Lee Sedol - Gu Li, first encounter
This is the first game ever in the fierce rivalry between Lee Sedol and Gu Li. It was played in the 6th Chinese City League, in 2004, when Gu was 22 and Lee 21.
The source for this game has been go4go. If they object, I'll try to get it from elsewhere.
The lower right joseki exchanges territory for influence. is a second line turn? which is a thick move that amateurs often underestimate.
looks thin but I (Dieter) think Gu Li prefers a fight here over merely pushing to obtain influence, because
sticks its nose into that influence. Still it looks like Black's fighting in White's sphere of influence.
... I suspect this diagram is better for White. Incidentally, If captures the ladder, White can give atari at
after
and Black will be forced to connect into a dango because the ko would be too big. Comments welcome.
Black presses against White's right side to obtain great central influence. Looking at the result of the seemingly overstretched and the seemingly slow
, one can only suspect Gu Li had this all planned from the start.
gives Black even the potential to reduce the already forced territory later, with a ko at a. If
answers at a instead, then Black will link up all his stones, which is too big a price to pay. Still,
cuts White on a large scale.
I'm not sure but looks like a mistake to me, born out of fighting spirit. I think (with a little hindsight) that the skirmishes in the corner gave too much leverage for Black. But I can understand Lee Sedol got tired of being pushed around.
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makes perfect shape for the Black group. I assume Gu Li played
because he read out that the ko exchange would be favourable. The safe move at
indeed would feel submissive (but I would play it).
sets up a ko for Black which may look like an (approach ko] but is actually a direct ko for both. The ko is obviously much heavier for White.
,
and
are local ko threats.
is a non-local ko threat. Black knows however this is the only major threat on the board, so
responds and next
is another local threat.
ends the ko but
creates enormous thickness. According to me the game is already over.
Let's just have a look at what would happen if Black decides to resolve the ko.
Perhaps would be too active, despite the loss in the top left, assuming that the top right is dead already too.
From here onward we will see how Lee Sedol tries to get back into the game but Gu Li easily maintains the advantage.
here looks lie a declaration of victory to me. So does
, actually, although it really weakens the white group.
sets up the above mentioned ko. I really think Gu Li is teasing his opponent now. White has very little territory and is excruciatingly thin all around. A ko feels like a nasty sting in these circumstances.
wins the ko without compensation. White needs even
to stay out of trouble with what used to be his major territory.
is reverse sente, played in the middle game, so it looks like another declaration of victory.