Samsung 2012 Game 2
This is Dieter's analysis attempt of this second game in the final between Lee Sedol and Gu Li. Pro analysis by An Younggil is here. Gu Li takes White.
When pushes through, it feels like White has already an advantage. This means that building at the bottom may not have been the right priority for Black. With
White gets a big corner. Although it is negated by
, Black's farmer's hat doesn't look too good and needs reinforcement.
Probably Black expects White to answer at
but
invades the huge moyo before it is too late.
is thick but White's left side is not easy to invade as
is low. A reduction at a would overlap with
's influence.
is yet another invasion. Gu Li must be quite confident that he will make both groups alive.
Obviously cannot be played at
, as that would be too timid.
is a typical technique, aiming at both
and a.
White is split up and the marked stones are light, because the invasion of a is still possible. However, An Younggil sees at b in this variation, so probably
should be there in my variation.
and
scoop out the eye space so that both White groups will have to seek solutions in the centre. Yet, as they move towards the left, White's problems will diminish.
is quite an astonishing move for me. Suddenly, White's right side group seems out of danger and White only needs to care about the bottom. Even better, the cut lowers Black's overall thickness.
From what's following, seems to set up a sacrifice in order to attack White's dragon. I wonder if Black could have been more patient and establish a position at the left side instead.
looks even more desperate ...
White destroys the Black group in the top left and becomes überthick. Lee Sedol must have thought that killing the dragon was the only way to reverse the game.
I don't understand why Gu Li leaves the front with here. I can see how
and
could help a push through at a but if Black destroys the eye shape at 'b'', would White get enough compensation at the top? A rethoric question probably.
is vintage Gu Li, deciding the game with a ko. I think ko is more natural to Gu Li than it is to the majority of players.