New Year's Rengo 2002/White 50

White plays 50 at the marked stone  

DaveSigaty:

• If Black plays tenuki (for example at 1), one thing that White can do is play hane and connect with 2 and 4. The three corner stones are in some trouble with weak points at a and b.
  • How should Black proceed here?
  • Are there better ways to start with 2? (dnerra: Note that if White 2 is the best play to follow up, then there is no difference to the game, so this is the crucial question.)
• If Black instead answers in the corner with 1, where should he play?

Lucky: I'll try to explain what I am thinking. First I should say that White 50 in the game is not absolutely wrong, it's not a mistake. But it's too easy-going and reveals some simple logic, 'if it's sente why not play it?' Not all sente moves should be played immediately because sometimes they destroy some more interesting continuations (which may become possible only later).

The game  

In the game White had already made the White 1 - Black 2 exchange. It is OK to continue with White 3; suppose Black answers with Black 4. Now the exchange White 1 - Black 2 becomes a two- or three-point loss for White. Also Black is stronger (think about the position without White 1-Black 2).

Black plays tenuki  

White 1 and 3 are one possible action, I think not very attractive right now. Black is alive on the left side and defends the corner with Black 4 and Black 6. He will not die.

Black plays tenuki 2  

I was thinking about playing directly at White 1. Black 2 is out of the question.

Black plays tenuki 3  

So Black should play something like Black 2. White then strengthens his upper side group with White 3 - White 5. If Black 6 next, White plays 7 and Black's corner group has no eyes. Probably Black will connect with the left side (playing where the White 7 stone is) but White has a very big yose play in the corner next.

Black plays tenuki 4  

Another nice variation is to play White 1 directly. This still seems possible.

I said the white connection is 'almost sente' because is not completely sente. Black can play tenuki. But then White has a very good sente follow-up :) Noticeably bigger than Black's play on the right. Now I've spoiled the game :)