( ; FF[4] GM[1] SZ[19] AP[Jago:Version 3.66] GN[20040608Dave_Vernon_all] PB[Vernon] PW[Dave] DT[8 June 2004] RE[B+48] C[While there was no stone handicap, white had two beers during play, while black had none. This could be construed as a handicap. Reviewed by Josh, 6k. Josh: Both players were, perhaps, a little reckless in this game. Both created too many weak groups. Try to think about making your stones work together more. Often it is easy to save one group at the cost of weakening another. This is undesirable. It is better to avoid this "family feud" as Ishida puts it. In general, try to find moves that achieve your goals that do not benefit your opponent. ] KM[0.5] ; B[qp] ; W[cd] ; B[dp] ; W[pc] ; B[pe] ; W[pm] ; B[pi] ; W[qg] ; B[qe] ; W[nd] ; B[od] ; W[of] C[vernon: W choses to try to save R13 and split the black groups instead of save the corner. To save the corner, he would play at P17 (a).] LB[oc:a] ; B[oc] C[vernon: Because W did not defend, I felt obliged to attack the corner.] ; W[rc] ; B[pb] ( ; W[qc] C[vernon: I wondered about W at S15 here, see variation.] ; B[re] C[vernon: I was pretty sure that B owned the corner at this point, but W's strategy is to wall in the corner in sente for power on the outside, not save it.] ; W[nc] ( ; B[qb] C[Josh: "Hit the head of two stones. Always" -- O18] ; W[cn] C[vernon: White gets sente for his efforts. ] ; B[fp] ; W[hq] ; B[ed] C[vernon: B leaves the lower left thin in order to attack the upper left. ] ; W[hc] C[vernon: Again, W choses not to defend the corner directly, probably in order to expand upper side territory. ] ; B[cg] ; W[di] C[vernon: I believe that W needed to directly defend the corner with D17 (a). I suspect that W's strategy was to keep C6 (X) from being isolated, but it costs him a great deal.] LB[dc:a] MA[cn] ; B[cc] ; W[ef] C[vernon: I think D15 (a) works better here. That would split the pieces of my group. This move reduces the corner but unites my pieces and solidifies my corner hold.] LB[de:a] ; B[de] ; W[ce] ; B[cf] ; W[bc] ; B[cb] ( ; W[ee] C[vernon: Again, W is forcing B to strengthen. See variation. Josh: D16 is not dangerous to blacks stones. White has a shortage of liberties that makes it very difficult to threaten black.] ; B[dd] ; W[be] ; B[bf] ; W[ch] ( ; B[df] C[vernon: Here I feared C14 being cut and killed. At this point, I believe that B is ahead in the corner. Josh: I would consider playing somewhere else because this stone does not seem necessary at the moment. If white cuts at D14, black can play A15 (X). It would be nice to play G16 (a) or reinforce one of the many isolated stones... vernon: see variation based on Josh's advice] MA[ae] LB[gd:a] ; W[fd] ; B[kc] C[vernon: B gets sente. B has all four corners staked out, but if W can fill in his framework, he will win. Invasion is required. Josh: I feel that this is a mistake. Black has solid territory in the top two corners. White has potential, but many weaknesses. The top IS whites best hope for territory but it is wide open so there is no need to rush in just yet. It would be better to form a stronger position from which to attack. The problem here is that black is creating weak groups that are going to be difficult to manage later on...] ; W[mb] ; B[ke] ; W[kd] ; B[ld] ; W[jd] ; B[le] ; W[bb] ; B[ae] C[vernon: B plays out the won corner.] ; W[bd] ; B[ba] ; W[oe] ; B[pd] ; W[oq] ; B[oo] C[vernon: I debated between taking the corner at Q3 (a) and playing here. I decided that white walls were more dangerous right now than a white corner. Q7 (b) and P3 (c) are both weak, so it looks good to split.] LB[pq:a][pm:b][oq:c] ; W[nj] C[vernon: Nice play by W, threatening to surround Q11.] ; B[qh] C[vernon: This is a double threat, either back up the jump to O12 (which is what happened), or go under and connect to the Q16 group.] ; W[rg] ; B[nh] C[Josh: I think this the beginning of blacks problems. O12 forces white to play between your two white groups inducing a splitting attack. In effect, black is attacking his own group - in other words, blacks groups are not working together.] ; W[oh] ; B[oi] ; W[ng] C[vernon: W cannot make the cut at O11(a) without losing P12 (b). ] LB[ni:a][oh:b] ; B[ni] ; W[lg] C[vernon: Again, W nicely splits two weak groups. Josh: Now black is split and has poor eye-potential for both the L15 and P11 groups. Although P11 is fine if black plays Q13.] ; B[jf] ; W[ki] C[vernon: At this point, things are looking bleak for Black. The Q11 group has no eyes and is being surrounded. L15 is running scared with no chance of a base. Q16 barely has the corner. R4 has no base. The D4 corner is porous. Lots of Ko threats. Josh: Yes. This is a good indication that blacks stones are not working together. vernon: If there were time, I would like to play as B the following for territory: to block the lower left, C5 (a), to block the lower right, Q3 (b).] LB[co:a][pq:b] ; B[li] C[Josh: I dislike this stone. Black is forcing white to make useful thickness. Avoid helping your opponent.] ; W[lj] C[vernon: W continues to surround, but is playing too close. Josh: Instead of playing M10, I think playing Q9 (a) would be better.] LB[pk:a] ; B[mj] ; W[mk] ; B[mi] ; W[ok] C[vernon: I feel W was playing too close and has allowed weaknesses. Josh: Perhaps, but black is still giving white some thickness in return for a heavy group. ] ; B[kj] ; W[lk] ; B[kh] ; W[ji] ; B[mg] ; W[lh] C[vernon: I like this move to keep the two weak groups split. Josh: This actually does nothing for white. Playing L13 (a) will capture the white M12 stones (see variations).] LB[kg:a] ( ; B[pg] C[vernon: I decide that trying to connect Q11 with L15 is hopeless and try to connect it to Q16. ] ( ; W[kg] C[vernon: I feel that this move let B's Q11 group slip out of a very tight spot, but I cannot find a winner for W. See variations. W's move does more strongly separate Q11 and L15.] ( ; B[pf] C[Josh: This is a mistake. The black corner is not in any danger. N14 is a vital point (see variations).] LB[mf:a] ; W[mf] ; B[ig] C[vernon: L15 now has to run for its life.] ; W[jg] ; B[if] ; W[hi] ; B[gh] ; W[hh] ; B[gf] C[vernon: I was proud of this loose connection. If W at a, then B at b, and vice versa.] LB[hg:a][hf:b] ; W[gi] ( ; B[fh] C[vernon: The attempt to connect from the D16 group direction does not seem to work either, see variation. Perhaps this was the right time to strike early with F15 (x)?] MA[fe] ; W[eg] C[vernon: This was a strong play. D16 was the best group to connect to, and it is now cut off.] ; B[ei] ; W[eh] ; B[fi] ; W[ej] ; B[fj] ; W[ek] C[vernon: W does a good job of chasing while strenthening the left side. It is at this point that B first conceives of trying to connect by killing the stones centered at H17 (triangle's) with a cut at F15(X). But I was so doubtful of success, that I decide to strenthen all of the corners in case the big kill would fail. ] TR[fd][hc][jd][kd] MA[fe] ; B[co] C[vernon: corner number one.] ; W[en] ; B[fc] C[vernon: I need the cut at F15 (X), but the D16 group is vulnerable at D17 (a), so I reinforce the corner weakness before going into the fight.] MA[fe] LB[dc:a] ( ; W[gd] C[vernon: The saving move here is probably F15. G15 also looks good, see variation.] ; B[mc] C[vernon: I recognized that M17 would be weak, so I guard it with sente (by threatening to connect L15 to Q16). But W plays at P18 which forces a defense of Q16, taking sente back.] MA[lc] ; W[ob] ; B[rb] ; W[fb] C[vernon: W wastes sente rethreating the corner, not seeing the F15 danger.] ; B[eb] ; W[hn] C[vernon: F15!!] ; B[pq] C[vernon: F15!! Instead, corner number four is strenthened.] ; W[np] ; B[fe] C[vernon: The cut that turned the game. Clearly, it should have been done much earlier. ] ; W[fk] ; B[ib] C[vernon: This seals W's fate IMHO. But it was still looking very bad.] ; W[hb] ; B[jb] ; W[qq] C[vernon: W recognizes the situation and fights for a win elsewhere.] ; B[qr] ; W[rq] ; B[op] ; W[mq] ; B[rp] ; W[pr] ; B[pp] ; W[rr] ; B[qm] C[vernon: Both players missed P2 (X) to cut the corner off.] MA[or] ( ; W[ql] ; B[qn] ; W[nn] ; B[rl] ; W[qk] ; B[rk] ; W[qj] ; B[rh] C[vernon: B thinks Q4 is safe, and does not want R13 to escape.] ; W[rj] ; B[sm] C[vernon: B has eye space and life.] ; W[gj] ; B[gb] C[vernon: A bad move that costs over ten points and almost loses the big upper side kill. Should be at H13 (X) to connect pieces.] MA[hg] ; W[gg] C[vernon: Ouch, nicely played.] ; B[hg] ; W[ff] ; B[ge] ; W[hd] ; B[ie] ; W[id] ; B[go] C[vernon: B is confident enough in the upper side to give up sente for territory reduction.] ; W[ho] ; B[gn] ; W[gm] ; B[ih] ; W[jh] ; B[ii] C[vernon: wasted move.] ; W[ij] ; B[no] ; W[mo] ; B[gq] ; W[lb] C[vernon: W finally decides to try to save the upper side. ] ; B[lc] ; W[ha] ; B[fa] C[vernon: W's K16 has 2 outside liberties (squares). It shares 5 liberties with B's L15 (triangles). L15 has 6 outside liberties (circles), one of which has an approach problem and a possible mandatory fill in at H14 (cross). From "The Second Book of Go," (chapter 6 by Richard Hunter) from the WSU library, the rule on two eyeless groups is that if there is more than one interior liberty, the situation is seki if the exterior liberties for either plus one is less than the exterior liberties for the other plus all of the interior liberties (For both N, EN1 + 1 < EN2 + INT). For White to attack is 3 against 11. For Black to attack is 7 versus 7. So with perfect play, it is close to a seki. But W should play at H15 to eliminate B's possible eye. With one eye versus no eye, the interior liberties count for the attacker, and B to attack is 11 to 7.] SQ[ga][gc] TR[ic][jc][je][he][ia] CR[kf][lf][me][md][kb][ja] MA[hf] ( ; W[kb] C[vernon: See variation for possible alternate with eyeless groups. B still wins by one.] ; B[jc] ; W[me] C[vernon: the best hope for W is H15, which still fails. ] ; B[ia] C[vernon: B should have played at H15 (square) to change the race to eye versus no eye, ending the contest for good.] SQ[he] ; W[kf] ; B[je] C[vernon: B finally sees P2, but doesn't have time to attack.] ; W[md] ; B[gc] C[vernon: K16 has one outside. L15 has 2 outside and the fill in. 2 are shared. It should be seki, but B wins by one.] ; W[lf] ; B[he] C[vernon: B finally plays H15 and the fill in has turned into an eye. K16 has 1 outside and 1 shared. L15 has an eye and 1 outside (which has an approach problem). With B's eye, it is impossible for W to attack, even without the approach problem.] ; W[ka] ; B[or] C[vernon: B finally gets to P2 now that the upper side is quite safe.] ( ; W[nq] C[vernon: I prefer R1, see variation.] ; B[ps] ; W[nr] ; B[hr] ; W[iq] ; B[dn] ; W[dm] ; B[do] ; W[bn] ; B[bo] ; W[fn] ; B[bh] ; W[bi] ; B[ir] ; W[jr] ; B[on] ; W[nm] ; B[om] ; W[ol] ; B[sk] ; W[fr] C[vernon: W now tries to kill D4 to salvage the game. ] ; B[gr] ; W[cr] ; B[cq] ; W[bq] ; B[dr] ; W[cs] ; B[bp] ; W[ds] ; B[er] ; W[bs] ; B[ar] C[vernon: Saved!] ; W[fo] ; B[gp] ; W[em] ; B[eo] ; W[og] C[vernon: Now it is just a scramble to pick up points and push weaknesses.] ; B[ph] ; W[mh] ; B[hp] ; W[ip] ; B[io] ; W[in] ; B[jq] ; W[jp] ; B[kr] ; W[kq] ; B[js] ; W[jq] ; B[lr] ; W[mr] ; B[ks] ; W[lq] ; B[is] ; W[dg] ; B[ah] ; W[ai] ; B[oa] ; W[nb] ( ; B[sc] C[vernon: I feared that if B played O19 and tried to defend it, R18 would be in jeopardy, and with it, the whole of Q16 and the game. See variation.] ; W[pa] ; B[qa] ; W[na] ; B[rd] C[vernon: Here I stopped recording. B wins by 48.] ) ( ; B[na] ; W[ma] ; B[pa] ; W[sb] ; B[rd] ; W[ra] ; B[qd] ; W[qa] C[vernon: Now the whole Q16 group is dead. Game lost.] ) ) ( ; W[qs] ; B[nq] ; W[mp] ; B[mr] ; W[lr] ; B[ns] ; W[kq] C[vernon: this saves the corner, better I think.] ) ) ( ; W[he] ; B[hf] ; W[kb] ; B[jc] ; W[ja] ; B[ia] ; W[me] ; B[gc] ; W[kf] ; B[je] ; W[md] ; B[ga] ; W[lf] ; B[ic] C[vernon: B wins by one move.] ) ) ( ; W[qn] ; B[pn] ; W[ql] ; B[rm] ; W[rn] ; B[rl] ; W[sp] ; B[so] ; W[ro] ; B[sq] ; W[sn] ; B[sp] C[vernon: Okay, this does not look good for W.] ) ) ( ; W[ge] ; B[gd] ; W[fe] ; B[hd] ; W[he] C[vernon: Not H14(X), which lets L15 link to D16 and take the upper side.] MA[hf] ; B[ie] ; W[id] ; B[gc] ; W[lc] ; B[ic] ; W[jc] ; B[hb] ; W[kb] ; B[hg] ; W[fk] C[vernon: the W upper right side seems to have eyes, and L15 looks dead. ] ) ) ( ; B[eg] ; W[fh] ; B[fg] ; W[gg] ; B[ff] ; W[hf] ; B[he] ; W[hg] ; B[ge] ; W[ie] ; B[je] ; W[lc] ; B[jc] ; W[id] ; B[hd] ; W[ic] ; B[fc] ; W[jb] ; B[fe] ; W[kb] ; B[gb] ; W[ei] C[vernon: Although the E15 wall is captured, the main group of L15 is lost and W has a great wall along the 11th row.] ) ) ( ; B[mf] ( ; W[pf] ; B[qf] ; W[lc] ; B[ne] ) ( ; W[mh] ; B[ne] ) ( ; W[ne] ; B[lb] ) ) ) ( ; W[pf] ; B[qf] ( ; W[og] ; B[ph] ; W[rh] ; B[ri] ; W[qj] ; B[qi] ; W[rj] ; B[si] ; W[pj] ; B[rf] ; W[sj] ; B[sg] ; W[mh] ; B[sh] ; W[mf] C[vernon: Okay, B escapes here too.] ) ( ; W[qj] ; B[rh] ; W[sh] ; B[rf] ; W[sg] ; B[si] ; W[ri] ; B[sf] ; W[ob] ; B[rb] ; W[pa] ; B[sc] ; W[qa] ; B[rd] ; W[ra] ; B[qd] ) ) ( ; W[ri] ; B[rh] ; W[sh] ; B[rj] ; W[pf] ; B[qi] ; W[si] ; B[sj] ; W[sg] ; B[qj] ; W[og] ; B[ph] ; W[pj] ; B[qf] ) ) ( ; B[kg] ( ; W[mf] ; B[lf] ) ( ; W[lf] ; B[mf] ) ) ) ( ; B[gd] ; W[df] ; B[ae] ; W[bd] ; B[bb] ; W[dg] ; B[ac] ; W[bg] ; B[ad] ; W[bi] ) ) ( ; W[dd] ( ; B[dc] C[vernon: see sub-variation.] ; W[ee] ; B[df] ; W[ec] ; B[fd] ; W[bb] ; B[be] ; W[bd] ; B[eb] ( ; W[ca] ( ; B[db] C[vernon: Wrong move, see variation.] ; W[fc] ; B[gc] ; W[fb] ; B[fa] ; W[gb] ; B[gd] ; W[ea] ) ( ; B[fc] C[opps.] ; W[bf] ; B[bg] ; W[ae] C[vernon: W lives and leaves B's D15 group weak.] ) ) ( ; W[fc] ; B[gc] ; W[fb] ; B[gb] ; W[fa] ; B[ea] ; W[ga] ; B[ha] ; W[bf] ; B[bg] ; W[ae] ; B[ba] ; W[ab] ) ) ( ; B[ee] ; W[dc] ; B[db] ; W[ec] ; B[fc] ; W[eb] ; B[fb] ; W[bb] ; B[ea] ; W[da] ; B[ca] ; W[ba] ; B[da] ; W[fa] ) ) ) ( ; B[nb] ) ) ( ; W[re] ; B[rd] ; W[sd] ; B[qd] ; W[rf] ; B[qc] ; W[rb] ; B[qb] ; W[nc] ; B[nb] ; W[mb] ; B[oa] ; W[lc] C[vernon: Black lives but is very small.] ) )