Life In 19x19

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[go]$$Wcm76 robinz vs DIV - Move 76; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 2 X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | 1 X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . . 3 . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . 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]

Waste of a ko threat it may be, but A14 is also double sente (well, A13 for black would be sente, rather than A14, but you know what I mean), so I think that means that it needs to be played, now we're basically in the endgame (if the early stages).

As for the followup, I already said that the biggest thing now has to be saving my stones on the right. O8 does this, while also pressuring black's group. I don't think I can keep sente here, but this is the most important still unsettled area of the board, as far as I can see. Saving this group will also give me good endgame follow-ups in the lower-right corner. I'm also going to see what I might be able to do against black's formation on top. (The monkey jump is an option, but I'm more tempted now to try something like J17 or K17, so I'm keeping my options open.)

Of course, in any play that develops towards the lower-left I'm going to have to be careful that the black group there definitely still can't get out. This could well give black a number of sente moves there, but provided I don't slip up and let the group escape then I'm still confident of winning the game.

I see some good potential reduction with this and I feel he probably has to or will want to respond to this. I don't know how big this is, but I like it after his last play. Also wanted to know if anyone could tell me if this is considered a sake bottle shape, which is apparently a bad shape; I assume this isn't because of my other stones in the area. Anyway, let me know.

Well, black ignored my shoulder hit, so I really have to follow up on it, don't I? This isn't a great situation for me, as this whole area of the board now looks like becoming dame, and I'm surely going to finish in gote But if I let that group die then black secures about 15 points for himself there, so I still think this has to be done.

DIV wrote:Also wanted to know if anyone could tell me if this is considered a sake bottle shape, which is apparently a bad shape; I assume this isn't because of my other stones in the area. Anyway, let me know.

i always considered sake bottle shape a good shape, at least in terms of defense and safety. and proverb "The sake bottle shape is overconcentrated." you are probably refering to applies more to open position and strategic point of view, while in this corner there are mostly tactics left

anyway, believe your reading more than proverbs (although it is good to double check when they are contradictory)

I want to create a fight from this side, I imagine he'll hane above. If I hane the stone I am contacting he'll have an atari and I'll perhaps have a way to cut off the stone that is keima to his white stone now. if not I might be able to make life below cutting out a big chunk of his lower area on this side. Too bold? probably. But I only will lose a few stones and if I can realize it's not gonna work before him I can play elsewhere, I think it's worth a shot.

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[go]$$Wcm82 robinz vs DIV - Move 82; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . 1 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O O . . O 5 X O 4 . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . 3 2 6 O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is probably more likely, but is a tiny reduction at least.

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[go]$$Wcm82 robinz vs DIV - Move 82; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . 2 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . X O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . 1 . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

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[go]$$Wcm82 robinz vs DIV - Move 82; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . 1 6 . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O O . . O . X O 3 . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . 5 4 . 2 . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm not sure exactly what he'll do. or what i'll do. trying not to play hopefully, just trying to play to make gains.

Well, I really wanted to hane on top instead, but that would let Black cut off and kill my R2 stone, taking several more points in the corner:

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[go]$$Wc robinz vs DIV - Move 82; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X X X . . O . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O X O X , . . 1 . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O O . . O 5 X O 4 . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . 3 2 6 O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This way, I get pushed down (very) low, but I keep all my stones there connected and alive, and may well manage to keep sente too. I think it's preferable, although I'm not totally sure.

Drat, I'm not ending in sente after all. How did I miss this? Black fixes his weakness, and I must still defend the cut at M2. This move looks like the best defence to me - the alternative was M2, but being pushed all the way to the second line isn't acceptable if I have any alternative. I think it would leave slightly less aji than the move I've chosen, but this move I think gives me some possibilities against black's stones later. It also provides better support for the L5 stone.

NB (probably blindingly obvious to the stronger players observing, but I'll mention it anyway): if black goes ahead and plays M2 anyway, I can't atari it (or black causes severe damage at O2), but will solidly connect at O2 - the M2 stone will then die without any compensation.

I would love to cut off those two stones above, though not really possible I think. This move will hopefully strengthen my lower group some and weaken his thick stuff up top.

I am really disappointed in my play in the lower left, giving him so much corner, who knows maybe i'll try an invasion there...bleh. I need to make my group there valuable preferably by killing those white stones that are in it essentially. I don't know if I can, I think i'd need an extension on my stone at H8. but also have to cut him at j7 or else no way i can kill those stones.

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[go]$$Bcm85 robinz vs DIV - Move 85; prisoners: Black 0 White 1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | X X O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . X . . X . . X . . X . . . . |
$$ | X . X O . . . . . , . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . O . . O . . . . . . . |
$$ | O X O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O O . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . 1 . . . . . . . X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . O , . . . . . O . . . . . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X . . . . . . X . . O X . . |
$$ | . O . X . O . X . O . . O O . . O . . |
$$ | . . O X O . O O . . . . . . O . O . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . X X X X 3 . O . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O X O X 6 5 7 X . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X O O 4 . O O X O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I would love something like this, I think it'd be pretty beneficial in trying to kill his white group in my black lower left area.

I admit, I'm making this move rather quickly, on instinct rather than based on any reading. But it's hard to see how it's going to come to much harm.

Black's last move surprises me - it looks like he is now trying to make life or connect out with that large dead group, but if he thinks he can do so, then why didn't he do it before? It's not as if any of the last few moves seem to effect it at all.

The move I've chosen is trying mainly to stop him from connecting out to the East - while also outlining some territory for me in that northwestern area of the board. Actually, one of my biggest concerns while waiting for my opponent's last move was that he might be able to cut off and kill my 5th line stones on the top - the one on the right I may still have to give up, but this should secure the other one.

It remains to be seen if he can live in that space or connect to the north, but I don't think he should be able to if I play correctly.

This move seems huge for him. It didn't seem so big when I was thinking about moves there, I guess I was trying to goad him into gote play, did not work in the slightest, hahaha. I am not quite sure how to respond. That sequence I posted after my last move is too small at this moment it seems. I'll try this.

Well, I suddenly don't like the look of a lot of the aji my position has here. There are some annoying things black can do, most of them involving the peep at J9. This move defends against that, and is possibly sente, depending on whether or not DIV cares about saving the H8 stone. (I'm not sure that he should.) He's building some solid eyeshape here though - I now really wish I'd spent some of my last few moves making definitively sure it was dead and cut off. If he manages to live, then I'll have to resign - but will have learned my lesson for next time. Either way, I think this game is about to end one way or another in a very complicated life and death problem in the centre of the board...

I'm noticing that my opponent hasn't put any hidden text with either of his last couple of moves, implying that he's moving more on instinct than solid reading. I can't say there's necessarily a lot wrong with that - this is a very complicated and confusing position, and I can't say I've been any better in that regard over the past few moves. Nevertheless I've been trying to give at least a few words about what I've been feeling about this game.

Anyway, as I've set out several times recently, the whole game depends on the outcome of this fight. If black lives, then I'm left with barely any territory, and I will resign if it becomes clear that he will live. If he dies, then I think I'll have a reasonably comfortable lead. I think black should die, but I wouldn't stake my life on it...

I'm glad black bothered to defend that stone with that last move - it's given me sente while not giving him any eyes yet. This move I've made looks like as good a way as any to remove eyespace - I can't really see any space for two eyes for black here unless he can cut through some of my surrounding position and kill some of my stones. I don't think this keima can be cut - I don't see the point of adding diagrams demonstrating this right now, but will do so if anyone requests. (If someone does, it probably means I've misread and it can be cut...) Note that I prefer G12 to G13, as the latter is susceptible to the double peep at H14.

I am feeling a lot of pressure now, he's making moyo while attacking me, I am just not getting my head right for this. I am gonna try to move down in here a little and push him around while I hopefully make life.