Life In 19x19

Sorry, I'll definitely be on Saturday AM (my time), if I don't see you earlier lets plan on then.

in the first problem what about W at b1
my readni is horrible, so i think for us what important is to have good heuristics to read better candidates first.

Here i see the following reason to try it :
-1-2 is the classic vital point of the corner
-1-2-3 principle: why not try your 3rd move first ?
- the opponent move is my move :b1 in the move in B to live problem
- it let open the possibilty of the placement at D2 not available after the D3 D4 exchange

Have you considered it ?
For example if you try B defense on your line you benefit from the absence of at D2:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

if B2 (the more natural reply) you then play d4 and after D3 this kills i think ? ):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

i probably forgot something