Magicwand wrote:Stable wrote:That's what herman is saying I think entropi.

not really.. what herman is saying is ..16 & 17 exchange is an aji keshi that only helps black cover his weakness. although endgame point of view it is not optimal but in the opening part of the game it is better not playing optimally. black is not going to play 16 anytime soon because it is an aji keshi so there is no point playing endgame that only expose your weakness.
16-17 exchange will coverup the weakness at 'a'
$$Bm13
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . 2 O 1 . .
$$ | . . X O O X O 3 .
$$ | . O O X X X . . .
$$ | . 4 X a . . . . .
$$ | . . 5 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bm13
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . 2 O 1 . .
$$ | . . X O O X O 3 .
$$ | . O O X X X . . .
$$ | . 4 X a . . . . .
$$ | . . 5 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .[/go]
Actually, that was what I was saying in the text above my diagram.

Also, it's probably good to play this

exchange anyway, even though it removes aji, because otherwise:
$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . O O X . .
$$ | . . X O O X C X .
$$ | . O O X X X B . .
$$ | . 1 X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . O O X . .
$$ | . . X O O X C X .
$$ | . O O X X X B . .
$$ | . 1 X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .[/go]
If black ever captures the white stone with

(e.g. white played a ladder breaker) then

becomes sente:
$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . 5 . 7 a . .
$$ | 6 2 O . O O X . .
$$ | . 1 X O O X C X .
$$ | 3 O O X X X B . .
$$ | . X X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . 5 . 7 a . .
$$ | 6 2 O . O O X . .
$$ | . 1 X O O X C X .
$$ | 3 O O X X X B . .
$$ | . X X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .[/go]
Now, white can't ignore the capture

and play tenuki with

, because then

and

kill. As long as
a is still atari (i.e. before the capture of white stone at

), black can't kill, but:
$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . 5 . . 6 . .
$$ | 8 2 O . O O X . .
$$ | . 1 X O O X O X .
$$ | 3 O O X X X 7 . .
$$ | . X X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ ------------------
$$ | . . . 5 . . 6 . .
$$ | 8 2 O . O O X . .
$$ | . 1 X O O X O X .
$$ | 3 O O X X X 7 . .
$$ | . X X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .[/go]
This is a rather painful way to lose a ladder breaker.
So all in all, White should usually just play the

exchange in the original diagram, even though it is aji keshi a little.