Two Square Game analysis
On this page I will try to use my Two Squares method to analyse an actual game. The game was played with Ah-Q-Go in battle mode, with 1 second thinking time each.
The first square that maybe can be recognized is already coming at move 5
With White
and White
, Black now has a choice to make a small corner, with something like the Two Squares displayed, or sacrifice the corner for outside influence.
White could also have played a or b instead of
.
The corner would be too small, so Black sacrifice it, and get a nice ponuki, where as White get a rectangle round Blacks two stones. Blacks ponuki is very solid, because it is difficult for White to get two corner position occupied. White has one corner (
) of the Black square, but right it is not a good time to try to take the only other completely free (
) corner without getting punished for it. Playing on any of the two other corners (
) would simply be captured. Black is confident with his ponuki and instead playes the enclosure in the upper left corner.
Black could have selected among a lot of different spots also (
).
White
prevents Black from getting a square to the right (
), but with Black 21 Black makes one to the left instead (
). Black 19 and White 20 is the same concept. White protects his
by making a rectangle base with
Black tries to create a square on the side with 23, and White defends his rectangle with 24, but the figures are too loose and open to be called settled.
Black can choose between 2 different solutions (
), taking the square (
) or taken the rectangle (
)
In this variation Black choose to take the corner. White plays a series of forcing move ending with White 34, with Black has to answer, and he does that with Black 35. Black ends up with a corner that has plenty of squares and rectangle forms. A particular square form to notice is the one at the 1-1 point of the board.
Next White 36 makes a potential base on the side of the board, and Black 37 moves out to avoid being boxed in. White 38 attacks the Black formation by preventing the formation of a square around (
), and at the same time creating the foundation for a square for him self (
). Next White also have the opportunity to extend to (
), and make the square (
), on the second line into a square that requires 2 connections to some other square or squares. And the 2 connection must be over 2 different side stones. Black is somewhat connect to the centre, but the only other side stone that could connect to another square is (
). So if White plays (
), Black must play (
) to make connection to another square (
) on the first line. If Black occupies that spot (
), at some point, then the square on the second line only need 1 connection to 1 other square, to form life for his group. Black's group is however still strong, because he still has the magic move (
), that will make him move out into the centre, and threaten to take Whites corner , if White does not answer (correct)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/46/b833a93b69403ad64c3d6bd76cec23b9.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/30/eb061d5dee0aea94ec70252f784db1a5.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/44/30a0e85b51429f55ae74a70af5877ef9.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/26/aaa0f4dc446a8660930bc15565dc167b.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/50/95f722d8351a6cab7ad81ebd8a0058cc.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/6/f740f3836e1ca7e18f23a58fa32c949d.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/6/73b54e744d61db7ee5e7ae1725c263a2.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/42/231ba15c2f2ec5613c45d77473c30418.png)
2024 the Authors,
published under the ![Sensei's Library [Welcome to Sensei's Library!]](../../images/stone-hello.png)