hoshi, but I suppose it's a matter of taste.

This seems to ensure that group doesn't die. I considered letting it be killed. But I thought that might be too large of a risk. Or maybe it's more stupidity talking to even consider letting my bottom left group die. The reason I considered it is because I'm wary of the wall white is building. However, I've determined that saving these stones has value. And I'll probably be able to diminish the value of the wall anyway. Hopefully.

Actually, looking at this board, I feel I have a significant advantage over W because W doesn't have too much solid territory yet. I feel confident I can win on this board. But, of course, I could be missing something. I'm only 9k-10k so it's highly likely that I am.

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[go]$$Bm19
$$ +--------------------------------------+
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , X . .|
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . d X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . . c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . .|
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | b . 1 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ | . b a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ +--------------------------------------+[/go]

Following Kageyama, if I want to kill, first reduce (a) then the vital points (b). But B will try to enlarge with c, I'll be forced to play d, and I'm not sure of the following.

Worse, if I don't kill, I'll be left with a weakness in my wall at e.

For the time being, the kill was not my goal when I started the sequence in this corner. I wanted to make a wall and then approach right bottom corner.

So I'll play the atari at c. Since it prevents B to widen his space after a-b, B will answer. I'll have reinforced my wall in sente, it'll be time to approach the corner.