I want to create a space where we can dive into specific Go positions and focuse on how various players assess the board. The goal is to not only suggest moves but to explore the thought process behind them—whether it’s identifying weak groups, spotting potential threats, or deciding on the best direction for the game.
The idea is simple: We regularly post images of situations on the Go board, and I invite you all to share your thoughts. The main question is: Where would you play next and, most importantly, why?
This thread is open to players of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, every opinion is valuable. It’s not about finding the “correct” move but about understanding the thought process behind it. How do you assess the strengths and weaknesses of the groups? Where do you see potential dangers or opportunities? How would you approach the situation?
I believe that I can personally learn a lot from the thoughts and assessments of other players—perhaps even more than any AI could show me. And I imagine that many of you might feel the same, benefiting from the diverse perspectives which may be shared here.
To approach the analysis with an open mind, I suggest placing your answers in a spoiler tag. This way, others can first attempt to analyze the position themselves and then compare their thought process with the shared comments.
This would be the first situation.
The Game itself was played between 4k players.
After the battle on the top left side, white attempts to cut the top.
Explanations:
Moving the stone O17 is not urgent, a single isolated stone can usually be sacrificed at the opening. O15 looks premature because White will respond with L15, which will strengthen E16 indirectly. R17 is probably a good move - corners are always big, but I don’t want to help White make a high influence right now.
If I play F18, this would be a good exchange if White connects, but White might cap at G15 instead, then White’s top left group would be safe and Black G17 under attack. Black could connect to the corner by playing E18 but that would be overconcentrated.
So my move would be G15, in order to attack E16. White can’t sacrifice 5 stones, that would be too big, so White needs to get out and Black will make a wall. When G17 becomes sufficiently strong, Black will be able to jump at O15 to attack L17.
It’s a good question for all levels. You can see a bunch of stones in the upper left corner area. First it’s not about stones captured because there is no area fully surrounded by stones. As reminder, go is not about capturing stones but about controlling territories (in which stones of your opponent would get captured). So what is your opinion in this corner? How black stands? How white? Try to see it in the perspectives of getting territories, and the ability to attack stones.
Black is surrounded but safe. There is no way for white to capture these stones. This is already a black territory (still a few small doors to close but nothing to get killed).
So we have to look at the white stones now, considering that black is safe. What do you think?
Assuming what you said is true, I would look somewhere else to gain territory. OP said, that after the battle, white attempts to “cut the top” but I have no idea what that means though.
“Cut the top” imho means to play between the two black stones. If not black could play himself there starting a frame to get some control in this area.
With this new white stone, the upper edge is fragmented now starting by a black corner, a floating white group, a black stone a white stone a black stone and two strong white stones near the right corner. All those alone stones are lacking space to build some life using the edge.
G15 is a must here because of the heavyness of the white stones.
The two alternative moves I considered is the cramped but solid J17 (too slow?) and the crucial forcing move F18 before playing G15 (but I am not sure that white would connect)
14-3 and 7-3 are light, so I oughtn’t to try saving both, at least at first
Jumping into the corner at 17-3 or 16-3 looks safe
7-3 doesn’t have room to make a good base, but 9-3 might still be justified in order to strengthen the 7-3 stone before attacking the 5-4 group. However, the proverb “If 1, 2, 3, just 3” would suggest something like jumping out immediately with 7-5 instead. But then if White jumps out with 5-6, it seems that Black is chasing White into Black’s own potential, so that doesn’t feel good. Given that, 6-5 might be interesting with the idea that if White cuts (White has the ladder if I read it right), Black can just sacrifice the 7-3 stone with 7-5, 8-5, and 9-5, and then tenuki with something like 7-16
If you play in the upper right to make a living, then you could tenuki to something like 14-17, which begs the question [sic] (1, 2, 3, just 3): why not tenuki immediately? There are wide open places on the board, why not play 14-17 or 17-14 or 6-17 or 10-16 or 4-10 immediately?
Back to trying to attack the weak 5-4 group, leaning on 11-3 with 10-4 feels like the sort of thing Contraband Baduk would play, and as he’s way stronger than me, I’ll take that as a point in favor of 10-4. Then if you get into a jumping fight, you can play on the 4th line on the left without overworrying [sic] about White counterattacking the 7-3 group
I love this idea so much! ^-^
Its gonna be very interesting to read the ideas from other players, realizing you wrote complete nonsense and feel eberassed. (jk, it would be so cool to learn new stuff).
Thoughts- Tschej, 4kyu
Generally white’s move feels like a mistake. They put only very little pressure under the G17 stone, while there is also not much pressure on O17; or at least the O17 stone is flexible.
I think that because lets imagina black tenukies and white wants to completely capture the white O17 stone, they have roughly 2 options, pressure form the outside or kick at P17.
If pressured from the outside, the 3-3 invasion still works. If kicked, the 3-3 still works.
Top left white group is generally super weak. Id attack it with the ‘boring’ G15 move.
I think thats the save move I’d play in a serious game. Maybe there is a better move, but I think it at least loses less points than L17.
I thought for a moment of F13 for a framework, but thats too slow I guess.
J13 feels like there was unused potential u.u
I do not know if it works or if it is a good idea (it probably isn’t), but this looks like fun and there is always the triangle choice, so I’d (try to) do this:
This is actually generally true. Most blurs can be undone with varying levels of effort. That’s why courts and governments use black boxes for anything sensitive, and you should too.
(Eg. Some people might blur faces, mailboxes, street signs, etc. before posting online, but for greater privacy a solid box or sticker is preferred.)
Also, don’t trust cropping, as some file formats keep the original data which can be recovered.
Oh, white doesn’t want to help the top left stones? Those and g17 are weak, so g15 is easy decent move to help my weak stone, attack white weak stones. Will white then run (e.g. try c14 lean, but black doesn’t need to submit at b14, or a jump like e13) and how do I feel about that fight, probably better for black, or would white offer a trade and e.g. p17 kick and let me finish off top left with e14 and then white might spend another move at o16 (or not, or more adventurous like l15) and how do I feel about that trade? Not super convinced trade is good for black, white also has j17 threatening to connect under at g18 to make the sacrifice smaller whilst gaining on top side, so then start to think about other ideas.
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