I’m a beginner. Can anyone help with ideas on what to do as Black after white plays C5? This seems to happen to me a lot. I really appreciate any advice. Thanks for any help 
Invade the top left corner and try to make a living group.
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I suggest E5. The first few moves in 9x9 are about controlling space.
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I do not have much experience with 9x9.
That being said, you probably should deny your opponent the upper side. What about playing C7, E7, H6?
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Also find an app on phone or pc and play against it , using undo and trying moves to see what happens
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The obvious move is E4, connecting your stones. But it’s also passive and leaves White with more territory, so you can’t play E4. You have to challenge White for some of that space. That means playing for the center or invading outright.
Shoulder hit at F6 gets my vote.
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Also, if you are uncomfortable with this position, think about not getting into it in the first place. Play your first two moves closer together and then attack from strength etc… The possibilities are almost endless, just have fun testing them out 
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There are basically two main strategies here:
a) Get control of the centre. The main goal in this case is to keep two SEPARATED white groups. Do not allow these two stones to connect.
b) Leave white the control of the centre. Invade at the upper side and get two separated (living) groups.
The problem, in this case is the black stones are far apart and it is difficult to create a barrier for white.
For instance, e5 will probably get answered by d4 and white enter in black territory…
F6, as pointed by Mark, tries to get presence at the centre and also to get white groups separated. D6 is similar but pointing towards the upper left corner.
Finally, C7 is also possible, leaving the centre to white.
Complicated? Well, people usually say 9x9 has no strategy…
In any case, after only 4 moves there are still many possibilities.
Using the free program Leela, the winning percentages of several moves are:
D6 (51.95%) F6 (51.85%) C7 (50.21%) E5 (50.00%)
As you can see, very similar, the fight has just started
(Do not fully trust these numbers. Are just orientative…)
And finally, a question for Mark (he is THE MASTER):
You say E5 should not be played. Maybe is not the best but consider this line:
E5-G7-G4 (very usual). C5 (unusual)… In this case C3 is probably not the best but I have seen
dan players playing like that. After D4 there is a good fight ahead…
9x9 is big fun!!
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I didn’t say E5 shouldn’t be played. I talked about E4.
E5 looks pretty decent. White probably walks through the gap at D4 and Black might springboard to E7 trying to kill off G7. It’d be another game and of course other moves are possible.
I am sorry, I read e5 instead e4. This is why I do not improve in go… I Have got bad reading 
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