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ChessWhiz

 

Teaching Game 361
PageType: OngoingGame    

dnerra: I'd like to copy the introduction from Bill's in Game33: "...and now people can see how bad I really play..."

I am 3D in Germany (4d* in the new IGS ranks), so I guess it should be 9 stones?

ChessWhiz: Well, my 12k* is after the rank change, too. so the overall difference is 4d + 11k = 14 stones. How about 13 handicap, or maybe 11? Or perhaps we could give a reverse-komi, like in Bill's Game33.

dnerra: Well, IGS ranks are about worthless when it comes to determining the correct handicap. Maybe some 30 points of reverse komi? Do you have any real-world rank?

ChessWhiz: *grin* Nope. I beat an AGA 1k with 9 stones, but that's about all I've done off of the IGS. But 9 stones + 30.5 komi sounds fine. Let's get started!

dnerra: Ok, let's enjoy!

[Diagram]
Diag.: Game is finished. White resigns


Post Mortem

ChessWhiz: Thanks so much for the game! I learned quite a bit. Would you like to play another, say, 6-stone game? You would probably crush me, but I would learn even more that way! Thank you again for playing with me. It has been a wonderful experience.

dnerra: I enjoyed it, too! You played extremely well. I wonder why you don't manage to get a better rank on IGS. How about you send me one of your lost IGS-games (if it was played with a slow enough time limit) for review in the GTL?

ChessWhiz: Well, I think if I played more, my rating would get better. I have a win/loss ratio right now that's about 3/2, so my rating isn't stable yet. Not that it ever will be... ;-) Anyway, I don't have a good, lost game right now to submit. The way I lose games is through terrible blunders.

ChessWhiz: Hey! I just turned IGS 11k*! :-D And now I have a game to submit. I just finished playing it on KGS. It was a 10/10 time control, and I won by 2.5 points, but I know I made some sub-optimal moves. How can I contact you, Dnerra? Through your e-mail address? It's not posted on your page.

dnerra: I just sent an e-mail to the address listed on your IGS account. Btw, about the terrible blunders -- I remember losing lots of games in a similar way when I had made a lot of progress, but was then playing against more experienced players. Anyway, I am curious to see how strong you are; that game was a little too short to tell, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if you got near to shodan level in the not-so-distant future!

ChessWhiz: Wow! Shodan! Does that mean I understand the carpenter's square? :-D Thanks again for the game.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 51-56

W57: Resign! :-)

B 56: What a tesuji!

B 54: This ought to work.

B 52: I thought about 10 minutes on this move, although I didn't use a goban. I think it was good for my reading skills! IMO, Playing it safe with B52 seems to be a good, safe way to kill.



[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 41-50

B 50: I think you are dead anyway. We will see.

Depends on how well you play on :-)

B 48: I think this is sente...

Well...sente is if the opponent answers...but this stretching for possible double sente plays shows good fighting spirit! I simply cannot answer this because I would be dead if I did...not that I am clearly alive after W49 either :-)

B 46: Ignoring everything. I gain a nice upper side in exchange for the left.

B 44: Switching plans. Suddenly, capturing at a doesn't look so big anymore. I welcome any words of wisdom you may have about this position.

dnerra: Right you are! However, I think you should rather have played at W45, this looks larger. Also, let's analyze the clash in lower left a bit: B38 was the only choice of course; B40 is necessary to break the ladder with which white could have captured B36/38 (after playing W b as kikashi). Then, instead of B42, it is probably best to immediately play at W45:


[Diagram]
Diag.:

I don't think white can achieve much by starting to atari at B3, so this is a likely continuation. White gained a little in the corner, but the rest of the board is yours!

As you have a good feeling for shape, and for size of moves, you should start getting ambitious at reading out such fights! And to see the value of such a key play as B1 in the diagram.



[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 31-40

B 40: Oh, I expected W39 to be played at x. Well, let's try to minimize the losses.

I think W39 at x would have been bad.

W 39: Let's see how much it will cost you! :-)

B 38: Yes, but what can I learn, just playing good moves? ;-P Let's experiment! It's low-cost fun. (Well, maybe it costs a few points... :-)

W 37: Playing at 37 would have been easier, good enough and probably even better :)

B 36: Sure, let's start a little fighting! I'd better play some unsound moves if I want to make this a close game. ;-) Looks like I am a better player than I thought... I might not be needing that reverse-komi.

B 34: The question is... can I still do it? Let's see!

W 33: By now it looks almost impossible for white to win this game. Let's see whether we can start a little fighting on the left!

B 32: Can't find the biggest play. I know B34 is big, but maybe B32 is bigger? I don't want you to invade there after all the stones I've invested in the lower-left territory, but this is very gote. Any advice?

B32 is indeed very big, but it is profit, nothing else. B34 would have been sente (I cannot let you cut at a), so you should have played there first. As a follow-up, I would suggest a (trying to kill the two white stones, while making territory) or c (which is big and further limits the possibilities of the two stones). You would probably still be able to play at B32 first.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 21-30

B30: Atari!

W29: Then B28 can't have been bad!

B28: Hey, I extended out of the crosscut first! :-)

B26: Standard joseki.

B24: Let's try a low pincer.

B22: After analyzing this position on my goban, I decided that blocking the corner was the best strategy.

This might indeed be best! I only thought about b and c.

W21: As a general comment, I think you have done pretty well so far. The big white group should be safe, but you gained territory on both sides, and the two white stones at the top are pretty weak now. Running away at a would mean playing on neutral points, while you can choose on which side to make further gains -- this is not what I would like! So let's see how you respond to W21; possibly I will surrender W7 and W9 later.



[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 11-20

B 20: This move is Boshi. Looks dangerous, but exciting. You say I should try out what I think, and then you can criticize my moves. Here goes! :-)

Sorry, nothing to criticize, great move!

B 18: Protecting the cut. I have a feeling that this move is too small, but it keeps pressure on your weak group. I don't want to lose B2 or B6.

There is another reason why I don't give you too many hints: You don't seem to need them :)

B16: Lots of thought went into this move. I was mainly worried about the cut at x and the clamp at y, but they both seemed ok for me after careful analysis. Your opinion?

No choice here, B16 is the only move. If I'd play at x or y, you just capture W15.

W15: Hane at the top of two stones? Well, with the marked stone in place rather hane from below!

B 14: Cutting into your base.

This move might be a little better at a (if you want to play in this area). Imagine white would reply at b to B14. Then white's shape got much more solid than before, while the black corner isn't secure yet, and white can still get eye space with the hane at c. See also a discussion of a similar move in teaching game 22 (move 4 there). But actually the difference is rather subtle here, B14 is not really a bad move.

B 12: Hane or extend? Call me Mr. Submissive.

I think this is good.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Moves 1--10

B 10: You can't really call them hints if you give them after my move. ;-) Even so, I am learning already.

Indeed -- B10 is a good move!

B 8: I can't decide between B8 and b. Any advice? Remember... this is a teaching game. :-D

Sure it is a teaching game -- but I think you benefit more if you try out what you think, and I correct your mistakes then, than if I would give you hints at almost every move.
Ok, I think B8 is not very good, and b would have been better. Black b would aim at attacking White 7, which is good, while building influence towards the outside, which is good, and keeping white separated from the other (weak!) white stones, which is -- surprise! -- good as well! Of course, you can still try to do this, but it would have been easier without the B8/W9 exchange.

B 6: Is this too thin? Should I have played at a instead?

I like B6 better than a. I think it is fine. A more aggressive approach would be to try to separate the white stones.

ChessWhiz: I guess when I play high-handicap games, I get pretty submissive.

W 5: Guess I have to play symmetric then!

B 4: Ha! It's mirror go! :-P

W 3: Did I say I don't like to play low kakaris in high handicap games? :-)



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