Life In 19x19

Note: P[video on weekend] < P[video on weekday]

The last move my opponent played was expected. To reiterate a bit of my analysis on my last move, because my last move is on the 3rd line it puts less pressure on B's top group and so it allows him to be more versatile. Therefore, he does not necessarily need to play a move at O15 to move out defensively but can play a bit more on the offense instead if he chooses to. As compensation though, my group on the right is easier to settle and doesn't need to worry about R12 if I were to play Q14 instead.

The counter-pincer of L17 puts a lot of pressure on N18, especially since Black has covered both P18 and P16. There are several possibilities I can consider, to either try and profit from the outside and, as a result, cause Black to pressure N17 even more (basically Joaz's trigger) or to move out N17 and start a fight. The former possibility is certainly simpler:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

To say that N17 is dead after is an overstatement. There is still a lot of aji with the stone and B needs to be wary of 'a' at all times. However, because Black invested another move at the top it's also true that N17 got hurt at the expense of me pressuring B from the outside. is a nice extension from my 4-4, but it's also worth noting that it does not necessarily stake any territory at the top either; it's just a helping hand for my 4-4. Even playing a move like 'b' for W does not guarantee a full corner either, as B is still left with a corner-sliding tactic such as 'c'.

Overall the result wouldn't be so bad for W, but it's just not to my taste. It settles too quickly (didn't I complain about something like this in zinger's game? ) and I don't want to be burdened with trying to figure out the perfect timing for pushing out with 'a'. So instead I considered the one-space jump (after all the one-space jump is never bad ).

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

While it does give N17 access to the outside as I'd like, it also doesn't necessarily split B's groups apart as he is left with N18 to connect both groups from underneath, though I don't expect him to play it immediately since neither groups are in any danger and it looks slow. I could easily tenuki afterwards or just play O16 to eat up P15 and have a solid, thick group.

But is there a way for me to ensure B is split apart while running out? Such a play would allow me to counter-pincer B's counter-pincer (does that even make sense?) with 'b'. Well yes, there is in fact a way - the rather crude-looking move of O17.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

It forces B to connect at P17, which is aji keshi, but as compensation for W the connection at N17 is broken and, after B connects at P17 and I jump out, B will have two groups to deal with...

...or will he? I didn't notice initially, but thanks to the aji keshi peep it gives B the nice move of 'a' to dig a base into the corner. This means the three stone group of B is not in trouble at all since he can play S17 at any time to settle. He could then choose to focus on handling L17 lightly, and overall the situation would not be bad for him.

Weighing the pros and cons of both O17 and the simple jump, I ultimately concluded that the one-space jump is better. Again, to reiterate, the connection from underneath isn't as bad as I think it is. I can play elsewhere because N17 would still be safe as it has access to the outside and I have O16 which I can play at any time to eat P15. Thus, one-space jump it is.

Sorry that I keep posting questions for you guys. You say that the surrounded stone is not yet dead and that you would have to think about the right timing for playing a here:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

However, I cannot see a variation in which a move at a would resurrect the stone and give something useful for White. Maybe I should get myself some glasses ...

The only thing I can see is a Ko like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Was it this that you meant?

And then you say this:
"Again, to reiterate, the connection from underneath isn't as bad as I think it is. I can play elsewhere because N17 would still be safe as it has access to the outside and I have O16 which I can play at any time to eat P15."
I do not understand this, do you mean the following variation?

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

It is nothing to be sorry about, it's almost the whole point behind Malkovich games - a learning experience for everyone, so questions are encouraged .

Now with that being said, regarding your first question you don't need glasses. First off I'd like to emphasize that I'm not burdened in any way of breaking out with N17 and saving it, just that the possibility remains and fluctuates in potential as the situation changes elsewhere on the board. Indeed, I would even go so far as to say that there are more good variations that end up sacrificing N17 to gain further profit from the outside and utilizing the aji that way rather than trying to break out N17. So my wording is perhaps a bit poor from my last analysis; the stone has a lot of aji, but the aji is not necessarily strictly for escaping, but also to use it to gain further profit from the outside.

Well let's suppose it was within my best intention to try and break out immediately rather than later (this is not recommended because as it stands now it is cumbersome to try and save, and also as it stands there are ways for Black to outright prevent me from living, although as I mentioned I do gain profit by sacrificing the inside from the outside). The strongest way to break out for W is usually 1 - 3, although of course it (always) depends on the global situation. Black has several ways to respond, which I've listed a - d; I'll discuss 'a' and 'b', which I think are sufficient to explain the two possibilities (sacrificing vs. breaking out) and how both are fine for me:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Now it's clear that 'a' allows W to break out, simply by atari'ing the other way with 'd', although extending to M14 is also possible (and, imo, better) and this is a move with an intent of sacrificing than saving.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

So what about 'b'? After there are many variations to consider, but you can see that B can block the stones from the inside from escaping. However, you can see up to then B 'a', I gain thickness which works well with my 4-4 on the left. Also, while Black's group is thick, it's also blocked from both sides (left and right) so its potential is very restricted. Furthermore I am left with the endgame tactic of b - f (e at ). So sacrificing is also very possible.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . b 9 7 8 c . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . f d 5 4 a X . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . O 6 X 3 O . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , 0 X O . X , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . 2 O X . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . . . . . , . . . . X , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If Black wants to prevent from getting sealed in AND eat the 3 stones, then:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

is a move that helps Black prevent from getting sealed in, but is a move that painfully squeezes Black's stones into a clump. is necessary to maintain access to the outside, but you can clearly see that if Black plays like that then White can save the three stones.

'c' and 'd' from the first diagram bring in many more variations, but they all have similar goals to the two moves I discussed. And again I'd like to emphasize that these variations aren't really appropriate now because there is no way I'd try to either save or sacrifice immediately; I will wait and see how the situation changes elsewhere before making my decision because there is no way Black will reinforce with yet another move on the top. It is too slow so he won't do anything there either. I hope this answers your question.

Regarding your second question, pretty much your variation is what I had in mind, although would be at since the -> exchange isn't necessary.

CAVEAT: In mid-game, while it is still possible that we might play some such joseki in the corner, I can't double-check this on line or in my books. This is of the top of my head, so it may not be accurate.

One of the main lines goes like this, white trying to get the corner territory with eye space and simultaneously trying to get out to have influence, and black trying to push him down.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wc
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . 5 . . |
$$ . . . . 4 2 3 . |
$$ . . . X . 1 . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . |
$$-----------------[/go]

If white commits to the outside immediately, then white can end up with 1 point in territory and minimal influence for his four stones while black gets a 10-point corner and greater influence.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Or white can go inside for a modest corner while black takes the outside. If black has the ladder to ensure the death of the marked white stone, black's influence is worth more than white's territory. If black does not have the ladder, then white has a splitting attack and his position is better.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I loved it. More than once, I thought to myself 'Hmmm, I wonder how he would respond to 'x' move (for example, the double pincer). Within thirty seconds, you explained clearly and in detail how you would handle it. I'm interested to see how this game goes. This game is currently the one I most look forwards to seeing the comments on. I'm eager to see what will happen with his two-space jump down the right side, as that's a pincer variation I'm not used to seeing. Similarly, I had never seen the jump to P18, so it's interesting watching it unfold, especially with the good commentary from both sides.