DDK Travails 44 34 facing
Well that didn't go well. The openings were all weird so nothing to learn apart from I seemed to handle things ok in the wierdness. Mistakes to improve on include a a failure to live in an invasion that should have
As an aside the better way to invade was
But if Black had played correctly I should have died so it was a bit of a hail mary.
The above was the killer as the game was in my favour before then. After then it seemed to just resolve in a closing of opportunities. One interesting one was here
Wide board I know.. Anyway I had considered connecting up but thought that was to small and was worried that if Black played G14 then my stick would be cut off. I needn't have worried as if he then does that I can take the atariid stone (and the AI seems quite happy living with the lower group which I rather suspect is beyond me.
Game 2
Apart from trying to play slower and with less 'stress' I am also categorising and tracking more heavily for examples to look at and potentially learn from. This next game as against an aggressive 15. I opened 44 and 34 facing, he did dual 34 and enclosed (looks like Triton method to me). I then 1 space high pincered the other corner and dropped into the small avalanche and then decided on the Sente variation - my oppo did not complete though (it is push 4 times for safety)
and instead low knight approached my own 34. Here I decided to repay the Triton structure and kick giving me a second Sente opening. But he either didn't know it or liked walls as instead of extending he jumped allowing me to take his ideal extension. After some blocking at the top where he basically secured his top right to seal me in (at the cost of me getting to the center) I bent around that missing push at the avalanche.
The game got a bit weird here with an invasion I decided to let live and seal in where he promptly attacked again on the other side. This led into an enormous bottom fight where he almost got out with bugger all points and I took the opportunity to kill his corner instead and take the right side for points. In his favour though he had a fair amount of points top right but the rest of the board was..minimal..for both of us.
By move 157 he had sealed my right and looked to have picked up an extra 30 or so points and I was getting quite nervous as to having enough (will check post scan in AI Sensei to see the actual situation). I pushed some 'try it and see' attacks that failed but then for the first time in ages saw one that might work, given a mistake
And it did! B11 resulted in an atari at B12 and either the 3 stones are loss or all the D15 group. He saw that and protected the larger group but the result was nice.
More than I deserved so 3 captures and 2 points and 12 points lost to my opponent. That made me happier but then, in another exciting first, noticed a bigger kill - that did not need a misake to succeed (I think).
Here is the start point
That Black group is an early Dragon that my opponent had ran out. If he had played N8 or O8 then safefy (I can imagine AI senseis screams of rage for as long as both of us did not see this). But I did in the end, admittedly late..
The key play is N8, Now if Black played O8 he is still cut off when O7 is played. If Black played O7 then O8 cuts more stones off. The lower stones have 1 eye at K1/L1 but even without my throw in to H1 (captured J1) it would be a 3 space eye.
I think that is more biggest, seen, deliberate, kill. Woot.. Black played 1 more move which was an attempt to free the bottom right group but without success as I just counter atarid and he resigned with me 80 points up.
Now will run through AI S to see if I was behind.
And it did! B11 resulted in an atari at B12 and either the 3 stones are loss or all the D15 group. He saw that and protected the larger group but the result was nice.
More than I deserved so 3 captures and 2 points and 12 points lost to my opponent. That made me happier but then, in another exciting first, noticed a bigger kill - that did not need a misake to succeed (I think).
Here is the start point
That Black group is an early Dragon that my opponent had ran out. If he had played N8 or O8 then safefy (I can imagine AI senseis screams of rage for as long as both of us did not see this). But I did in the end, admittedly late..
The key play is N8, Now if Black played O8 he is still cut off when O7 is played. If Black played O7 then O8 cuts more stones off. The lower stones have 1 eye at K1/L1 but even without my throw in to H1 (captured J1) it would be a 3 space eye.
I think that is more biggest, seen, deliberate, kill. Woot.. Black played 1 more move which was an attempt to free the bottom right group but without success as I just counter atarid and he resigned with me 80 points up.
Now will run through AI S to see if I was behind.
AI made the comm I am pleased to say my handling of the bottom left was broadly supported but the kill could have occurred 70 moves earlier here
Also note how the corner could still be saved at S2. I did lost my 38 point lead and black had 1 move where they were +4.9 ahead but that was it (and it occurred when I allowed my right to be sealed giving Black the 30 points mentioned above). General end game and those mad attacks did enough to bring me 14 ahead again..
I shouldn't be too cocky though as I missed getting a further 16 stones by just doing this post kill (admittedly the game would have had to continue)
Also note how the corner could still be saved at S2. I did lost my 38 point lead and black had 1 move where they were +4.9 ahead but that was it (and it occurred when I allowed my right to be sealed giving Black the 30 points mentioned above). General end game and those mad attacks did enough to bring me 14 ahead again..
I shouldn't be too cocky though as I missed getting a further 16 stones by just doing this post kill (admittedly the game would have had to continue)
Error filled game on both our parts but fun though. Often you cant train in killing like this with better players so perhaps my recent run of defeats will prove useful..
Game 3
I seem to be getting a run of 15k newbies at the moment which is not something I want to rely on excessively..
I opened as the blog title but my opp decided on 44 and 53? Which he then enclosed for a more normal looking 34 corner enclosure.
I approached his 44 and he pincered, I jumped into the corner and he obviously only new part of the Joseki. This proved painful for him I think and it was nice I was able to take advantage of it
The above is not a bad position to be in even with the empty skirt (and I was able to extend later which would not be possible against a better opponent. Leaving that open I instead took the center right star taking away his 34 enclosure direction of play (should have done that before the corner perhaps).
AI says a better choice than the extend and the empty skirt is the knight
Which is a good take way methinks. My oppo here failed to take advantage but that was luck for me and not to be expected.
He then went 3rd line middle bottom so I could take a large knight to the left and a semi kick to the right - After a bend round and connect he tried the diagonal poke but remembering the wise words of Dwyrin (perhaps) I ignored it - my corner would survive and the 3 would likely to with all the weaknesses and instead attacked positional weak points.
The game was actually fairly calm. As can be seen here
I am fairly secure at top left, secure bottom left with lot's of points and a wall to the middle and though there are two white groups to the right if I connect they are safe and if I don't the middle two can likely run to one of the other two groups. Also note I had noticed the weakness at C9 then B10 here but didn't play while I soaked up points. I judged that he had 1 decent corner 28 or so points and the top left with about 16 ish whereas I likely had 30 top left 30 right (allowing I connect) 40 bottom so a 100 ish. All I had to do now was just play solid and soak up central space.
End points him 64 and me 109 (not including Komi).
The AI shows the first error at 10k level so he wasn't playing bad (the empty triangle leading to the weakness noted above)
Game 3
I seem to be getting a run of 15k newbies at the moment which is not something I want to rely on excessively..
I opened as the blog title but my opp decided on 44 and 53? Which he then enclosed for a more normal looking 34 corner enclosure.
I approached his 44 and he pincered, I jumped into the corner and he obviously only new part of the Joseki. This proved painful for him I think and it was nice I was able to take advantage of it
The above is not a bad position to be in even with the empty skirt (and I was able to extend later which would not be possible against a better opponent. Leaving that open I instead took the center right star taking away his 34 enclosure direction of play (should have done that before the corner perhaps).
AI says a better choice than the extend and the empty skirt is the knight
Which is a good take way methinks. My oppo here failed to take advantage but that was luck for me and not to be expected.
He then went 3rd line middle bottom so I could take a large knight to the left and a semi kick to the right - After a bend round and connect he tried the diagonal poke but remembering the wise words of Dwyrin (perhaps) I ignored it - my corner would survive and the 3 would likely to with all the weaknesses and instead attacked positional weak points.
The game was actually fairly calm. As can be seen here
End points him 64 and me 109 (not including Komi).
The AI shows the first error at 10k level so he wasn't playing bad (the empty triangle leading to the weakness noted above)
Game 4
Since I have decided to push for 10 games in each opening regardless as to results just to get consistency let's continue. Next up we have a game versus a US 14 k (same rank) who has played a lot of games (5k+) and at his peak seemed to hover between 6 and 8k during 2023 and 2024, played less and dropped since then though.
On the opening there was some inconsistency on Joseki choice. For example he 1 space high approached my 34 and I attached under and he went for the wider variant but only extended the shorter variant length.
I promptly pushed underneath to keep him there...
He then low knighted my 44 point (which had a large knight), I decided to kick but since I had the extension to flip to the other side to 1 space high approach his corner (playing much faster and looser than normal). He attached under and I moved into the avalanche again and once again Black did not extend enough. I ignored the lesson from last game to take a small base to the left before moving up to the right
Black then launched a daring invasion at R9 which I managed to kill off (and generate a Black blob to the left). I then launched at throwaway attack top right against his 34 large knight enclosure which he defended against but I used it to secure my top left group.
Then it was a matter of not making mistakes, soaking up central space and end game. Black had decent points top right and ok points middle left and bottom but not much else.
Now to switch to AI lessons. AI says I should have bent (again) and this should force Black to try and bend round the bottom (otherwise he get's locked in) this allows me to approach his corner and with a kick Joseki he then get's to secure the bottom as so
AI also makes the point that my large knight was still weak after that kick to the 33 invasion so that's something to be aware of. There is something I should have realised here which is that of my favoured Joseki some were gone (low knight away, the pincers) but it was not simply the Kick but it was if I had played the large knight defence. I should have simply used sente to play away and if he jumped in the corner and played the more connecty variant due to the strong ish Black group above like so
Since I have decided to push for 10 games in each opening regardless as to results just to get consistency let's continue. Next up we have a game versus a US 14 k (same rank) who has played a lot of games (5k+) and at his peak seemed to hover between 6 and 8k during 2023 and 2024, played less and dropped since then though.
On the opening there was some inconsistency on Joseki choice. For example he 1 space high approached my 34 and I attached under and he went for the wider variant but only extended the shorter variant length.
I promptly pushed underneath to keep him there...
He then low knighted my 44 point (which had a large knight), I decided to kick but since I had the extension to flip to the other side to 1 space high approach his corner (playing much faster and looser than normal). He attached under and I moved into the avalanche again and once again Black did not extend enough. I ignored the lesson from last game to take a small base to the left before moving up to the right
Then it was a matter of not making mistakes, soaking up central space and end game. Black had decent points top right and ok points middle left and bottom but not much else.
Now to switch to AI lessons. AI says I should have bent (again) and this should force Black to try and bend round the bottom (otherwise he get's locked in) this allows me to approach his corner and with a kick Joseki he then get's to secure the bottom as so
AI also makes the point that my large knight was still weak after that kick to the 33 invasion so that's something to be aware of. There is something I should have realised here which is that of my favoured Joseki some were gone (low knight away, the pincers) but it was not simply the Kick but it was if I had played the large knight defence. I should have simply used sente to play away and if he jumped in the corner and played the more connecty variant due to the strong ish Black group above like so
Whereas by playing the kick I still had the 33 weakness (and should throw the corner if invaded) but had a less decent chance of an easy wall. Useful to learn and see..
Later win was due to better end game, I did miss and easy kill here
I was thinking to kill the cutting stone and secure my white outcrop but it would not have made a huge difference. My end game was fairly rubbish but was better than his end game so I made back 12 or so points to +12.5, he missed a snapback defence so I lucked out with a +19 win in the end.
Game 5
This was a league game and I gained White again. Oh joy. 1st approach was black with a low knight to my 34 I tried the Shosaku for once giving me sente to approach the bottom with a 1 space high with the very common attach under playing out this gave Black sente to knight approach my 34 and I pincered and blocked/ The opening had been reasonable for both I think with attention moving to the top left and right. Black took a very very wide point and I 33 invaded - maybe this was my first game mistake - there was plenty of space to the right to take a position.. The key difference here was that Black used it's 2 pillar then wall to build territory quite well and I didn't so I think my move here squeezed me in.
Interestingly (well for me) the running the AI to this position shows it thinks I have the advantage
Later win was due to better end game, I did miss and easy kill here
I was thinking to kill the cutting stone and secure my white outcrop but it would not have made a huge difference. My end game was fairly rubbish but was better than his end game so I made back 12 or so points to +12.5, he missed a snapback defence so I lucked out with a +19 win in the end.
Game 5
This was a league game and I gained White again. Oh joy. 1st approach was black with a low knight to my 34 I tried the Shosaku for once giving me sente to approach the bottom with a 1 space high with the very common attach under playing out this gave Black sente to knight approach my 34 and I pincered and blocked/ The opening had been reasonable for both I think with attention moving to the top left and right. Black took a very very wide point and I 33 invaded - maybe this was my first game mistake - there was plenty of space to the right to take a position.. The key difference here was that Black used it's 2 pillar then wall to build territory quite well and I didn't so I think my move here squeezed me in.
Interestingly (well for me) the running the AI to this position shows it thinks I have the advantage
It does show some funky attacks to squeeze blacks position bottom right but seems to rely on a better sense of how to block Black from entering my position. I.e
Or more simply (later)
This is a clever defensive move (A) if Black moves in (playing F) then White Plays to the left - Black must connect and White has him squeezed. My move though allows Black to slowly push right. As an aside an earlier correct move was not the stone 2 points left at C but at C - again it's easier to shit Black in and gain points. If I had covered one of those points it would likely have been a 1 or 2 point close win..
This is a clever defensive move (A) if Black moves in (playing F) then White Plays to the left - Black must connect and White has him squeezed. My move though allows Black to slowly push right. As an aside an earlier correct move was not the stone 2 points left at C but at C - again it's easier to shit Black in and gain points. If I had covered one of those points it would likely have been a 1 or 2 point close win..
Game 6
Sadly for any go player trying to practice you can try and offer to play standard variations but you often (never) get anyone playing said standard variations. I suppose later Kyus and Dans know so many more variations but at DDK level it often is insane counters or ill considered weirdness..
This game started with my first approach being a 1 space high rolling into the small avalanche (this at least was as expected) My reasoning here was that I had the top right corner so wanted to possibly build to that. Once again the sente variation was played and once again White did not extend fully. TBH it looks like 3 is enough to live but I still get the funky bend. This time I took it. (woo, learning) somewhat unsually White then hane'd underneath and instead of protecting went for the other side. I let him as protecting still gives him the center and allows me to get a nice eye on the left
It also sometimes gives sente as White usually blocks ingress at B15 and forces the capture. I was able to use said sente to take a nice extension to D8 though pushing C7 might have been possible as well. White then approached. I kicked and he took a dual knight corner allowing me to large knight my bottom right (which was a shame as I really wanted to practice Shusaku again having spent some time today studying it).
Ai thinks protect and go gote so must remember that for next time. On the other hand the trade of B13 for E17 pushed me 5 points ahead so Ai not impressed
White then approached my 44 and I large knighted - I am unsure of this from DOP - it moves towards my bottom stones (good) but a pincer and block same side would have meant I had 3 secure groups and white only 2
So here is the position at (almost) close of the opening
So not bad for black tbh. White bottom left corner is still invadable (though needing a Ko). Blacks left group is alive and my right side looks strong.
Ai was broadly happy with the large knight and also liked the kick and extension. Saying +7.4 at end of the sequence.
As an experiment let's look at some of the alternatives, again (interestingly AI wanted a 33 invasion here and no approach). I could have pincered and allowing he 33'd (no guarantees)
White then approached my 44 and I large knighted - I am unsure of this from DOP - it moves towards my bottom stones (good) but a pincer and block same side would have meant I had 3 secure groups and white only 2
So here is the position at (almost) close of the opening
So not bad for black tbh. White bottom left corner is still invadable (though needing a Ko). Blacks left group is alive and my right side looks strong.
Ai was broadly happy with the large knight and also liked the kick and extension. Saying +7.4 at end of the sequence.
As an experiment let's look at some of the alternatives, again (interestingly AI wanted a 33 invasion here and no approach). I could have pincered and allowing he 33'd (no guarantees)
kick? - AI says up 6.1 (and if 4 was 3rd line +6.8)
pincer followed by escape looks worse for White though only due to Blacks slight strength on the left, Black up 7
Finally the knight running (up 5)
ordering
Large Knight into kick and extension +7.4
Close Pincer and escape +7
Kick then extension +6.1
Knight running +5
Pincer into correct side corner +3.7 (wrong side would be + 3.5 so not so bad actually, not sure I would like playing that position though)
Looking at the screenshots I actually prefer the actual game position, the pincer with escape also looks nice but the invasion that did occur would still occur and have more space for shenanigans.
For the middle game white instant invaded the bottom right, he had plenty of space so I decided to lean on the left first and then try and surround (which almost occurred).
One nice thing here was a later high shoulder hit that I used to reduce and increase central territory (and it worked for once). The rest of the game was mainly securing the lines.
I do still want to practice the Shusaku so when these 10 games are done might switch to 10 games of 34 facing and only then move to ni ren sei.
Game 7
Had a few rather nasty excess fighting games which may be intense but aren't showing much focus on the opening. So there is a couple before this one.
I had Black and we both 44 and 34'd I then high 1 space approached the top left 34 and he Shusaku diagonaled, which was slightly unexpected.. I knighted forward and both added a stone or two. When he extended I then approached the other corner and he pincered. I jumped in and he correctly pincered the sente way but did not play put the Joseki allowing me to get some positional security. Regardless as tom intention this did build up an impressive looking white moyo so I started to build my own with a large knight of the 34 then a central star for my own semi san ren sei (almost). This caused White to invade the top which was sensible as my left group had no base. I pushed it and the left to get almost life. and the opening was likely over. I am not focusing to much on the openings as mine gave me a big moyo so there's not to much to be improved without different white play. AI comments post human review will be in italics, White actually outplayed me in the opening which is unusual as I usually do better and I was down 5 points for most of the 1st half of the game)
Now it got s bit interesting I pushed the edges to build my moyo and White sealed his edge and also poked my top group - I decided not (for once) to turtle and pushed south. I did mis read though here
I had Black and we both 44 and 34'd I then high 1 space approached the top left 34 and he Shusaku diagonaled, which was slightly unexpected.. I knighted forward and both added a stone or two. When he extended I then approached the other corner and he pincered. I jumped in and he correctly pincered the sente way but did not play put the Joseki allowing me to get some positional security. Regardless as tom intention this did build up an impressive looking white moyo so I started to build my own with a large knight of the 34 then a central star for my own semi san ren sei (almost). This caused White to invade the top which was sensible as my left group had no base. I pushed it and the left to get almost life. and the opening was likely over. I am not focusing to much on the openings as mine gave me a big moyo so there's not to much to be improved without different white play. AI comments post human review will be in italics, White actually outplayed me in the opening which is unusual as I usually do better and I was down 5 points for most of the 1st half of the game)
Now it got s bit interesting I pushed the edges to build my moyo and White sealed his edge and also poked my top group - I decided not (for once) to turtle and pushed south. I did mis read though here
The move before I had cut off the H10 group but missed the double atari that also took out an eye. I actually played away and secured the bottom of my right side moyo. Not sure if that was a bad move in actuality as an invasion would cost more than 2 stones.
Ai note is that there are far more elegant ways to handle both sides - getting into white territory and securing the eye..
Anyway white cut I saw the atari but also could see H12 - white has to take at F11 else I capture 1 and have 2 eyes but by capturing I could play H13 and live.
It would have been nice to notice that before I played my moyo protection move and do that deliberately as opposed to noticing the safety just before 30 or so stones die..
AI was unimpressed by my territory securing moves taking 7 away for each
I looked at what an invasion might look like and tbh am not sure I have the skill to kill it
Ai note is that there are far more elegant ways to handle both sides - getting into white territory and securing the eye..
Anyway white cut I saw the atari but also could see H12 - white has to take at F11 else I capture 1 and have 2 eyes but by capturing I could play H13 and live.
It would have been nice to notice that before I played my moyo protection move and do that deliberately as opposed to noticing the safety just before 30 or so stones die..
AI was unimpressed by my territory securing moves taking 7 away for each
I looked at what an invasion might look like and tbh am not sure I have the skill to kill it
White carried on sealing that now alive group in and I used another move inside my moyo to protect against invasion and was now fairly happy there. I make it me with about 120 points and White on about 80?
Some end game played out here before I looked at the left and though there was aji there to launch an attack.
One end game move I played to reduce aji also sucked
I was apparently so strong now the poke shouldn't do muck all.
I had my eye on the 2 liberties of the B6 group and 3 of the C4 group. I started with a suicide attack at the top to hopefully distract
Some end game played out here before I looked at the left and though there was aji there to launch an attack.
One end game move I played to reduce aji also sucked
I had my eye on the 2 liberties of the B6 group and 3 of the C4 group. I started with a suicide attack at the top to hopefully distract
The suicide attack had much more potential i.e
But be aware that instead of the capture at 6 white should connect at 5 and let Black connect up so losing only 2-3 points. Interesting attack though.
before dropping the D10 stones to C10 (which was not reacted to!) this allowed me to hit B7, White had to connect for life at C5 allowing me to crawl to B8. This was the risk point and I bet where AI says I should die, I was allowed to connect up though and then White poked my eye, problem here (again sadly unplanned) was that I could push up C12 - if White blocked I could atari for life do white crawled as well I then crawled one more time and now white saw the risk and blocked. Sadly the block allowed me to atari at B14 forcing connection to avoid 10 stones dying and I could extend to kill the 2 at the bottom.
So hoorah a successful invasion, pity again it was unplanned and luck, but you learn from these. The final moves were me poking the middle of his other corner (dont think killing was certain) and White resigned.
Ai was throughly of the opinion my invasion should have died but I still win up 22. White defensive moves were generally good until the block. Instead white should have just extended again and the invasion was dead
Ai was throughly of the opinion my invasion should have died but I still win up 22. White defensive moves were generally good until the block. Instead white should have just extended again and the invasion was dead
Game 8
Was a bit of a punt as I had waited 7 minutes for a game so finally accepted one with someone 2 ranks higher with no handicap which was likely to be bad news for me and it turned out as such. Plus he was another 5k games player with highs of 5k and a 4 year range of 9-7 ish mainly before a 26 drop to 14-10 (what is it about 2026 and ranks)
For the opening I knight approached his 44 and he pincered with me jumping in, somewhat unusually he then took the gote variation allowing me to get a stone in the center. This allowed me to build a position on the left as well before he approached me and I Shosuku'd.
Then came an exchange that cost me the game so is learnable either in 'dont do' or in 'this is how you handle
Start point - he cut and I blocked but when he cut I wasnt sure what to do and drove the stone down making a large wall, me initial though was 5th line territory but I should have been thinking about the influence in the center and I don't have the skill to run an invasion in and Sabaki it.
So when I did I died eventually, though a more skilled player might have been able to play through. This requires an early AI look I think.
First point is the AI is very happy about the opening with Black 16 points up at the point above though it's method of handling was setting off a huge fight so...yeah.
Start point - he cut and I blocked but when he cut I wasnt sure what to do and drove the stone down making a large wall, me initial though was 5th line territory but I should have been thinking about the influence in the center and I don't have the skill to run an invasion in and Sabaki it.
So when I did I died eventually, though a more skilled player might have been able to play through. This requires an early AI look I think.
First point is the AI is very happy about the opening with Black 16 points up at the point above though it's method of handling was setting off a huge fight so...yeah.
Of the alternatives AI likes the knight best but the AI can read fights. I think a shoulder hit
Or a 1 space jump would be best, though AI prefers Blacks position I actually like whites better (feeling some fear as to when the ni ren sei to san ren sei 10 games start...)
As far as the invasion goes it looks like pressuring the wall!! was the best approach - basically forget the eyes and just build length
And if white notices (and I didn't notice until all the white stones were flagged as dead - no eyes and shared liberties and Black has 1 large ish eye) if White notices
And alive - good to know but Sabaki is heavily out of my comfort zone.
Also interesting is AI suggests Black give up the top left corner in return for breaking out into the center and joining up (nice).
But even with this discussion it should be noted I should have died regardless in the center so DDK misplays aside the key to the game was the bad handling of the knight cut.
Game 9
Being beaten about by someone 2 ranks higher with no handicap sucks so I looked for another game and promptly got one versus someone 2 ranks lower with no handicap....Interestingly he spent most of his go career hovering between 11 and 9 kyu! except for a bizarre massive game blitz in Winter 2025/26 where he managed almost 300 games a month and dropped to 19k before climbing to 16 where he has hovered at since.
I had white and after he dual 34d 1 space high approached the other 34 and the Joseki was off with no direct base for him immediately. Allowing me to firstly semi san ren sei then on a 33 invasion of my 44 2 pillar column him to join with my earlier attack. This time though I had reducing stones out earlier.
In an almost diametric opposite to the previous game I made a large wall and secured a largish territory that needed invading and then had to kill the invasion.
Be honest, if you are going to kill an invasion having it totally surrounded by white stones is the way to go, if I was him I would have maybe not bended at A16 and then knight approached the C12 stone. Then it was useful training in doing the opposite of my previous game and watching liberties and connecting when needed and for once it worked!
AI though I was up 48 when the invasion was launched and it looks like AI also thought no invasion was possible. I think I was mainly okay except for one minor mistake here
I then played atari at F10 but was kicking myself thinking I'd given 1 eye when I noticed the ladder at C8/9 so no eye.. Black got the stone but I then falsified the eye.
One thing I would say is that a better defender would have played 10 less moves than me and ramped up the score but I played for safety...
Game 10
Final game of this series of 10 against a 14k who is stronger than me, the game was unranked though so no pressure (they usually play unranked and rank has been around 6-8 for years).
Anyway I had White and the opening started proper with a low knight to my 44, I large knighted and my oppo crept into the corner allowing me to approach his 44 corner. He ran the pincer and then started the sente variation but instead of completing took a base - also weird. Practical result is my group is out but I can see the logic perhaps. I then had a new first. My oppo looked likely to have built left and top and there wasn't much split potential so I shoulder hitted his 34 (unsupported which is important) and managed to use sente to force a strong group at the top. First time that worked as it is supposed to.
No the rest of the game was both of us building up positions. Not sure who succeeded... as the board was getting crowded but ended when I tried an invasion that looking at it again didnt stand a chance and lost a big group whilst not paying attention. Will be interesting looking at scores now. Aand not bad. I was in the lead 80% of the game so lost it near the end even prior to the suicide.
AI says the left corner was better to approach than the right corner when I had sente. It also says go all in against the group up (and not diagonal into a wall as I did, the wall does nothing really)
perhaps
But lets be honest that '2' is an ai move - they are far more likely to secure one of the 2 groups which would allow me to lean on the other. Oooo I like the position this could give.
Next AI point is AI would not take the top extension from my push (it liked all mine and my oppos moves there - all sente really) instead if would push to threaten going 17 ish up but my extension left me at 12 up though the cut at G15 would potentially hurt so actually my best move might have been H15 and to protect the cut reducing complication - that group would essentially be alive and it's done its job.
In the thickening of positions Black outplayed me but the key here was that invasion - I was 2 points up when I started and I should have just left it. That on its own pushed me behind (from a couple of extra moves) proper end game play would have won the game.
Nice, trying out invasions is fine but it is good to know (especially in a non ranked game) that if I had not and had just end game sealed then it would have been a close win.
Next up I am switching to dual 34s for 10 games. That means I will likely be practicing against low knight approaches - kicks, attach under and Shusaku diagonals and versus the 1 space high the forward knight, common attach under and the close avalanche options (I think I incorrectly referred to my variants as small avalanche in an earlier post and that is incorrect as that refers to a very complex set of play that is semi-ignorable with the closed approach I use.
Or a 1 space jump would be best, though AI prefers Blacks position I actually like whites better (feeling some fear as to when the ni ren sei to san ren sei 10 games start...)
As far as the invasion goes it looks like pressuring the wall!! was the best approach - basically forget the eyes and just build length
And if white notices (and I didn't notice until all the white stones were flagged as dead - no eyes and shared liberties and Black has 1 large ish eye) if White notices
And alive - good to know but Sabaki is heavily out of my comfort zone.
Also interesting is AI suggests Black give up the top left corner in return for breaking out into the center and joining up (nice).
But even with this discussion it should be noted I should have died regardless in the center so DDK misplays aside the key to the game was the bad handling of the knight cut.
Game 9
Being beaten about by someone 2 ranks higher with no handicap sucks so I looked for another game and promptly got one versus someone 2 ranks lower with no handicap....Interestingly he spent most of his go career hovering between 11 and 9 kyu! except for a bizarre massive game blitz in Winter 2025/26 where he managed almost 300 games a month and dropped to 19k before climbing to 16 where he has hovered at since.
I had white and after he dual 34d 1 space high approached the other 34 and the Joseki was off with no direct base for him immediately. Allowing me to firstly semi san ren sei then on a 33 invasion of my 44 2 pillar column him to join with my earlier attack. This time though I had reducing stones out earlier.
In an almost diametric opposite to the previous game I made a large wall and secured a largish territory that needed invading and then had to kill the invasion.
Be honest, if you are going to kill an invasion having it totally surrounded by white stones is the way to go, if I was him I would have maybe not bended at A16 and then knight approached the C12 stone. Then it was useful training in doing the opposite of my previous game and watching liberties and connecting when needed and for once it worked!
AI though I was up 48 when the invasion was launched and it looks like AI also thought no invasion was possible. I think I was mainly okay except for one minor mistake here
I then played atari at F10 but was kicking myself thinking I'd given 1 eye when I noticed the ladder at C8/9 so no eye.. Black got the stone but I then falsified the eye.
One thing I would say is that a better defender would have played 10 less moves than me and ramped up the score but I played for safety...
Game 10
Final game of this series of 10 against a 14k who is stronger than me, the game was unranked though so no pressure (they usually play unranked and rank has been around 6-8 for years).
Anyway I had White and the opening started proper with a low knight to my 44, I large knighted and my oppo crept into the corner allowing me to approach his 44 corner. He ran the pincer and then started the sente variation but instead of completing took a base - also weird. Practical result is my group is out but I can see the logic perhaps. I then had a new first. My oppo looked likely to have built left and top and there wasn't much split potential so I shoulder hitted his 34 (unsupported which is important) and managed to use sente to force a strong group at the top. First time that worked as it is supposed to.
No the rest of the game was both of us building up positions. Not sure who succeeded... as the board was getting crowded but ended when I tried an invasion that looking at it again didnt stand a chance and lost a big group whilst not paying attention. Will be interesting looking at scores now. Aand not bad. I was in the lead 80% of the game so lost it near the end even prior to the suicide.
AI says the left corner was better to approach than the right corner when I had sente. It also says go all in against the group up (and not diagonal into a wall as I did, the wall does nothing really)
perhaps
But lets be honest that '2' is an ai move - they are far more likely to secure one of the 2 groups which would allow me to lean on the other. Oooo I like the position this could give.
Next AI point is AI would not take the top extension from my push (it liked all mine and my oppos moves there - all sente really) instead if would push to threaten going 17 ish up but my extension left me at 12 up though the cut at G15 would potentially hurt so actually my best move might have been H15 and to protect the cut reducing complication - that group would essentially be alive and it's done its job.
In the thickening of positions Black outplayed me but the key here was that invasion - I was 2 points up when I started and I should have just left it. That on its own pushed me behind (from a couple of extra moves) proper end game play would have won the game.
Nice, trying out invasions is fine but it is good to know (especially in a non ranked game) that if I had not and had just end game sealed then it would have been a close win.
Next up I am switching to dual 34s for 10 games. That means I will likely be practicing against low knight approaches - kicks, attach under and Shusaku diagonals and versus the 1 space high the forward knight, common attach under and the close avalanche options (I think I incorrectly referred to my variants as small avalanche in an earlier post and that is incorrect as that refers to a very complex set of play that is semi-ignorable with the closed approach I use.
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