BillSpightsElfPositionalJudgmentExercises/Game 3 ELF's Solution

A no komi game between Go Seigen 8 dan (W) and Sakata 7 dan, GoGoD 1950-07-04a. The usual caveats about no komi games apply. For Sakata to take Black with no komi was the usual handicap; given the dan difference Sakata would take White ⅓ of the time. Elf estimates White's winrate at 92½% with a komi of 7½ points. Even with no komi, White, Go Seigen, won by resignation.

[Diagram]

Go Seigen (W) - Sakata, no komi

According to Elf, both players made a number of small mistakes early in the game, which may be explained by the shared beliefs about the opening at the time. The first sizable mistake was B19, which may have also been a mistake with no komi.

[Diagram]

Failure to sacrifice? Loss of 20%

B19 caught me by surprise. When I was learning go the sacrificial hane at 20 was joseki. It appears that B19 allowed White to make too much outside strength with W20.

[Diagram]

Sacrifice. Main line.

W22 The ladder works now, but Black has many ladder breakers near the black+circle stones.

[Diagram]

Main line, continued

B23 At the time, 25 was usual, but today's bots have devalued the sides.

W28 is good shape. a would allow a double peep.

[Diagram]

Failure to sacrifice, loss of 12½%

According to Elf, B29 loses 12½%. OC, the subsequent fight is complicated, and there is no komi, so B29 was not necessarily a mistake.

[Diagram]

Sacrifice variation

This sacrifice lowers White's winrate estimate to 80%.

[Diagram]

Elf's continuation, I

[Diagram]

Elf's continuation, II

White sacrifices the corner for central strength. :)

[Diagram]

Knotwilg's idea

Elf considers Knotwilg's idea for B31 and gives the above variation, with B33 pushing into the corner. Next if Black a, White b, I reckon.

The remaining diagrams show the continuation in the actual game.

[Diagram]

Actual game continuation

The fight continues into the center. W38 severely attacks Black's small group in the top right.

[Diagram]

Small life, but with sente

Since Black lives with sente, he manages to put some pressure on White.

[Diagram]

White starts to develop the right side

White pushes on into the right side. the center battle continues. Elf gives Black a 2% chance to win. Go Seigen won by resignation after White 234. (Sakata hated to resign.)


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