Life In 19x19

...but I am much less certain.
I got lucky B did not try to jump out earlier, so W is on the outside for now.
I vaguely recall a scene from Hikaru no Go where Sai advises Hikaru to study the large knight's;
I feel I'm about to learn some things here about it, too.

SpongeBob wrote:Guys, why don't you put coordinates on your board - wouldn't that help with the discussion?

It's just my preference. topazg and others are free to use coordinates.
I like to keep the board clean from clutter, and I prefer to use markers like , , (a), (b), etc.
so people don't have to read something like "J11" in the text, then scan the horizontal letters,
then scan the vertical axis to locate it on the board, as opposed to seeing immediately.
When I use the review tool on KGS, I always assume everyone else has disabled coordinates (ctrl+L) on their own computers,
so I use markers exclusively. (Of course, in kibitz, the audience cannot put markers on the board, unless it's a clone,
so in that case we must use coordinates to discuss the game.)
Here, in comments, anyone is welcome to use coordinates.

Something's just come up, so my time and energy for this game, and my others, will be really limited. I wondered about resigning or postponing, but if I do the former I feel like I've let people down, it's not like I didn't know this was coming up, and if I do the latter I may never get around to wanting to continue. As a result, I'm going to simply post some general thoughts and rejected moves, and will welcome any questions people want to throw my way. My response time may be slower as well, but maybe that's a good thing.

My last move was stupid, completely rubbish. I'm really annoyed with myself for the thoughtlessness of the previous move, and when I get annoyed with myself, I play on tilt. That last move did absolutely nothing, and my group is an epic mess. When I played the iron post, it was under the basis of it being sente, which it kind of is if he'd pushed, I'd blocked, and he'd cut. Here, of course it wasn't, so playing it just in case is really dishonest, as it's expecting him to do something rather sub-optimal, and Ed is being way too careful for that. Ok, it wasn't dishonest, it was careless, but that's not better, and my followup was reckless.

However, for what it is worth, Ed has played some really beautiful moves. 26 Was delicately patient, and 28 was a fantastic move. I actually thought both 18 and 20 were a bit strange, but he's managed to turn them both into incredibly efficient stones, and that's not just due to my rash moves, but also some very fine judgement.

So, time to suck up some humble pie, fix, live, accept a 20 point or so loss and gote from this sequence, and try to find a way back. I actually feel that the opening fuseki up until my hash of the left side was quite good for Black, so if I can get the momentum back once I've settled this group, I may be able to keep the game close enough to even, and then can start playing to win again. Until then, I respect Ed's attack and cut my losses.

Rejected moves:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm30
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O f . a b . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . g . X . 1 X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . 2 O . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . e d . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Many variations here, which is probably to B's liking.
The basic idea is if I simply connect with , B can treat lightly:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

But if B runs with , B becomes a bit heavier:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I think White should have atari'd the other way, unless I missed something. Here, I'm just going to gain some liberties for aji, before doing what I wanted to do anyway.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm32
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 5 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

After the cross cut, W has 3 ataris among other options:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

If W(a), B can counter atari with , there are a few variations here
and it may involve evaluating the ko threat W(d) against a double ponnuki for B in the center;
conclusion: difficult for my level:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

If W(b), the good thing is W gets for free;
but after, say, , this requires very deep reading -- locally, can W kill B?
globally, can W close off B? The yes or no, and the resulting trade offs from
this messy fight involving 3 or 4 groups and how they affect the whole board --
conclusion: very difficult for my level:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Lastly, W(c)--
(*) First, we need to understand the real target is not , but :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O X X . O . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . X . O B 1 . .
$$ | . . . X . # O . . ,
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . . .[/go]

(*) If W simply connects at , then B can treat lightly:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O X X . O . . . .
$$ | . . O . . Q . . . .
$$ | . . . X . O B . . .
$$ | . . . X . X O . . ,
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . . .[/go]

(*) But after the atari, B cannot tenuki and let W get a powerful center ponnuki, so nobi is forced:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O X X . O . . . .
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . .
$$ | . . . X . O B 1 . .
$$ | . . . X . X O . . ,
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . . .[/go]

(*) The two B stones are now heavier than the single stone;
(*) The two B stones have only 2 liberties, compared to 3 in the W(b) variation;
(*) W(c) atari stone is on the outside;
(*) The two B stones are on the "inside", compared to sticking "out" in the W(b) variation;
(*) Tewari(1), W does not want to atari this direction:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

(*) Tewari(2), if atari, B cannot run, yet in the game, B extends;

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

(*) prepares for (e):

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm34
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . O X X . O . . . .
$$ | . . O e . 1 X . . .
$$ | . . . X . O X O . .
$$ | . . . X . X O . . ,
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . . .[/go]

Conclusion: unless one can completely read out the many variations of W(b)
and make all the correct evaluations, the W(c) atari already has many benefits.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm32
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 5 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 6 . 4 . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

This was topazg's plan, but I really prefer 37 here.

Chew Terr wrote:

$$Wm32
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 5 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 6 . 4 . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm32
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 5 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 6 . 4 . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . C . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

This was topazg's plan, but I really prefer 37 here.

I don't like your 37. It leaves an ideal peep for white at the marked point, and the eye shape compared to topazg's diagram is not much better, with less access to the center / bottom.

topazg wrote:...I think White should have atari'd the other way, unless I missed something....

Yep, I think Ed let Topazg get out. It still will not be pleasant, but now Topazg has possibilities for eventual counter attacks.

I like the solid connection

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm32
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O X 1 . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 5 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . 6 4 . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

Rejected moves "a" to "e":

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm36
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O b . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . a . X . O X O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O 1 . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . c X d . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . e 2 . . x . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

Basically, the hanging connection gives me access to the fairly big point at "x", and White cannot easily cut my important stones off - the atari has to be connected in gote, and I get enough thickness from it to poke at the bottom. The solid connection feels uninspired as I can't jump out, and it doesn't get me eye space either. This move lets me hopefully have a sort of miai of escaping and making 2 eyes locally. Both suck a bit, but dying really would be worse.

Rudimentary tewari: if had been a direct connect at , it's as if
B ran with when W atari'd with :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

I suppose it's reasonably obvious now why the atari had it's advantages over the extension White gave:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wm36
$$ ----------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . X X X . X . O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O O O O . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . O X X . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . O C O . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . X . X O . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . O . . O . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ----------------------------------------[/go]

White's position here is a fair bit thicker, and Black has no aji to play with - I don't think I could have played a different line anyway (or, at least, I hadn't planned to). Now I can potentially play to recover my extended stone, or use connect threats as peeps, which is pretty handy aji.