The Magic of Kifu

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2] RU[AGA]SZ[19]KM[7.50] GN[R2 British Championship Title Match]PW[Ho-Yeung Woo]PB[Yaoling Yang]WR[6d]BR[7d]PC[https://online-go.com/review/1332430]RE[?] ;B[pe] ;W[dp] ;B[pq] ;W[qc] ;B[oc] ;W[pd] ;B[od] ;W[qe] ;B[qf] ;W[rf] ;B[pf] ;W[rg] ;B[qb] ;W[rb] ;B[rd] ;W[qd] ;B[pb] ;W[rc]LB[ne:A]C[Yang started the game with an unusual move: 4-5. White invaded there immediately, and this result was good for White. White took over Black's corner, and weakness A is annoying.] ;B[cd] ;W[ec] ;B[gc] ;W[de] ;B[dd] ;W[ed] ;B[ee] ;W[fe] ;B[ef] ;W[gd] ;B[hd] ;W[he] ;B[id] ;W[ie] (;B[je] ;W[jd] ;B[jc] ;W[kd] ;B[gf] ;W[ge] ;B[kc] ;W[ld] ;B[lc] ;W[jf] ;B[cg]C[The upper left corner variation is a very recently updated version. Without knowing move 33, Black may fall like Dia 1. According to the two pattern results, White is favorable.] ;W[qo] (;B[pl]LB[md:B][ke:A]C[This black's pincer was questionable. Since the right side isn't important, Black should have played for other sides, such as the left or lower sides. This can be the A ladder breaker, however, White's B extension was sente, so it wasn't a ladder.] ;W[no] ;B[mp] ;W[pj] ;B[nl] ;W[qq] ;B[qr] ;W[pr] ;B[qp] ;W[rq] ;B[pp] ;W[or] ;B[rp] ;W[rr] ;B[np]C[White quickly abandon the right side and took corner. So White is clearly ahead.] ;W[ln] ;B[jp] ;W[ll] ;B[ke] ;W[le] ;B[pi] ;W[mh] ;B[qj]LB[ke:A][le:B][pi:C]C[White didn't need to move at 60 right away. However, Black made a bad exchange A,B to get a good ladder breaker C, which turned into a big damaged move. Therefore, White kept the lead.] ;W[eh] ;B[eg] ;W[ch] ;B[cn] ;W[bg] ;B[cf] ;W[gb] ;B[hb] ;W[fc] ;B[hc] ;W[cl] ;B[gp]C[White 68,70 were a good combination! When Black tenuki, White had a very yummy sente with the move 72. And now, move 79 was interesting. ] (;W[fp] ;B[fq] ;W[fo] ;B[cq] ;W[cp] ;B[dq] ;W[bq] ;B[eq] ;W[bo] ;B[go] ;W[fm] ;B[gn] ;W[em]C[White chose move 80, But up to 92, Black made a favorable result, so chased a bit.] ;B[bh] ;W[bi] ;B[dh] ;W[ci] ;B[di] ;W[dj] ;B[ei] ;W[rj] ;B[qk] ;W[ri] ;B[mr]C[The move 103 was the biggest one! Black should have played instead of move 97. And White also had to take that spot instead of 100. As Black took this spot eventually, Black made a close game.] ;W[nr] ;B[db] ;W[lr] ;B[lj]C[After White takes 106, Yang draws his sword. Yang probably thought that it would not be easy to win if the game went into territorial mode.] ;W[lp] ;B[lo] ;W[ko] ;B[mo] ;W[kp] ;B[kn] ;W[jn] ;B[km]C[White welcomes the fight with 108, and Black also doesn't stop his way with a cut with 113.] ;W[jl] (;B[jm] ;W[im] ;B[in] ;W[jo] ;B[il] ;W[hm] ;B[kl] ;W[kk] ;B[jk] ;W[lm] ;B[jl]LB[kj:B][lk:A]C[White 116 was a great idea to simplify the situation, and Black couldn't avoid the variation up to move 127. Now, White has two options: A and B.] (;W[lk] ;B[kj] ;W[jj] ;B[ij] ;W[ji] ;B[mk] ;W[hl] ;B[ik] ;W[ki] ;B[li] ;W[lh] ;B[ni] ;W[hi] ;B[ii] ;W[ih] ;B[jh] ;W[kh] ;B[hh] ;W[ig] ;B[hj] ;W[gi] ;B[gj] ;W[fj] ;B[fi] ;W[gh] ;B[gg] ;W[hg] ;B[fh] ;W[hh] ;B[fk] ;W[ej] ;B[gk] ;W[ek] ;B[mn] ;W[fl] ;B[mm] ;W[hq]C[This is somewhat a similar result to the diagram **. Still, White plays the first move on the bottom group, Black is in trouble. ] ;B[ip] ;W[jr]C[Now, this is the highlight of this game. Black and White must find good moves to follow an exact reading problem.] ;B[ir] ;W[hr] (;B[kq]C[Black's 167,169 are very good combinations! Without finding this move, nothing works for Black.] ;W[lq] ;B[kr] ;W[ks] ;B[jq] (;W[is]C[And this atari looks obvious, but this was the loosing move!] ;B[js] ;W[gl] ;B[ml] ;W[jr] ;B[io] (;W[iq] ;B[ms] ;W[gq] ;B[fr] ;W[gs] ;B[gr] ;W[es] ;B[fs] ;W[cr] ;B[dr] ;W[br] ;B[hp] ;W[hs] ;B[ls] ;W[ds] ;B[js] ;W[ib] ;B[fb] ;W[ks] ;B[eb] ;W[ep] ;B[rk]TR[eb][fb][jn][jo][ko][kp][lp][lq][lr]C[White eventually takes Black's bottom side group but has to pay for seven stones and the upper side connection. Black is leading by far now, and the game is over.] ;W[sp] ;B[so] ;W[sq] ;B[ro] ;W[af] ;B[bf] ;W[ah] ;B[be] ;W[oq] ;B[op] ;W[oh] ;B[oi] ;W[oe] ;B[of] ;W[ne] ;B[nf] ;W[mc] ;B[mb] ;W[nb] ;B[nc] ;W[md] ;B[lb] ;W[nh] ;B[ph] ;W[qa] ;B[hf] ;W[if] ;B[mf] ;W[ns] ;B[js] ;W[ic] ;B[ga] ;W[ks] ;B[mq] ;W[nd] ;B[lf] ;W[kf] ;B[na] ;W[qh] ;B[qg] ;W[ff] ;B[fg] ;W[qi] ;B[dc] ;W[fd] ;B[mi] ;W[sk] ;B[sl] ;W[sj] ;B[js] ;W[er] ;B[ir] ;W[rl] ;B[sm] ;W[jr] ;B[ae] ;W[ag] ;B[ir] ;W[pc] ;B[ob] ;W[jr] ;B[fn] ;W[en] ;B[ir]) (;W[mq] ;B[js] ;W[ib] ;B[ls] ;W[ic] ;B[nq]LB[ib:3][ic:5][mq:1][nq:6][js:2][ls:4]C[If White endures the ko with 1, Black finishes ko with 4 and can take White's 8 stones with 6. This is the difference between this diagram and the former diagram. The tiny difference between the last two variations makes a massive gap in the outcome.])) (;W[io] ;B[hp] ;W[is] ;B[js] ;W[mi] ;B[ml] ;W[jr]LB[mi:5][ml:6][io:1][hp:2][jr:7][is:3][js:4]C[White should have exchanged 1,2 before executes ko with 3. In this case, there's no good ko threat for Black.] ;B[ms] ;W[ls] ;B[js] ;W[ib] ;B[hs] ;W[ic] ;B[mq] ;W[hn]C[This is the best result for both and White is leading by many points.])) (;B[iq] ;W[is] ;B[kq] ;W[lq] ;B[kr] ;W[ks] ;B[jq] ;W[js]C[White makes connection underneath without any problem. Black's whole group is dead.])) (;W[kj] ;B[lk] ;W[jj] ;B[hl] ;W[gm] ;B[ij] ;W[li] ;B[nj] ;W[hq]C[I expected this result when I make a live-commentary of this game. Because it can make the middle area clear for White and let White play the first move on the lower side like this. And Black is in trouble.])) (;B[jo] ;W[jm] ;B[lm] ;W[mm] ;B[mn] ;W[kl] ;B[ln] ;W[mq]C[If White choose other options than the actual game, White may quickly squeeze Black and simplify the situation. This result is hopeless for Black.])) (;W[dn] ;B[cq] ;W[co] ;B[dq] ;W[fq] ;B[fp] ;W[eq] ;B[ep] ;W[gq] ;B[hq] ;W[hr] ;B[iq]LB[dn:1][co:3][ep:8][fp:6][jp:A][cq:2][dq:4][eq:7][fq:5][gq:9][hq:10][iq:12][hr:11]C[In general, White responses to 1, then after Black's 4, White's 5 invasion must be available. However, since White has a helpding stone A, it's not an easy fight for White.])) (;B[op] ;W[ql] ;B[fq] ;W[cn] ;B[dq] ;W[cq] ;B[cr] ;W[eq] ;B[dr] ;W[ep] ;B[er] ;W[bq] ;B[fp]C[This looks more natural.])) (;B[jd] ;W[je] ;B[kd] ;W[cf] ;B[dh] ;W[eg] ;B[dg] ;W[df] ;B[ff] ;W[fg] ;B[gf] ;W[gg] ;B[hf] ;W[ig] ;B[bf] ;W[cg]LB[jd:1][kd:3][je:2][bf:15][cf:4][df:8][ff:9][gf:11][hf:13][cg:16][dg:7][eg:6][fg:10][gg:12][ig:14][dh:5]C[Dia 1. If Black plays at 1 instead of the actual game move, White pushes once more with 2 and executes 4. Up to 16, Black is in trouble.]))