BQM 394
From a recently finished game on DGS, I play black:
LukeNine45 (later): I think and
are both mistakes because the white stones are small. I think
is a mistake because white is dead as it stands (though I could be wrong on that). Tapir says the other things I wanted to say. I would say that
is sente and black needs to defend both the center group and the corner group, they're both in danger.
LukeNine45: I think 12 probably is a mistake, but really the mistake was not defending it sooner. would have been a good time to defend it.
I hope that's not too many diagrams, but I wanted to give the full context. Basically, I think I lose the game because my group in the upper left dies. In particular, was move 12 above my mistake? It seems like I should be able to kill the invading white group, but maybe not. Any help would be great.
Kill the white group in the upper left corner? It can not be done if White plays properly. The white group in the upper left corner is alive as the position stands. If there was a black stone at the point marked with a square AND it was Black's turn, then Black could attack and create a two stage ko. If there was a white stone at the point marked with a square, the white group would be the L+2 group which is unconditionally alive. Black needs two moves here and still the best Black can get is a two stage ko. Its a good reading problem. The answer is detailed in Life and Death by James Davies, Chapter 23 The L+2 Group, problem 5, page 103 OR 4. Weak Leg on the L+2 Group page.
Positional judgement after 65
Tapir: Imho, after Black has a huge lead in actual territory (the marked white stones are dead).
split and black has now a weak group. But the white one above is weak as well. The exchanges of a against b strengthened white (and granted secure territory in the corner) without gaining anything (it doesn't even make an eye, as far as i read) and prepared the white attack against the corner. What about simply c as
?
White corner without and White playing at that point in plcae of Black...
White has an sure eye at the squared point and can make another eye in gote at the circled point... In my opinion is an eye in sente, threatening to make another eye on the edge. Black at a and c should not work, I'm not sure about b. (This is an 4kyu analysis)
emeraldemon: Thanks for everyone's replies. Let me see if I understand what's being said:
Looking closer, it looks like Black perhaps can kill without that extra move ( in the original diagram), so it was probably not necessary. Similarly
above wasn't needed. The reason I played
,
and
above was to make an eye or maybe even two, but from comments above I guess those exchanges might have hurt more than they helped? Tapir's response of playing
(or maybe
) at c makes sense; perhaps I worried about the health of the side group too soon? As for my other question, I meant more generally does
give me enough to kill White's invasion at 13. I guess the answer is no?
Tapir: If u can capture such a big group which should make winning the game easy, but cannot read it out. Don't mind and play the extra move. (This works out at my level as well.) -> in the original diagram. Nothing is more embarassing than an opponent making life with such a group in the endgame... by just trying.
in your diagram is not enough. White can't win by making an eye in gote, but white can try to play at
or
. Later he can try to capture the lone black stone, the threat to cut the three marked stones off might be useful. --> Tsumego from Games 84
LukeNine45: Not only can black not kill, Black will have to do well to live! You might be able to find a better but even so, black is so thin you can't expect much here. If White were a little thicker on the outside white could probably just invade with
and quite possibly kill.
kb: Since we've been bantering over whether or not Black is ahead after killing White in the bottom right, let's count actual territory and then try to estimate influence. White has just played .
Count actual territory for both (I'm using x's for Black and o's for White), I get 18 points on the bottom left, 12 points on the top, and 4 points on the side, plus 6.5 points komi for a total of 40.5 points for White. Black has 71 points on the bottom right, about 8 points on the top left side, and 12 points in the top right corner for an amazing 91 points.
The conclusion: White needs more than 50 points from his influence. Wow! However, it's Black's move next... not looking so good for White.
Black needs to decide what to do with , since giving them up is big, but making them live is very hard given all of that White influence around. If he can make them live the game is over, but if the can give them up and still win, then Black will have a much easier game, since he essentially leaves chance out of it.
The first thing Black needs to do is strengthen the top left side, or it will get invaded. One simple continuation is the following:
The first thing Black needs to do is strengthen the top left side, or it will get invaded. One simple continuation is the following:
If White connects at a, immediately play 3-3 at b and White has no territory to win. If White goes for the ko, at c, take at a and don't look back (White doesn't have a big enough threat, even living in the bottom right, for you to ignore this ko. Just take at and be done with it).
White cannot possibly get enough points out of his moyo now: