Life In 19x19

Hmm, I am not happy with this development. I didn't think White could move out this fast, but I seem to be wrong - I can't find any good way to cut his connection.

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[go]$$Bc Doesn't look good
$$ ----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . X . X X O . |
$$ . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . . . . . O . |
$$ . . . X 3 O . . |
$$ . . . . 2 1 . . |
$$ . . . . O 4 . . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . O . . . |[/go]

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[go]$$Bc W seems okay
$$ ----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . X . X X O . |
$$ . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . . . . . O . |
$$ . . . X . O . . |
$$ . . . . 1 3 4 . |
$$ . . . . O 2 . . |
$$ . . . . . X . . |
$$ . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . O . . . |[/go]

Nor can I find a good-looking way to prepare the cut.

This jump stays ahead in the sector-line race, and starts to make his lower group a little nervous.

I don't think either of his possible cuts works well for him:

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[go]$$Bc Lower group looking awfully weak
$$ ----------------
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . X . X X O . |
$$ . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . . . . . O . |
$$ . . . X . O . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . O . . . |
$$ . . . . 2 X 8 . |
$$ . . . 1 3 4 6 . |
$$ . . . . 9 5 7 . |
$$ . . . . O . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . O O . . |
$$ . . X . , X . . |
$$ O . . . X . . . |[/go]

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

For a long time I thought I had to prepare the jump by pushing, which however felt like terrible aji-keshi:

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

but after looking at the above variations I don't think I need it.

I wasn't expecting this move by him. Originally, I was going to play this instead:

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[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But then, this move seemed to good for him:

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[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

So instead, I expect this to happen, and both of my groups will be able to make it out safely and with better footings than he has.

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[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Also, note that he can't cut off my stones very well:

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

So, I guess I'm finally getting into a fight in my Malkovich games .

My sealed move

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[go]$$Wcm24 Move 24. Points from prisoners: W 0, B 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X 5 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

OK, he is protecting his lower group while threatening mine, but it doesn't affect the get-out-into-the-center race much and I shouldn't be too unhappy at being forced to strengthen my group, although I'm not particularly psyched about any of the shapes I am being given the choice of making.

It looks like my options to protect the cut are the following:

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[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O a . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X b c . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

a would really just be a prelude to one of the other three moves, and has the same aji-keshi issues as it did last move.

b doesn't seem to put much pressure on either side, plus W can force me into an empty triangle by playing at c and forcing me to connect at d.

c seems likely to end up as just a stick poking into his side after W follows up at b or d.

That leaves d:

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[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This shape is harder to force into an empty triangle. It also threatens a nice seal at a.

I think the cut is actually threatened again, too:

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

Plus there may be a possibility to attach underneath his lower group at some point:

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

And I don't think he can jump out too fast:

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

In sum, I don't know if this situation is actually great for me, but it certainly seems better than the alternatives.

Maybe he didn't play as I thought he would because of this?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I admit that feels painful to deal with, but now his keima two moves ago seems in error. I suck at tewari analysis, but I think I can handle this one:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm25
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . b O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . B , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

is clearly out of place and would be much better at 'a', forcing me to play 'b'. Also, the exchange of for is clearly in white's favor. Black should have just extended from my shoulder hit two moves ago in the first place, and then he would not be left with the awkward stone.

I guess his last move was a point he couldn't allow me to take.

I had figured that if he did this I would jump out, but that doesn't seem to work out so well:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Maybe that is better than it looks (is his lower right group in any danger?) but it scares me.

Atariing the other way doesn't seem to work any better:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

So I'm going to go slow and steady. I'm still doing well sector-line wise, and would consider it a victory if I could seal in either group (the lower right is already awfully close).

I think it would be dangerous for White to make a one-space jump with his upper group, but I'll get to those variations if we get there.

By the way, pushing underneath would still kind of be aji-keshi, but it could force him into an empty triangle:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X a O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I'm not sure if he could get away with a instead of .

There's no question that I have to move out, and so which of these four moves is best?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

'a' touches a weak group, which will only make it stronger. That is inconsiderable.

'd' leans on a weak group to gain strength, but I'm worried about hurting too much. I still want to be able to use it. I also see no need to give him even more outside strength, it's not like I can launch a very severe attack on his weakest group after this sequence:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . 4 X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

'b' and 'c' were the two options I was mainly debating. I chose 'c' over 'b' for the follow-up move of if I can get it:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

P.S. He should beware the dangers of overthinking. There's nothing wrong with thinking a lot about a move, but sometimes if you're not careful you end up with something crazy that is complete garbage. Of course, I must make sure my thinking doesn't devolve into that either.

I had to think for a while about this.

I so much want to play on the upper side star point. Doesn't this look beautiful?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Ahhhh
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . B . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But allowing White to seal me in at the bottom is super painful. It would 1) connect his lower right group out (not that it is in real danger, but still), 2) finally strengthen his lonely lower side stone, and 3) start walling off lower side territory.

If I manage to seal him in, on the other hand, 1) my middle right group is safe, 2) his lower right group needs to live on its own, which means I could get a bunch of nice endgame, and 3) I'm hovering over his lower side stone threatening to eat it up. 1) is probably the most important, as I am loath to create another weak group while that one is hanging out there.

I couldn't find a safe way to move out farther, so it's the kosumi once again. Slow and steady...

I don't know how sente this really is, but if all the above points are as important as I'm telling myself they are, I really do need to play here and will have great followups if he tenukis. And hey, still ahead in both sector fights!

By the way, I noticed that this point could become a little tender later:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Doink
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Just something to keep in mind in the future.

I can't say whether or not this is a good move. It is the best move I could think of to break his sector line and prevent getting sealed in without hurting my bottom stone too much. It also helps cover the marked weakness in my shape:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . C . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There's nothing else I can really say about this move *shrug*.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm30 Move 30. Points from prisoners: W 0, B 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . c . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . a . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

This is getting complicated. There are basically six groups in a simultaneous struggle, three of mine and three of White's. Ideally this sequence will end with 1) my middle group relatively safe, and 2) either some nice solid territory at the top or swallowing up his lone stone at the bottom. (Even more ideally it will 3) end in sente, but I might end up having to trade that for 1 or 2).

What I would really like here is a nice inducing move, in the sense of the classic book Attack and Defense; a move that forces White to force me to make a move that I want to make anyway. When done correctly, this maximizes the efficiency of my stones, since it guarantees that they all have a good job to perform. I think this is one of the things what Magicwand is referring to when he talks about "flow".

So I have to decide if I should

a) play with my bottom group (say at a), threatening his lone stone, and maybe forcing his lower group out which will force my middle group out which will force his upper group out which will force my upper group to take territory;

b) play with my upper group (say at b), basically doing the whole thing in reverse;

c) play with my middle group (say at c), which might send out waves in both directions.

Other considerations:

If I play on the bottom, should I play at a, threatening to swallow his bottom stone, or should I play one point below, basically forcing him to live and push me along the third line?

Just how safe is my middle group?

How much can White afford to let me seal in either group on the right? I think they can both live fine, but if I connect my middle group out and remove all threats to it, that's probably big.

So much to think about...

Overthinking.

Well, like Magicwand says, the key when reading is to discard variations, and I'm not good enough at reading to be able to do that. So I flailed around with a bunch of random variations none of which will actually happen, and since I have to make a move sometime, I went back to just trying to play by principle.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm31 Move 31. Points from prisoners: W 0, B 0
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . b . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . B . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . a O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . c X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I am aiming at both a and b, and I don't think his attempts to connect by c work.

Ideally my center Black group will soon become safe enough that it can actually become a source of strength rather than a liability.

I'm not sure why he spent so long on that move. I guess he was considering different options for tenukiing. But now I'm honestly thinking that he is putting too much thought into his moves. Do I mind? Not at all! But I think I should aim to probe around a bit and see if I can catch him overthinking somewhere.

Anyway, I played this move because playing anywhere else makes this move by him seem very big:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . O . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Now, if he ignores, I have my own big follow-up move when I can get it in:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . 1 . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If he prevents that, then I can make a base for my stone:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . 1 . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . 2 . . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I have some other plans soon, but first I think I want to get this in to prevent White from playing there himself, connecting himself up and forming a nice wall. I don't think he can afford to ignore this, because if his lower stone gets swallowed up it would be a pretty big loss.

I am not that concerned about inducing him to make territory on the bottom because I really don't think he has the strength to make anything much.

Here is my master plan afterwards:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc Yee haw
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . X X O . |
$$ | . . O , X . . . . , . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . O O 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . X . X . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . 1 . X . . O O . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . X . , X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . 2 . O . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]