(;GM[1]FF[3]
PC[Dragon Go Server: http://www.dragongoserver.net/]
DT[2006-05-15,2006-12-14]
GN[quantumf-slashme-209810-20061214]
GC[Game ID: 209810
]
PB[David Richfield (slashme)]
PW[Chris Welsh (quantumf)]
BR[8 kyu]WR[21 kyu]
OT[Japanese byoyomi: 90 days + 1 day per move and 10 extra periods]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.5]
RE[W+Resign]
C[Unlabelled comments by Konrad Scheffler. Hope they're useful!
];
B[pd]
C[David Richfield: Here's a good tip:  If you want to comment on your moves without me seeing the comments, enclose them in h and /h in angle brackets (as in html tags).  See http://www.dragongoserver.net/faq.php?read=t&cat=18#Entry75]
;W[ed];B[cp];W[pp];B[cd]
C[David Richfield: <h>Is this too early?</h>

No, Preventing white's corner enclosure is the same size as making your own.
]
;W[ce];B[be];W[de];B[cf];W[ep];B[cc]
C[David Richfield: <h>W B14 is normal now, with a second cut at B16.  This move secures the corner and puts pressure on W.  E4 was not such strong sente that I couldn't first settle my top left group.</h>

This shape is defective - see variation. Instead, B17 or B13 would be better shape.
]
(;W[dn];B[cn]
C[David Richfield: <h>The ladder works for me</h>

Yes, important to check - at the 1d level this move is played surprisingly often when the ladder is unfavourable, leading to a bad result for black after white C7.
]
;W[dm];B[eq];W[fq];B[dq];W[gp];B[cm];W[dl];B[gd]
C[David Richfield: <h>Squeeze white to build a moyo on the top side</h>

A bit too close - play one or two lines further away for better relation with Q16 and making it harder for white to counterattack.
]
(;W[df]
C[Aji keshi, relieving black of the problem shown in the variation to move 12.
]
;B[cg];W[eh];B[fc]
C[David Richfield: <h>Threaten connection underneath</h>];W[ec];B[ff]
C[David Richfield: <h>threaten to disconnect at D13</h>];W[eg];B[kc]
C[David Richfield: <h>Build a moyo</h>

Nice result for black.
];W[ke]
;B[nc]
C[David Richfield: <h>Build territory, keep W weak</h>

The proverb says "answer the cap with keima", i.e. N16 or J16. Alternatively, N17 to limit white's options. But with the 2-space extension black feels a little thin - white has sabaki options based on H17 followed by K16 or K17 (notice that the black stones to the left are not that strong). Also, black's position is a little low so white can tenuki satisfied with having limited black's expansion.
]
;W[mq]C[Not quite as big as Q10, I think.
];B[pj]
C[David Richfield: <h>I need influence towards the center.</h>];W[pl];
B[nj]
C[David Richfield: <h>Increase influence towards the centre, keep up pressure on L15. Later R3 if possible</h>]
;W[lk];B[li]C[David Richfield: <h>Try to isolate L15</h>];W[jj]
(;B[nl]
C[David Richfield: <h>Can't let white get this moyo unopposed.  If I can end this in sente, I can play K12 afterwards.</h>]
;W[jh]
C[Yes, O8 and K12 were miai. Black's three stones to the left are now starting to look thin.
]
;B[lg]
C[David Richfield: <h>Defend my moyo while keeping up a threat against L15</h>

This seems too passive - the k12, m13 exchange is a clear gain for white, so black has been forced. Also, m13 looks smaller than a white move at m7 which would turn the centre into territory.
]
(;W[ic]C[Missing the vital point!
];B[jd]
C[David Richfield: <h>Have to cut white off here.</h>];W[je];B[id];
W[mm];B[om]
C[David Richfield: <h>Threaten Q8 while destroying territory</h>];
W[mo]
(;B[pn]
C[David Richfield: <h>Hopefully just cut Q8 off.  Threaten R3 later?</h>

Playing into bad shape - notice q8 is sitting on the angle point of black's 3 stones. A tighter move at q7 would feel better.
]
;W[qf];B[qe]
C[David Richfield: <h>I think this keeps W out of the corner...</h>

Only sort of - the invasion at r17 is still a worry. I prefer r16 for black.
]
;W[of];B[mf]
C[David Richfield: <h>This should disconnect P14 from L15</h>]
(;W[qj];B[qi]
C[David Richfield: <h>Have to keep white's stones separate</h>];W[pi]
C[Hard to find a good response for black.
];B[rj]
C[David Richfield: <h>If WR9, BP11 protects against WP10 cut</h>

Wrong move order - atari at p11 first should be ok - same plan as in the game, but avoids white resisting as in the game continuation.
]
;W[qk];B[oi];W[ri]C[ouch!
]
(;B[qh];W[rh];B[qg]
C[David Richfield: <h>At least keep some territory at right middle - cut off R14.</h>]
;W[rg];B[pf]
C[David Richfield: <h>Of course: Can't cut off R14, because after BS14, WQ14; BQ12 is forced.</h>]
;W[rf]C[Big: follow-ups at q13 (notice q11 is still useful) and s16.
]
;B[gi]
C[David Richfield: <h>First reduce, then consider lower right.</h>

Too deep, handicap-style move. Where is black's connection if white simply cuts at G12 or G13? Always ask "what if he plays the crude cutting move?" and have an answer ready. On the other hand, black is behind and needs to play ambitiously.
]
;W[gk];B[fj]
C[David Richfield: <h>Threaten to cut off E12 group - reduce bottom territory.</h>

]
;W[gg]C[One move too late, now it's complicated.
];B[fg]
C[David Richfield: <h>Keep up pressure on E13 group, build attack on K15 stones etc.</h>]
;W[fh]C[Chris Welsh: what have you started...];B[gh]
C[David Richfield: Not quite sure.];W[gf]
C[Chris Welsh: This is way more complex than I can think thru, let's see what happens this way]
;B[fe]C[David Richfield: <h>forced move</h>];W[ig];B[dj]
C[David Richfield: <h>I don't think I can catch E12 stones, but maybe I can break into centre territory by threatining to do so.</h>

Optically the white stones seem in danger here, but doesn't a wedge at E10 capture black first?
]
;W[fb];B[gb]
C[David Richfield: Sorry for the delay!

Oops! To avoid making this mistake, you need to have noticed that white can exchange F16 for G15 whenever he likes. So when you see F18, think "my stone is in atari". I see no alternative to the empty triangle at G17.
]
;W[fd];B[ge];W[gc];B[hc];W[hb];B[fc];W[gj];B[fi]
C[David Richfield: <h>My ko-threat: Threaten cut at D16</h>];W[gc];
B[dd];W[ga]
C[White has many internal threats, so I don't think he needs to accept this exchange.
]
;B[ee]
C[David Richfield: <h>B looks reasonably safe now.</h>

Black did well to avoid disaster, but is still behind - needs to do get into the central area somehow.
]
;W[fk];B[ek]
C[David Richfield: <h>Make a more solid connection in sente</h>];W[qp]
;B[fo];W[eo];B[kl]
C[David Richfield: <h>Ladder-breaker for F4 cut, threaten to connect out.</h>]
;W[kk];B[ln]C[David Richfield: <h>Peep</h>];W[mn]
(;B[fl]
C[David Richfield: <h>Threaten G9 group slightly, try to aggress upon D6 group, continue attack on bottom territory</h>]
;W[gl];B[fm]
C[David Richfield: <h>Can't remember what I had planned, but I'm sure W must defend F4 cut now?</h>]
;W[gm];B[gn]
C[David Richfield: <h>If W cuts at E8 and black cuts at F4, it leads to a big semeai.</h>]
;W[hn];B[ho]
C[David Richfield: <h>wG5 bF6 wE8 bH7 wJ6 bH10 wH8 bJ8 wJ7 bH9 and B connects into center</h>
 
Almost works. With hindsight, another peep at J11 would have done the trick. Victor Chow's advice: "just read one move further". (Surprising how often one thinks the sequence is over but it isn't.)
]
;W[go];B[fn];W[el];B[hm];W[in];B[hj]
C[David Richfield: <h>As planned</h>];W[hl];B[il];W[im];B[hk];W[hm];
B[jk]
C[David Richfield: <h>Now I think H11 and M8 are miai to connect</h>];
W[ij];B[hi]
C[David Richfield: <h>Darn, got cut off.  Didn't see that coming.</h>]
;W[ik];B[jl];W[km];B[ll]
C[David Richfield: <h>Strange move by white.</h>];W[ml];B[kj]
C[David Richfield: <h>OK, now I see why it works.  Maybe at least I can cut off K21 etc.</h>]
;W[ki];B[jn]
C[David Richfield: <h>First get some more liberties on the inside</h>]
;W[jo];B[ih];W[ji];N[RESULT]
C[Result: W+Resign

Summary: The result of this game was determined by fighting strength. Black did fine in terms of large scale strategy but tended to lose out in the local fighting. This may seem like a matter of reading skill (which is always relevant), but both players can improve their fighting strength by focusing on shape principles. I recommend reading "Shape up" by Charles Matthews (downloadable for free from gobase).
])

(;B[fp]
C[Cut straight away before strengthening white? It's complicated...
];
W[gn];B[gq];W[fr];B[go];W[ho];B[hp];W[fn];B[gp];W[gr];B[hr];W[ip];
B[hq];W[iq]C[...but it looks like white wins this way.
])
)

(;B[ph]
C[Cannot allow the aji of q11 to remain, must make the ponnuki!
];
W[qh];B[rh];W[pi]
(;B[qg];W[qi];B[pg]
C[Even if he chooses not to fight the ko, black can manage to salvage something...
])

(;B[ef];W[qi];B[dg]C[...but a ko exchange is probably better.
])
)
)

(;W[rl]
C[This is another way to play, making miai of r5 and r11. I'm not sure if white can precede this with a probe at r17, or if he should leave the option of playing hane at s15.
])
)

(;B[pm])
)

(;W[hc]
C[If white wants to invade here, this is the vital point. This is called an "angle point" with respect to the black kosumi to the left, and is a key point relating to black's eye shape. More concretely, it threatens to connect via F18.
]
;
AE[cc][hc][kc][nc][cd][pd][be][ce][de][ke][cf][df][ff][cg][eg][lg][eh][jh][li][jj][nj][pj][lk][dl][nl][pl][cm][dm][cn][dn][cp][ep][gp][pp][dq][eq][fq][mq]
C[Remember this shape, and black's weak point at H17 - it occurs all the time! (It may be more familiar with G16 at a 4-4 point and the weak point at 3-3, but shape principles are more general than that.)
])
)

(;B[jh];W[nl]
C[Black could play this way - if both moyos turn into territory he will win (black's moyo is only about 10 points smaller than white's, which is more than compensated for by the territory he already has on the left, plus sente). So the result will depend on how much white can do with the stone at L15. If now black H12 it's hard to imagine how white will use this stone (though R15 or R3 may be bigger).

This is really just a straightforward counting exercise - try it!
])
)

(;W[dc];B[cb];W[df];B[cg];W[gf]
C[This way would be better for white - the central influence is starting to work nicely.
])
)

(;W[dc]
C[A move like this (for later) becomes sente. If black ignores it...
]
;B[tt];W[bd];B[bf];W[bc];B[cb];W[bb]
C[...white either captures the corner or gets the outside in a ladder.
])

)