11thNongshimCup/Stage 1 Game 1

Moves 1 to 10  

emeraldemon(5k): Yamashita Keigo begins with Orthodox fuseki - high variant. On SL the two space low pincer is described as not ordinarily found in modern professional play. Is this still true? Is there something about the enclosure on the other side that makes it desirable?

hyperpapeterie: I believe that's dated. I've seen the two space low pincer in a lot of recent pro games. But I don't know what the explanation of it is.

tapir(1d kgs): Don't know about the datedness of the two-space low-pincer, but here it obviously works well with the shimari below and will be under less pressure from strengthened white stones than an one-space low-pincer.

Moves 11 to 20  

After , the joseki seems slightly better for white to me. It will be hard for black to use the wall he built.

Moves 21 to 30  

here suprised me: it's not a move I see very often.

tapir: I was surprised by . While its purpose - wall-building or breaking into the side - seems obvious. This one like most contact plays by pros came as a surprise to me.

Moves 31 to 40  

From my 5k perspective, the - exchange seems pretty critical. Black could spend a move to defend the left side, but chooses to build a huge moyo on the right. White seizes the opportunity to split.

Moves 61 to 70  

emeraldemon: This fight is very complex, but it seems in the end the black group on the upper left is closed in, and the white group has basically escaped. I have a question about : why doesn't white just connect at 65? I don't see what's gained by sacrificing that stone.

tapir: White ends in sente, black has bad shape (as is seen later with the white stones inside having some threats while black hasn't on the lower side) and gets to play and .

Moves 91 to 100  

emeraldemon: White seems pretty clearly ahead now: big territory on top and bottom, compared to black's right side, which is being quickly reduced.

Moves 101 to 110  

emeraldemon: Notice white doesn't play the monkey jump, opting instead for small monkey jump. I think this is because of the hanging connection.

Moves 111 to 120  

emeraldemon: Why does white need to play W118? What is being threatened here? Dieter thinks Black a

Moves 121 to 130  

emeraldemon: in this diagram seems sketchy to me: white can push out pretty easily.

Moves 131 to 140  

emeraldemon: Black trades the 3 black stones on the right for a sizeable capture in the center (6 stones). This seems like a big gain for black, but I guess in the end it isn't enough.

Moves 151 to 154  

emeraldemon: seems bad, just blocking at 4 makes more sense, but maybe Yamashita was getting desperate. Anyway black resigns.

tapir: Black needs to capture (that is only if he wins the ko, than B153 makes connect-and-die) otherwise white will break into the black area, threatening to bring back to life one of the marked white stones.