34PointHighApproachInsideContactHangingConnectionPincerFight/Discussion

W may play a later on (when it is mature). White a is a probe move. If black hanes from outside, live in the corner. If black hanes from inside, escape and the 5 W stones should help W from keeping B to attack freely.

W may consider b too. If B hanes on the right (ie c), B should be able to live. If B hanes on the left (ie d), then extend to the left.

That's my idea. Feel free to comment.

aLegendWai: Thanks for your idea about the probe. I completely agree with you. But I think you misled that the probe is immediately played (sorry that my words are that unclear). I just show some more follow-up moves later on. The probe move is one option.

By the way, when B choose to hane from the outer, W may decide not to finish all moves and plays elsewhere. Then the W corner stone(s) can be a threat when W attacks the side.

Ar! Also even if B hanes from the outer, W may decide not to live small in the corner and cross-cut B.

You may choose to attach the B stone in other directions. Too many options indeed :P

(PS: In fact, is it possible to put a W stone with a letter label on it?)

aLegendWai: PatrickB, relating the strategy of abandoning the W group, I may be distracted by the statement (made by kokiri). The statement (5 Nov) is I ended up having to make life for two weak groups while black tried to escape with his centre stones.

This makes me assume saving 2 groups is a burden unfavorable to W. After longer pondering, it seems W may manage to keep both groups live without helping B too much (because the middle B group is not safe either, it won't launch attack so freely).

Anyway let's assume the whole-board situaton unfavors W to escape. This only keep W busy with saving both groups (because my suggestion is more or less based on this assumption).

You said the discard of W group is worth 40 points. I think you do not mean B can gain 40 points after the capture. To me, B gains about 19-20 points in capturing W only.

I think you are talking about the Deiri value or the value of difference on this capture. Even so, I beg to differ.

Reasons:

• We may make use of the dead stones to force B to play submissively
• If W try to settle and live, it will help B to strengthen the upper right side (at that time, the probe move and the territories on the upper right side is securely obtained) This loss has to be counted when W choose to settle. (PS: The strengthening to the upper left corner doesn't count because I think B corner is already safe at this moment. Remeber the weak W stone at 2-4 point.)
• Leaving the dead stone give you a better position to invade the upper right side. B has to worry about the activation of the dead stones and cannot punish the invasion severely

The capture looks very large, but not indeed.
(Any further discussion is welcome :P)