Life In 19x19

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

These are the very first moves of a game played by a shodan player (white) against me (black). What do you think of this opening? Is it just nonsense or does it have a meaning to play after ?

If it has a meaning, which fundamental principle of go would explain it?

A position search in senseis revealed no results.

is just first instinct, but is it wrong?

Black 3 is a fine move. I'd say that you are playing well and that he is playing very badly. If you continue with 5 like this you have him split.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

Now maybe there is some hamate that I do not see, but I call this a huge local advantage for black.

EDIT: It is so contrary to the principles of good play that I'd suspect that it was a mis-click, but he was to proud to ask for an undo.

It's probably just to confuse you. If you play Joaz's , you can think of it as at worse a 3-3 invasion, but with white having stupidly exchanged for first. There's no way that makes much sense for him.

Thanks for the replies. I also guessed it was just to confuse me, but may be there is a kind of trick involved somewhere.

After Joaz's , I guess he has to live in the corner immediately. Normally 3-3 invasions end up with invaders sente, but in this case I would probably even keep sente due to (???)

entropi wrote:Normally 3-3 invasions end up with invaders sente, but in this case I would probably even keep sente due to (???)

That's of course if he manages to live at all...

I guess the expected "best case" continuation would be a completely shut in group of 2 or 3 points in gote for white, and thickness in all directions in sente for black. Worst case would be a ko or even direct death. That is IMHO bad enough to seriously consider *not* trying to live with (but then again, I wouldn't have played it in the first place )

2: "I'll just play something fun here/I want outside influence/Let's see what he does/I'm asleep/There's not enough handicap/Let's keep the game close/etc"

4: "Oh, that corner looks kinda big. I should invade now, one move before it becomes territory."

entropi wrote:

$$Bc
$$ ------------------
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . 4 . . |
$$ . . . . . . 3 1 . . . |
$$ . . . . . . 2 . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . |

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

These are the very first moves of a game played by a shodan player (white) against me (black). What do you think of this opening? Is it just nonsense or does it have a meaning to play after ?

If it has a meaning, which fundamental principle of go would explain it?

A position search in senseis revealed no results.

is just first instinct, but is it wrong?

It is nonsense.

is good. Joaz's suggestion for is fine.

Wait till Ed Lee sees this!

Doesn't look good for W ... but, perhaps if he's trying to play tricky and trip you up, he should have tried something slightly different:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

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

This is more interesting, but I still wouldn't play this as W, I don't think ...