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I agree with what the stronger dans, Bill and Dave have said, but I'm wondering what to make of the fact that neither of them commented at all on the sequences I suggested... am I to take it as "yeah, you could do that, but maybe it's better to take it easy?"
Or are the resulting positions no good for Black? I suppose the fighting line probably isn't, because Black ends up with two weak groups against one and the nature of the position suggests that White probably has a position in the top left... but is the compromising line so bad? Sure, White gets a great position facing the top left, but Black gets a thick group in the centre and lots of profit on the lower side.
Or is it that White can fight back more strongly than I've indicated; I didn't take the time to read things out too carefully, just played out a few likely-looking sequences on a board.
Anyway, I was just wondering if this is wrong in general, since my basic instinct when involved in ikken tobi running battles like this and my opponent tries to connect under is to peep and either stop the connection, or get to push through.
Hi, Alex!
I did not mean to slight you by not commenting on your variations. As you say, much depends upon the overall situation. Presumably White's counter pincer was based upon strength on the top left side. Stubborn resistance with Black's eyeless group may well turn out to be heavy play, especially early in the game. OTOH, it may be the thing to do. In general I take a wait and see attitude. Later I may peep and run, or I may make life.
Alex: My basic instinct when involved in ikken tobi running battles like this and my opponent tries to connect under is to peep and either stop the connection, or get to push through.
My basic instinct is to avoid such battles where I have to peep to prevent the connection. ;-)
My basic instinct is to avoid such battles where I have to peep to >prevent the connection. ;-)
Haha, yeah, me too. But sometimes fighting spirit dictates that you have to get into these annoying running fights with stubborn or aggressive opponents. Not often (and not nearly as often as kyus seem to get into them), but it happened to me today, for instance.
Anyway, no worries. I didn't feel slighted by the lack of response, just unsure whether the proposed alternatives were being presented as "better," or merely different. When new people throw in their two cents to a conversation, they often saying something like "Black could also..." or "I think it would be better to..." to let you know whether their answer is in addition to yours, or instead of it.
When White attaches underneath, what should Black expect? Of course the peep is there. In the question under review it is even there on both sides (toward the top and the bottom). If White answers the peep, then Black can prevent the connection. So almost certainly White is not planning to answer the peep. In that case the possible results become very complex. Without knowing the surrounding position (i.e. the upper left side) it is impossible to make meaningful comments about the outcome. In a specific position, Black reads out the peeps of course. On the other hand, in general terms Black needs to consider that if the peeps are really advantageous then White could/should not have attached underneath. Since the question is posed from the Black side, I chose to answer on the basis that White has not simply screwed up.
In fact, to my eye the attachment is too early (or too late) in the position shown on the main page. I do not understand why White would choose to connect under at this point in time. The White stones dominate the two Black ones because Black decided to take control of the bottom side. Playing under seems like a submissive plan at this point in the game. Normally connecting by attaching underneath is appropriate when the White stones are in danger. This does not appear to be the case here.