Life In 19x19

I usually open on komoku or hoshi point. The 5-4 points I do not like because

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[go]$$B 19x19 board
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I find 2 unsatisfying. 5-4s main direction is towards 2, and now it has been taken. Any enclosing moves will leave an open skirt. Thats why I stick to 4-4 or 3-4. I sometimes also use 5-3 and 3-3. A few weeks ago I used to play on 3-3 a lot, but now I like 3-4 the best. I chose my opening when the game gets a bit further, so no more comments for now.

Strategy: This move aims to counter the kobayashi and the chinese openings, if black takes a 3.4 in the next corner, I can then adapt accordingly by playing D3 or C4. The "drawback" is the possibility for black to make a diagonal opening.

Ok, I will try diagonal opening this time. I do not like having two hoshis on diagonal, so I decide to play komoku. If the other komoku, white gets the ideal approach. After that I would have the choice of taking the corner or triggering a joseki(probably looking for sente ot take the corner) but I do not prefer having this kind of approach against me. So my komku is facing the other side, and I am wondering where will next white move be.

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[go]$$B Corner
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$$ ------------------[/go]

Strategy: I chose this move to get a balance between territory and influence, as white with komi the pressure is on black to maintain his first-move advantage so there is no need to rush as white here.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . 6 , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

It's hard to say where my opponent moves next, but a fairly normal continuation like this would be quite comfortable. White has staked out a solid position with territory and black has no real potential for moyo due to the low move and diagonal fuseki. An invasionpoint at (a) remains which can be used to take corner territory or solidify the bottom area. Since black can chose his responses, the timing of this invasion is important.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . 6 , . . . |
$$ | . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . 4 . d . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

If black goes for the corner, I will probably go for the corner-approach. (a) or (b) is possible but since black can live in the corner with (d) in exchange for white influence, I feel doubtful since blacks solid position in the corner makes it hard to use the influence forcefully.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O 2 O . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . X X X O . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . O , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Assuming a black pincer, white simply takes the corner and the game looks well balanced for both players.

The question now is whether black will go along with this or chooses to make an early push to take the lead.

I am happy with this ideal pincer. Other points of interes on the board are:

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . S S . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . S S . . . . . X . . . |
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$$ | . . T T . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . T T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
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$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Squares- both hoshi stones radiate their power that way, so it very big. The choice between these moves is a matter of personal preferance. Also, enclosing my own corner would be big, but than the power of my enclosure would shift towards the left hand side and white would probably play one of the triangles, so my enclosure would lose on its value and hoshi would make it bigger. Than, to avoid W getting a two winged formation, I would have to jump to a square and W would have time to enclose his corner. I prefer making a kakari to that plan.

I should have been expecting the high-approach, a 2k friend once complained that no one at his level ever played the low approach and I guess there is some truth to that statement. So I will go for the most simple reply here, a pincer seems dubious due to black having the supporting 4.4 stone.

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

Black can build thickness like this giving white secure profit. The other normal alternative is to play the large-avalanche opening which would be quite nice since I have studied it quite a lot in the past months.

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[go]$$W Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . 2 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I didnt think that W will play this. I would probably choose this one instead:

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . W . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

After that W would get good kakari. Now I am satisfied. I will follow the normal joseki and I think it will be quite good for me.

Following earlier reading. What will happen later?

(a) or (b) seems to be the only moves, playing the high approach instead of (a) makes no sense since black will just take the profit and white will be left with the lower side that is more or less ruined due to the low position of (4).

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 5 . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X , M . . . . , . . . . . , 2 . . |
$$ | . . . . a . . . . . . . . 4 . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

There are two moves to choose from in this joseki. The other one is

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

But I like the other joseki more. It is a bit more wide, but a bit looser also. I will talk about its weakness when I finish it.

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[go]$$W Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . # . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Not sure why black would choose this move, it makes it possible to extend one space further but it also leaves aji at (a) and (b).

Ok, the joseki is over. It is one of the most basic patterns regarding komoku.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . T T . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . T T . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . 2 5 4 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . 1 . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

The weakness is X. And here is the probably sequence. But for now, there are way bigger points on the board. I think white will probably use one of the triangles.

I'll just approach this corner and see what happens. It can't be bad.

This is an orthodox response to the approach move,and I find it good ofr this situation. A pincer would also be appropriate.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O . 4 2 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . 5 X 3 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T. X . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . T, . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , O . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . O . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Also a good result, but I do not like playing for moyo. Also, I feel uneasy(in this variation) about the reduction at one of the triangled spaces.

I don't want to give him the whole corner, so far the game seems pretty even and I feel confident I can win in the endgame so I'll just tag along for now.

It is a joseki, and I do not like to tenuki and let W have sansan- I tenuki more often when I play the keima response to approach, because then sansan invasion is not so painful.

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[go]$$B Kie vs LovroKlc
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . 4 . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . |
$$ | . . 3 , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . X , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

In this example, B group is safe, because after san-san there is room for a two-space extension.