In general, I think we both played quite well relative to our rank, and I really enjoyed this game - it had some local fights as well as territory building.
I am happy for any kind of feedback about what I can improve next time!
I am especially curious about improving my attack and defence (where and how to play in the middle game, how to identify weak groups, direction of play, etc.).
I also have a few specific dilemmas for this game:
Could I have killed White’s group on the right side (the fight starts around move 53)? How?
White built a relatively large territory on the bottom - was there a good point/time when I should have invaded?
I suspect we both made a mistake in the endgame (moves 242-243) - am I right about that?
Any general feedback or detailed review is welcome.
There was a ko to kill it that you could have pursued at move 81 and definitely 83. Left some comments in the game there.
But ideally you can fight the invading group and win the game without killing it. Maybe consider a little more how you can attack the group and also get strong on the outside (and reduce white’s territory on the top and bottom.
White built a relatively large territory on the bottom - was there a good point/time when I should have invaded?
Playing the lower right corner differently could have helped with this but also in the middle game you ideally could have reduced this area from above with the strength of the wall you built on the right.
I suspect we both made a mistake in the endgame (moves 242-243) - am I right about that?
Not really seeing it, maybe someone else will.
I gotta run but I also want to mention, white looks pretty overconcentrated in the top left in the beginning, might have been possible to attack that group and make some profits in the top.
I believe white playing S4 leads to a ko for seki which white has more ko threats? (wS4-bS3-wT4-bT3-wM7)
Edit: after rechecking, the key is if white wins the seki, white also threatens to kill entire corner and then black’s seki with S2. So, when white makes a ko threat and black ignores it to capture the invasion, white can capture whatever they threatened; but when black makes a ko threat and white ignores it, black can only capture it if it’s bigger than entire right lower side (which is like 60-70 points), which black doesnt have that many that big ko threats.
I’m not the best tactical player Only opportunity I really see is move 72 capturing the stone at atari (S8), but unsure whether it would stay alive or not, really.
TBF it became bigger due to tactical mistake of E5 peep, but the way I saw the question is the territory at bottom vs. the influence caused by your wall at the rightside of center and 3 stones at F13,D14,D15. (My only fear on that would be your wall has many cutting points, but looks possible to defend)
Your initial instinct (at move 85) was right; though. Immediately going after that area between your influence and enemy’s territory ends with white securing the left side, which white can probably use their secure area to reduce you in the center. (I won’t really provide a sample of moves, you can think yourself playing M6 and K9, and white playing like D8 and then H8, see that white area at left is bigger than the area you just secured and the weakness of 2 white stones at top left are no longer a thing.
So I’d try invading to that area first, but I’d try to start closer to enemy’s weaker side, and to an easier spot to escape towards center. (my first instinct was D8, which apparently is good. Then after there I’d go for fixing the upper side of my wall with K14 (threatening to invade north side while fixing wall), and then based on how white’s group becomes after the invasion, either a move like M6 (aiming for south and securing more southern areas of center), K-L9 (more of center of center) or around J11-G12 (northern of center), if you can play M6 at a point like that you can secure some center area which should be close to size of white lower side, and can potentially invade there if white lets you.
Overall there’s for sure a lot to improve (we all do), but it was a good game as you said, and I mainly wanted to go with your questions rather than full review.
Yes, I should probably have played H16 at one point.
I checked this sequence, and I think that move 83 was too late: if I take the ko back, White could make an eye with Q8.
You are so right! I see now that I was so focused on trying to kill that group that even later, when I realized I cannot do that, I still didn’t think about using the outside influence to secure territory.
I have checked this and I think you are right: I could have prevented White making two eyes by capturing S8 - White could not escape towards the upper side, and the eye at R9 is false until White plays Q8.
This was very useful to visualize, thank you! I tried these moves and my territory looks so much better. I also tried not invading, and as you said, leaving White to build territory on the left is too much.
Also thank you for taking the time to read out the endgame moves. I felt something was there, but could not specify it.
Regarding your original question about how to kill that group I think it’s pretty tough considering how much space is available on the side. Maybe R9 or S12 at move 55 would have helped with that. (But then there is more chance of white escaping to the center.)
Your advice to slow down and check cutting points was eye-opening, and by your demonstration I realize that H9, K9, E14, and D14 are actually cutting points!
I also loved the shape move suggestion for move 19, besides protecting against an attack, the shape just looks so much nicer on the board than my extension
I don’t have more questions at the moment - and thank you again for taking the time!
No problem at all! im glad I could help, if there are any other games you want me to take a look at, i dont mind doing a full review for you, its no problem for me at all.
Thanks for the generous offer, I am happy to ask for a review again later, it really helped a lot (I’ll just try to put the ideas I got from all three of you into practice first ).
Only opportunity I really see is move 72 capturing the stone at atari (S8), but unsure whether it would stay alive or not, really.
