Life In 19x19

The game reached a critical point. If I continue building my brittle and doubtful zone of influence at (a), white replies at (b). In this case the last chance of an invasion at (c) is more or less gone. White has 3x10 = 30 points in the three upper left rows and will most likely get at least another 20 points at upper side. With the 15 points of the lower left corner plus komi this is 71.5 points. On the other hand, I also have potential for points: If I play (d) I can get also 30 points if I get (e) lateron, further the point (f) would work well. I can secure about another 20 points if I play (g). Together that would make about 50 points. In this case, the question will be, whether I can catch up by 20 points or more in the center.

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[go]$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . f . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . c b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . a . . . . . . . . . e . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . # . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . # # . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O # . . . . . . . . . . . . g . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

The idea of making more than 20 points with my influence doesn't feel convincing as it should in general be rather used for fighting. Therefore the invasion point (c) becomes interesting. With my last move I strengthened white in the area below, so I should have probably played this one move earlier, however I was not sure about that due to my weakish formation at the lower side. The invasion (c) also seems to benefit from the formation of the marked stones so IMHO it's still not too late.

So let's look at some possible variations after (c)...

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[go]$$Bcm1
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 9 . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O 8 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

If white responds in a kind of standard way, he would need to connect at otherwise the lower stones just get cut off and can not do much due to the C6/D6/D5 formation. With I can live easily, and 30 w points are destroyed. In this variation it would get very hard for w to catch up.

Let's look what could happen if w kicks from the lower side:

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[go]$$Bcm1
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 1 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . b 8 a c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 9 5 O d 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 7 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Jumping out with does not work, after the atari and , (a) and connecting at (b) are miai. The same applies if w plays the diagonal move (c) instead of . Thus, it is likely that w plays the nobi (d) instead.

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[go]$$Bcm1
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . 0 . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 1 3 . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 7 5 O 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 8 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

and...

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[go]$$Bcm11
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . O . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X X 1 X . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O b . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . c O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

As the way to the right side is open, it is unlikely that my group will die. It would be a kind of running battle, since also the w group is split and feels slightly heavy. The game would become more messy now, but I anyway feel more comfortable in messy games compared to building contests... A final aspect might be that if w plays (a) to help his group I found that a reply on (b) is sente against the corner (c). A very final aspect: IMHO there is a proverb saying something like "the first who invades will lose", however in my practical games so far this proverb seemed to have not very high significance...

Well, this is my first Malkovich game and it's only a few moves old. However it already told me how to not play go...

- At I should have approached the upper left corner, probably at C14. The white corner enclosure together with K16 is a quite optimal constellation; thus an approach at upper left was urgent.

- When I want to invade at C13, I shouldn't play before. Of course I was afraid driving white into the center, however I anyway shouldn't want to make territory with my influence...

Now, with C9 and D17 in place the invasion feels quite tough. moyoaji is probably elaborating a failsafe sequence for a clean kill - and I wouldn't be too surprised if such sequence exists. The fact that I feel urged to play such invasion shows, that there already went something wrong in the game (see above).

Up to now, I think that there is a residual chance for a life in ko. If that should really work, then would probably have been better placed at C12 instead of D11. Anyway, I've put some possible variations in an SGF. It would be very interesting to find out about my blind spots later.

This move was unexpected. I didn't realize black felt I was the one getting too much on this board. A common problem in go - our opponent is always getting too much.

I considered kicks on either side, or jumping out to F11, but only briefly. I'm a big believer in sticking to the fundamentals outlined in Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go. Keeping your stones connected is fundamental to go, so I will do just that. My opponent will probably be able to live here, but I will get a wall on the outside that should help to solidify my claim on the top and will help me reduce black's center.

I want sente now to invade the left.

As planned before. I was also thinking what would happen if white kicked at c12 instead. In this case, the support from the lower black stones would be very limited. However black could extend at d13 and either run further away or slip to b16. In both
cases it seems as if black could live without the lower supporting stones.

schawipp wrote:

$$Wcm20
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------

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[go]$$Wcm20
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

As planned before. I was also thinking what would happen if white kicked at c12 instead. In this case, the support from the lower black stones would be very limited. However black could extend at d13 and either run further away or slip to b16. In both
cases it seems as if black could live without the lower supporting stones.

My sense is that white is happy to let black live here early on, especially in gote, since the game is looking like one with big moyos, and the result will give white central strength and sente to deal with black's larger one, at the cost of some minor side territory. With the likely territory in the lower left corner, white can clearly allow black to catch up a bit in territory to ruin black's potential while building his own.

My goal again is to stay solid, get a wall, and have black live in gote. If I can find some way to kill black, so be it - this would be a lot of territory if I also have the outside.

If white extends in this direction again, I intend to connect solidly at the star point. I considered playing the hane to make a tiger's mouth shape, but I didn't like the result of black pushing through - I'm just not strong enough here yet.

The wall I am getting, however, looks quite nice. The top side has much more potential now, and a move like O14/15 will now be a fantastic spot to hit at the edge of our two moyos.

Also, for those wondering, the work on my computer was installing some of my Christmas gifts - a new mouse and speakers.

I think I have seen a response like C15 more often and it is probably a kind of "standard response", however I try to make use of my helping stones instead. If white blocks the corner direction there is one variation where I can connect with ko:

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[go]$$Bcm25
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 1 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 7 3 4 . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 5 O 9 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . 6 . 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Black can also play instead of first, however this seems to yield the same result.

In the final position, I have the option to continue as follows:

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[go]$$Bcm35
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . 2 . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | 4 1 O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | 7 . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | 5 . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | 6 X O X X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . O . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

Now, black can live in a kind of double-ko (either live at the top or connect at bottom).

If blocks at the bottom side instead I can still play C15 but will be already one stone "longer".

Staying solid. No weaknesses. I expect black to jump with a knight's move toward the top. If he extends toward the top, I will probably extend down toward the side. Four stones is plenty strong to resist a cut.

I didn't expect ; on the other hand, after e.g. on C10, which seems more tough against the invasion, there are some variations where a possible cut on D10 can become relevant.

There is still plenty of potential for me to mess it up:

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[go]$$Bcm27 If b 'bumps' at C10, white can ignore the cut...
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 3 X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 2 1 O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 4 O 5 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

My move aims to connect with my outside group ...

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm27 b is easily connected this way
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 1 . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 3 O . X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

... otherwise, if w blocks the connection, it should be possible to get a living group:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm27
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 4 , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . 5 3 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 a . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 1 7 O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 2 O 8 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

This should be alive, and w still has to worry, whether he needs to fix (a).

schawipp wrote:

$$Bcm27
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 4 , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . 5 3 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 a . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 1 7 O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 2 O 8 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm27
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . 6 4 , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . 5 3 O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 9 a . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . 1 7 O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . 2 O 8 X . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

This should be alive, and w still has to worry, whether he needs to fix (a).

The only issue with this assessment is that it's a terrible result for black to get, say, 8 points at best in exchange for giving white a huge wall in sente and helping white solidify at least 8 points in the upper left. If white needs to deal with the aji around A, I think it's best dealt with proactively, by a nice big moyo-expanding extension from white's wall. I suspect that white can ignore it altogether, however. If black cuts, white will just push the weak black group to run, making territory up top and getting stronger in the center at the same time.

I get the impression that black has been thinking about destroying a side he felt white was about to get due to his previous play, to give white "nothing" there without considering the global implications. Of course, in any invasion that lives, you are making a trade, taking one area to give something else. It's important that you not invade without considering whether your opponent's position will be better or worse after you live in gote and probably small.

My thinking when white had pincered black and they chose to play out the sequence in that area is that white's pincering stone is clearly too close to thickness. Instead of the slide, I kind of expected white to come back and protect that stone. Either way, it was a tough choice for white, but instead, black didn't invade until he had first strengthened white's weak stone.

His thinking was inconsistent. If he wanted to use the weakness of that stone to build, he should have stuck to that plan and built as much as possible. As it stands, white's position looks very much superior to black's. I think that white should make a tiger mouth now and let black connect out in gote.

I am confused by black's play here.

Why give me good shape on the top? I felt like either the extension to C14 or a knight's move to B15 was necessary here. Now I have a big corner and black still isn't alive.

I feel that my goal of making white live in gote is all but assured now.

I guess I have not many choices here. Probably, would have been better placed at C15. Now, the invasion is connected however - in hindsight - it is not that effective anymore (takes away ~ 12 points and gets maybe ~ 5 points), it ends in gote and white got a strong wall. I reckon I made a mistake here. White has still big potential in upper left - center area, however black's potential is also not bad. Thus, at least, I'm still in the game (hopefully...).

My plan worked! He has survived in gote! I have a wall and sente! Muhahahahaha!

But seriously, black has a lot more potential than me on this board. I need to invade or reduce now, or else be left behind in the points race.

I did consider other moves here, but I decided this was best. Other candidates were the reduction/moyo building move of O15, the reduction/invasion of P9, and grabbing the 3-3 invasion at R17. All will reduce black's potential, but I felt that an invasion here was a more solid way to start. I do not intend to follow the standard sequence here. For those unfamiliar with the Low Chinese, the standard corner sequence would be:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm30 Standard Sequence for Low Chinese invasion
$$ -----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . O . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X . O . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . X O . X . . . . . . . . . 8 . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . 7 . . |
$$ | . . X X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O X . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . |
$$ | . . O , . X . . . X . . . 2 . , 5 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 4 6 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ -----------------------------------------[/go]

There is nothing wrong with this result on this board as far as I can tell. Actually, I quite like this result for white here, since black is undercut on the bottom and I still have the 3-3 open in the top right. So why not do this? Because I have played this, and played against this, so many times. Dozens of times. Maybe even over 100 times. This sequence is engrained into my mind - a map of stones carved in stone. It haunts me. When I see a Low Chinese it appears there like a ghostly image overlaid atop the board!

Basically, if I did this, there would be no adventure. I'm not playing this game just to win - I'm playing to learn and have fun. So, instead, I will try out one of the other moves that Kato Masao 9 dan suggests in "The Chinese Opening" to handle a Chinese framework. This knight's move is not asking to live locally. On the contrary, I am happy to simply play lightly with it. I may even give it up later. All I want to do is make sure that black is kept in check. He can make as many points as he wants, as long as I end the game with more of them.

As for the merits of this move: there is a sort of miai here of denying the corner enclosure for black and cutting into the bottom side of the board. The capping move at P9 also opens up as an option with a nice relationship to this stone. It is flexible from the options it gives.

At least, I think that's what Kato said - I said I wouldn't use resources on this game, so I won't look at that book until we are outside of Chinese Opening territory. In about 50 moves or so I'll be able to confirm if that's what the professional stated about this move. Perhaps my memory is bad and it's terrible in this situation, but then I'll get to learn something new. So even if I lose, I win in the long run.

And you can't defeat an opponent that will always win...

Muhahahaha!