Event Black Chris Kirkham, ~1-2k White Norman Tobin, ~1-2k Result W+18 Source BGJ 63, November 1984, Page 27 Com Copyright British Go Association 1984, 1998 EndCom B 1 d4 W 2 q3 B 3 q16 W 4 d17 B 5 q5 W 6 r7 B 7 p6 W 8 o4 B 9 r3 W 10 r2 B 11 r4 W 12 p2 B 13 r6 Mark #6 A@q8 Com A bad move that leaves Black with a small, cramped group. He is in danger of getting only about five points - not nearly enough for the number of stones invested.
Also 13 does not effectively restrain white 6; if White later develops this stone, he will have effectively played on both sides of Black's scrunched up group. The best move is to play on a larger scale by pressing down at 'A' (see joseki books for possible continuations). EndCom VAR B 1 q8 ENDVAR W 14 c15 B 15 k17 W 16 r14 B 17 o16 Mark \T@r11 Com Better is a pincer on the right hand side in order to break up White's incipient position. After white 20 ('triangle') the black group bottom right is ineffectual, with little useful scope for expansion. It is important to try and make your stones work together; this takes priority to following joseki. EndCom W 18 s16 B 19 r17 W 20 r11 B 21 k3 Mark #1 #14 #15 #8 #12 Com As both of White's positions top left and bottom right are strong (white 14 and 8 / 12), perhaps the biggest move is an extension from black 15 towards White's corner enclosure; then whichever side White approaches black 1 from, Black can extend down the other side. EndCom W 22 c6 B 23 c9 W 24 f3 B 25 e5 W 26 c3 B 27 d3 W 28 c4 B 29 c12 W 30 d2 B 31 e2 W 32 c2 B 33 e3 W 34 h17 B 35 k15 W 36 m16 Mark #34-35 #15 Com Not good. First White strengthens Black (the 34-35 exchange), then invades; also he chooses rather a poor point, since Black can, if he wishes, connect his two stones, 15 and 35, by attaching underneath white 36. This is a fundamental point about invasions; the best invasions cut off enemy stones for a prospective future attack. Invasions which only aim at stealing territory are much less attractive, and often not worth the premium that has to be paid - ie a weak group to defend. In fact such invasions are not proper invasions at all; in a sense they are just very deep erasing moves. However, Black fails to respond with adequate vigour. EndCom B 37 l16 Mark B@n15 Com This only helps White. the most severe reply is 'B', to try and shut white in. With 35 already in place, this move sets White problems. Black 39 is also passive, better is 45 or even 41. Worst of all is 43, which is purely defensive, and takes all pressure off White. EndCom VAR B 1 n15 ENDVAR W 38 n16 B 39 o17 W 40 s17 B 41 o14 W 42 n14 B 43 l18 W 44 o13 B 45 o15 W 46 m14 B 47 p13 W 48 q13 B 49 o12 W 50 n13 B 51 p14 Mark #45 Com Note how black 45 is now superfluous and Black has made an empty triangle. In the sequence up to 54 White succeeds in running away, and even has time to play 52, reinforcing the top. Black is now behind. EndCom W 52 h15 B 53 k13 W 54 m11 B 55 q12 W 56 r12 B 57 k5 W 58 f2 Com White 58 & 60: Emboldened by his success at the top, White sets about rubbishing Black's only other major territory - once again after Black has strengthened it. A policy not recommended. EndCom B 59 e1 W 60 j4 B 61 k4 W 62 f5 B 63 f6 W 64 g6 B 65 f4 W 66 g4 B 67 g5 Prisoner f5 W 68 h5 B 69 f5 W 70 h3 Com Over-egging the cake. White must forget the tail of his group and get out into the centre by connecting at 68. EndCom B 71 h2 Com Black loses the thread slightly. What he should be thinking of is engineering a splitting attack on White's two weak groups, not picking up a couple of unimportant stones. It is important that Black get out ahead of White into the centre. Even if White manages to scrape two eyes or fashion a connection to the group to the right Black will then be able to fall upon the other weak White group at the top. He would then have a chance of winning. EndCom W 72 j2 B 73 g2 W 74 j3 B 75 g3 W 76 h7 B 77 j6 W 78 h6 B 79 n6 Mark A@k8 Com Better one point below white 94 (at A). EndCom VAR B 1 k8 ENDVAR W 80 l2 B 81 l12 Mark D@l10 Com Not the best way to attack this group. In such situations it is usually advisable to think on a larger scale. Black 'D' is suggested. EndCom VAR B 1 l10 ENDVAR W 82 o11 B 83 n12 W 84 m12 B 85 p12 W 86 l11 B 87 k11 W 88 k10 B 89 l13 W 90 m13 B 91 j10 W 92 j11 B 93 k12 W 94 k9 B 95 g16 Com Having failed to find effective sequences against White's weak groups, Black makes his last fling; he has to devastate White's corner to have any chance. EndCom W 96 h16 B 97 f16 W 98 f15 Mark A@f14 #96 B@g17 Com An odd move, which seems designed solely to fashion a connection. If White wants to fight here, the best move is 115 (A); if he wants to connect (which he can afford, being far ahead), then 96' could have been played above 95 (at B). EndCom B 99 g15 W 100 g14 B 101 e15 W 102 f17 B 103 e17 W 104 e18 B 105 e16 W 106 f18 B 107 c16 Com 107: An overplay. In the sequence to 117 Black succeeds in making a fair-sizes dent in White's top left territory; White has given ground, but avoided major damage. A count at this stage shows that Black is about 15 points behind. However White, after 116, has a few weaknesses. Black's last chance therefore was to extend at 116 himself. This fight looks risky, but at least creates complications and could provoke White into an error. Black 117 is also on the cautious side, since Black's centre group can connect to the top right. After white 118 he has no chance. White conducts the yose in workmanlike fashion; note how he keeps sente with 146 and 152. EndCom W 108 d16 B 109 c14 W 110 b15 B 111 d15 W 112 c17 B 113 b14 W 114 b16 Prisoner c16 B 115 f14 Prisoner f15 Com 107: An overplay. In the sequence to 117 Black succeeds in making a fair-sizes dent in White's top left territory; White has given ground, but avoided major damage. A count at this stage shows that Black is about 15 points behind. However White, after 116, has a few weaknesses. Black's last chance therefore was to extend at 116 himself. This fight looks risky, but at least creates complications and could provoke White into an error. Black 117 is also on the cautious side, since Black's centre group can connect to the top right. After white 118 he has no chance. White conducts the yose in workmanlike fashion; note how he keeps sente with 146 and 152. EndCom W 116 h10 B 117 g13 Com 107: An overplay. In the sequence to 117 Black succeeds in making a fair-sizes dent in White's top left territory; White has given ground, but avoided major damage. A count at this stage shows that Black is about 15 points behind. However White, after 116, has a few weaknesses. Black's last chance therefore was to extend at 116 himself. This fight looks risky, but at least creates complications and could provoke White into an error. Black 117 is also on the cautious side, since Black's centre group can connect to the top right. After white 118 he has no chance. White conducts the yose in workmanlike fashion; note how he keeps sente with 146 and 152. EndCom W 118 s7 B 119 s2 W 120 s1 B 121 t2 W 122 m4 B 123 l6 W 124 m7 B 125 m5 W 126 o8 B 127 l4 W 128 m3 B 129 q10 W 130 r10 B 131 n11 W 132 n10 B 133 p10 W 134 o9 B 135 b8 W 136 b6 B 137 e10 W 138 f11 B 139 e11 W 140 f12 B 141 e13 W 142 a14 B 143 a13 W 144 a15 B 145 b13 W 146 s18 Com White conducts the yose in workmanlike fashion; note how he keeps sente with 146 and 152. EndCom B 147 r18 W 148 r19 B 149 q19 W 150 s19 B 151 p18 W 152 t5 B 153 t4 W 154 s5 B 155 s4 W 156 o5 B 157 o6 W 158 n5 B 159 m6 W 160 f8 B 161 f10 W 162 g10 B 163 h12 W 164 g11 B 165 h14 Prisoner g14 W 166 e12 B 167 d12 W 168 k8 B 169 s6 W 170 t6 B 171 q7 W 172 r8 B 173 l7 W 174 m8 B 175 l8 W 176 l9 B 177 p4 W 178 p3 B 179 o3 W 180 n3 B 181 j18 W 182 h18 B 183 r15 W 184 s15 B 185 q14 W 186 r13 B 187 f7 W 188 g8 B 189 o10 W 190 n7 B 191 m17 W 192 n17 B 193 n18 W 194 d8 B 195 d9 W 196 c8 B 197 b7 W 198 a7 B 199 e8 W 200 c7 B 201 a9 W 202 a6 B 203 c5 W 204 b5 B 205 d5 W 206 a4 B 207 k2 W 208 k1