32 At each turn, the player’s primary task is to find the globally best move in the current position! In doing this, appropriate tradeoffs must be made between
103 and is therefore unimportant to the future course of play! The White “B” stones are somewhat important because they impact the adjacent still unsettled marked Black stones.<br><br>
104 Although Black almost has control of the C and D areas, both are still open to a White invasion so these stones are at least moderately important.<br><br>
105 The game’s main focus from this point on will center on the fact that each side has a large (marked), still unsettled group in the lower center. Black’s group has much better eyeshape,
124 <strong>Diagram 2</strong> In this early middle game between two 1D players, the marked weak White and Black one point skips in the lower center and the two not yet settled Black and White
147 <strong>Diagram 3</strong> In this game between a 9D and 7D, W80 completed the enclosure of the huge Black center group, thereby making it vulnerable to attack.
148 With Sente, Black can easily secure his group, but unfortunately he missed the potential of the marked White stone and mistakenly believed that he was safe. So ....<br><br>
166 <strong>Diagram 4</strong> When B81 made the territorially large move on the right side, W82 - 92 shocked him by developing the marked White stone to cut the big Black center group apart,
169 Instead of B81, if Black had recognized that he was so vulnerable to being cut apart, the simple play at 83 would have trapped the marked White stone, not only creating a sure eye for Black
170 but also essentially unifying all his local forces. After that, given his solid positions in all 4 corners, the game would have favored him.<br><br>
193 <strong>Diagram 5</strong> In this early Fuseki position between two 5D players, B5 instead of the more customary B7 was a slightly atypical conclusion to the popular Joseki in the upper left corner.<br>br>
194 After this, if W6 at “a” to approach the upper right corner stone, B“b” would happily squeeze while creating an ideal Black formation in the upper left. So if White wants to prevent Black from getting
202 Although this is a reasonable strategy for White, the price he must pay for it is allowing the blocking attachment of B7. This threatens to continue at 8 to make perfect shape for Black while seriously damaging W6, so it induces W8 to prevent that.<br><br>
203 But that gives Black the opportunity of making a large knight’s extension from the upper right corner stone with B9, which does double duty by also preventing White from creating his own base via the ideal 3 point skip third line extension to “a” from the
205 The result as shown is a newly created W6-8 group that must flee baseless into the open center, and this is a large part of the reason that the somewhat “unconventional” B5 was such a strong move!<br><br>
206 Although W10 was the move actually chosen next to flee into the center, any of W “c”, “d”, “e” or “f” might in some circumstances be preferable alternatives, the choice between them depending on the location of other nearby stones of both colors, and White’s strategy.<br><br>
229 <strong>Dia 7</strong> When B1 sealed off some eyespace and territory in the corner, a Black followup at 2 would have created a powerful pon nuki eye shape, inducing W2 to prevent that.<br><br>
232 B“a” next would get Black safely out, but wouldn’t apply much stress to either the White position on the right or the left, nor would it also look forward to playing at 5. So, on balance, B3 here was best.<br><br>
233 Next, White would dearly have liked to play at 5 to make good shape while blocking Black’s progress, but the weakness of the lone White stone to the left made W4 necessary to provide the beginnings of a base there.<br><br>
234 That in turn allowed B5 to occupy White’s key shape point, making W6 necessary to provide the White stones on the right with their own base.<br><br>
263 <strong>Dia 9</strong> If it was White’s turn, W1 would provide eyespace, stabilize his stones, and also greatly diminish both the territorial and eyemaking potential of the 4 Black stones to its left.<br><br>
282 - Threatens to follow with B“c”, to seriously undercut (and attack) the still unsettled White 2-stone group to its right.<br><br>
283 B“b” instead would be a mistake because it would induce W“c”. Then if B 2, White would have Sente for W“a”and that would be bad for Black (as already noted).<br><br>
289 B2 instead of B1 would also be wrong! Not only would that make Black overconcentrated, but, instead of defending via W“b” (which would leave White overconcentrated himself and allow B1 after all!), White would simply answer W“a”,with advantage.<br><br>
291 After the correct B1 the diagonal extension of W2 was prudent, and not strictly Gote because it not only provided White’s own eyespace while making B“b” or “c” ineffectual, but also threatened W“d” to destroy Black’s base in the corner at an appropriate later moment.<br><br>
307 It would provide both shape and connectivity for Black if he can seize it, and make Black’s shape impossible if White can play there instead.<br><br>
342 <strong>Diagram 13</strong> After W1 on the key point destroys Black’s shape, it’s necessary for him to defend in order to assure the connection between the
344 White’s threat is to cut via W“a”, B“b”, W“c”, or W“a”, B“c”, W“b”, so let’s see how Black should best play now to ensure his connection and prevent White’s big local gain.<br><br>
361 <strong>Diagram 14</strong> The first idea that might occur is to play B1, which will undoubtedly induce W2 to give White shape and some territory, while also ensuring that Black stays confined.<br><br>
363 The problem with this for Black is that, if later B“a”, depending on what’s going on elsewhere on the board White may not feel constrained to answer at “b” in order to ensure Black’s confinement!<br><br>
384 But that exchange favors Black, because B1 is a cutting stone which may later either cause White problems or force him to expend resources to ensure its capture, while W2 merely adds an insignificant amount
385 of extra strength to an already very solid White formation! The difference between Dia 14 and 15 may be small and subtle, but it’s the kind of thing that not only wins close games, but also distinguishes really strong players from ordinary ones!<br><br>
405 <strong>Diagram 16</strong> At the moment, both of the marked stones are unsettled, but whoever gets to play at “a” will instantly make his own stone strong and seriously weaken the opponent’s. So this is a key point for both sides which takes priority, and must not be missed!<br><br>
455 <strong>Diagram 17</strong> In this game between two mid-single digit Kyu players, when B1 was played White should have answered with W“a” to secure some eyespace as well as his center connection for his 4 stones at the top. Instead, he foolishly ignored the safety of this weak
472 <strong>Diagram 18</strong> After the mistaken W2, B3-7 severely punished White’s failure to secure his center connection by cutting his formation apart and winning 5 stones with enormous profit, forcing White’s resignation only a few moves later.<br><br>
506 To better understand the meaning and implementation of this important concept, let’s look at an example from an early middle game position contested between two 5D players.<br><br>
519 <strong>Diagram 19</strong> As things stand now, the marked 3 stone White wall seems not only strong (it has 6 liberties and a large adjacent open area),
520 but it’s also unquestionably considered very important by both players because it sketches out the beginnings of a huge White moyo on the lower side, in
542 <strong>Diagram 20</strong> Black concluded that, despite appearances, the 3 marked White stones were vulnerable, so he attacked very aggressively with B1 to
545 W2 counter-squeezed B1, because at the moment that lone Black stone is weaker than the 3 stone White group! His objective was to prevent Black’s easily making
553 Then, after the brief sequence of B3 thru B7 that followed, White apparently realized that the influence the 3 stone wall had formerly been providing had essentially ceased to exist, with the result
554 that his evaluation of those 3 stones had suddenly changed, not just from an important valuable asset to one that was relatively unimportant, but to an actual potential detriment!<br><br>
555 So White concluded that running out to save those 3 stones in the current global position would be counterproductive. Instead, it would be better to change strategy, and rather than trying to save those
569 <strong>Diagram 21</strong> The result: The formerly important 3 White stones have become Black prisoners, but in return White has consolidated about 30 points of territory in the lower right corner!<br><br>
580 <I>White didn’t view his 3-stone wall as a fixed asset, but rather as just another potential bargaining chip, which he was prepared to trade in at any time if sufficient compensation was available to make that transaction profitable for him.</I><br><br>
582 If you proceed with that kind of flexible attitude, as your skills advance with experience you won’t be confronted with the need to change your mental perspective in order to realize the rating improvement that should rightly be your due!<br><br>
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