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BQM74
    Keywords: Tactics, Question

I ran into this little situation recently on KGS. I was White. --BlueWyvern

[Diagram]
5-5 Corner

W2 and W4 seemed like a fairly reasonable way to deal with the corner, and after W4, I was expecting something like Black a, White b, Black c, or maybe an extension. Instead I got B5 to B7 which seemed to me like a brutish overbearing attempt to spoil my shape and make me heavy.


[Diagram]
Saving shape?

I played W1 and W3 trying to threaten the marked black stones with a shortage of liberties.


[Diagram]
Finishing up

I finished up like this, but somehow I can't help but think I may have gotten the short end of the stick here. How could I have handled this better?



[Diagram]
Connect



Bill: Go proverb: Divide and Conquer.
W8 is strong. Now B7 is weak. Also, the exchange B5 - W6 looks pretty stupid for Black, doesn't it?
Actual go proverb: There's no fool who doesn't connect to a peep.

Charles Matthews I agree with Bill. That proverb would suggest that this connection ranks with basic instinct play.

[Diagram]
Alternative

That (I think) is not quite right. The other reply worth considering is W1 here. If Black answers at a and White then connects at b, White should be entirely satisfied (Black is heavier and has little prospect of connecting the upper and left sides).


[Diagram]
Fight breaks out

What is worth spending time considering is this variation. Here White is cut and 'forced' into playing W7 (White is probably happy to play here, though). White has the corner: is this a develop on both sides scenario welcomed by Black, or a one weak group between two scenario acceptable to White?

W5 here looks best, anyway.



I think the initial comment about spoiling White's shape may involve a misconception. In the initial diagram B7 isn't that good a play - almost as poor as a raw peep - and probably doesn't bring any advantage (it's a mistake to shed at about 3 kyu level).

[Diagram]
Shape

From the point of view of shape, B1 here makes sense if Black has enough strength in the upper right to back it up.



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