Life In 19x19

Hi Ono,

Thank you EdLee!

Just finished a game where I played horribly! Fortunately my opponent didn't take too much advantage of it, but I was truly disappointed in myself and don't feel like I won this game. You'll see that my opponent approaches my corners in a very interesting manner, what would you recommend to play against that?

Hi Ono,

Interesting shape. Not sure about the hane.
One line higher, a ladder:In your game, if you cannot see a clearly good result after nudge, maybe consider just extend:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . O 1 . .
$$ | . . . X . X . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ -------------------[/go]

Reference:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O O . . . . .
$$ | . . X X O O 1 . .
$$ | . . . . X X . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ -------------------[/go]

Blocking at 3-3 seems possible too—which could lead to the basic 4-4 joseki.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

WindCaliber wrote:Blocking at 3-3 seems possible too—which could lead to the basic 4-4 joseki.

$$W
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . .
$$ | . . 1 . . 2 . . 4
$$ | . . . X . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ -------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Why settle for joseki?

A few comments on the early play.

Sorry guys for the silence, I was away for one week with very limited internet access! I want to thank you for your previous comments, very useful as always!

I did some Go study while I was gone but I'm now struggling to find my balance with what I've learned and how to apply it in my Go. I think I'm always afraid of letting my opponent make too much territory so I keep creating weak groups while attacking his weak groups or his influence. Many games get complicated with me struggling and then I get to win because I calculate better. So in my recent games I tried to get a better feel of how to invade and when to build my own territory. I don't think I'm doing too well, but it's work in progress as they say!

Here is an interesting game I just played. I was losing by about 10 points for a long time without much chances to come back but my opponent shot himself in the foot and gave tons of free stones in my territory and I won by 0.5 points. So objectively it's a lost game so I'm interested to hear your comments on it please.

You play too close to strength. See the comments at:

6, 30, 60, 76, 82, 90

Endgame analysis at 114. The gap is widened.

In the end, you see a weakness and take advantage of it at 202.
Black plays needless moves inside your territory and you do well to pass.

A couple of comments.

Go to Black 251.

Thank you Knotwilg and Bill, I learned so much through your comments. Especially what you said Knotwilg about me playing too much around my strength and being greedy, it was eye opening!

I just finished a game that I won fairly easily but I think it is because of what you told me, it just made my Go clicked somehow and I was able to really calculate ahead without fearing the invasions of my opponent. I'm sure I did a lot wrong in this game, but it felt good to keep attacking his groups with the objective of taking profit out of the fights, and even killing the attacked group twice. At move 149, it was quite stupid, even more when I had my eyes on D5 for a long time. But after he plays D5 himself, what would be the best way to proceed? Is there a possible invasion in his lower territory? Or maybe a good reduction? Thank you in advance for any possible answer + comments on the rest of the game!

Don't give weak enemy stones leverage to reinforce themselves: 11, 17
You clearly know how to attack with a capping play: 37, 67, 99

You go for killing, rather than safely surrounding. This is a risky strategy but 1) it's fun when it works and 2) it is more ambitious in terms of reading ability, so I don't discourage it. There's always time to become more patient later. In this game, White's top stones lived, without too much damage. His right side died and that was almost game over. When the top stones die too, it was the end. You will see that such an aggressive strategy will sometimes backfire and learn where to find the balance yourself.

A move like 143 shows sharpness in life & death: reducing eye liberties before mutual liberties, that goes a long way!

Well done.

A couple of quick comments, to supplement Knotwilg's.

The iron pillar at K-17 attacks both sides without strengthening either.

Too close to your own strength.

Your opponent has expended 24 stones in the top half of the board to make 3 points of territory plus one weak group. You can't exactly rest on your laurels, however. To play so atrociously thus far he must have other strengths to his game. At this point there are a number of good plays, including Knotwilg's suggestion. A simple wedge on the bottom side at K-03 is one idea, but I kind of like the extension to D-10 on the left side, attacking White's weak group on a large scale. Can White make life in the top left quadrant? From the play so far I wouldn't bet on it.

Thank you both so much for your comments. This is very very encouraging!!!

Here is another won game. I don't have time to play too much so I try to take time for one game a day. I wish I was presenting a loss as I tend to learn a lot more from them, but I feel like I really didn't play well in this game. It was a lot more quite than the other game, so I invite you to point out any bad plays I made

Thank you so much in advance!

Hello all!

Here is a game I won on time but I felt behind the entire time... It feels like I'm really struggling in the opening and I don't know how to improve there. I overconcentrate and then it's suicide mission to come back into the game by trying to invade my opponent's territory. I would really appreciate any comment on this game and advise to improve in the opening phase please.

Thank you a lot in advance!