Life In 19x19

KataGo just showed me this (one of several equally good options). Of course could be at either a or b instead.

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[go]$$W Invading the high Chinese, AI style
$$ . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ . . . . . . 5 . . . |
$$ . . . . . a 1 b . . |
$$ , . . 3 . . 4 . . . |
$$ . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ --------------------+[/go]

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[go]$$Bm6
$$ . . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . X 1 . . |
$$ . . . . 7 . O . . . |
$$ . . . 6 5 . O . 4 . |
$$ , . . O a . X 2 . . |
$$ . . . . . . X 3 8 . |
$$ . . . . . . . . b . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ --------------------+[/go]

Either a or b next, and then lots of choices...

I'm not so surprised. In this position I'd expect a and b to be good local moves, but maybe c is usually similar to any other good move on the outside, for example d. c feels like kikashi to me.

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . d , . . . . . , . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . c . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X O a X . Y , . . . .
$$ | . . . . b . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------------------[/go]

The marked stone means that black is about to connect and make territory but without this stone there is a basic joseki here. This joseki has many opportunities to pick fights and go for something unusual and I wouldn't expect KataGo not to. In any case, c would often be "the Only Move"-tm here.

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . 1 5 2 9 3 . . , . . . .
$$ | . . . . 7 8 . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------------------[/go]

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[go]$$Bm11
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . O 5 . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X O X X . . , . . . .
$$ | . . . 1 X O . 2 . . 4 . . .
$$ | . . . . . O . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------------------[/go]