The Magic of Kifu

(;ST[2]SZ[19]AP[GOWrite:3.0.15]FF[4]GM[1]CA[UTF-8]GN[Confucius Cup, Round 3, Board 1]C[I was happy to have another chance to play with Kim Dohyup, 7 dan. In the past, I played him twice, and both times I lost. Both games were quite chaotic. I felt that I had chances in the fights, but in the end, Kim Dohyup managed the complicated positions better than me. I think that Kim Dohyup is a very strong player but he tends to play too fast. He has a great shape feeling and fighting skills. With the fast play, he can often put his opponent under time pressure. However, some of his fastly played moves might be inaccurate, and that's where one can start building an advantage against him. This game went differently for me than the two previous games. I felt inspired and I was not afraid of playing tenuki. Thanks to that, I didn't let my opponent provoke me to get involved in any complicated fight. Moreover, a few times Kim Dohyup played moves which were thick but, at the same time, a bit slow. They let me obtain a slight advantage, and afterwards, I managed to secure all my groups before my opponent could use his thickness to attack me.]RU[Japanese]PC[https\://online-go.com/review/945966]HA[0]PB[Kim, Dohyup]PM[2]PW[Frejlak, Stanislaw]WR[1p]OT[Error\: time control missing]RE[?]FG[259:]BR[7d]KM[6.5] ;B[pp];W[dc];B[cp];W[qd];B[ce];W[fd];B[oc];W[pf];B[lc];W[eq];B[do];W[qq];B[pq];W[qp];B[qn];W[qo];B[po];W[rn];B[hq] ( ;W[pn];B[qm];W[rm];B[ql];W[on];B[qr];W[rr];B[ol] ( ; ( ;W[lo];B[or];W[qs];B[mn]; ( ;W[fp];B[mo];W[en];B[dm];W[ip];B[hp];W[ho];B[iq];W[io];B[kq];C[ ]W[lp];B[lq];W[mp];B[ln];W[np] ( ;B[mr];W[pr];B[oq];W[oo];PM[2]FG[259:];B[ml];W[jn];B[jp];W[jo];B[em];W[fn];B[kn];W[ko];B[ch];W[pi];B[jl];W[gl];B[dq]LB[gj:A];W[di];B[ci];W[dk]LB[cj:B];B[ek]C[ ] ( ;W[kj] ( ;B[oj];W[kl];B[oi];W[jm];B[ph];W[qh];B[qi];W[qg];B[fk];W[pj];B[pk];W[qj];B[rj];W[ri];B[qk];W[qi];B[mj] ( ;W[kc];B[ld];W[kd];B[kb];W[jb];B[lb];W[ic];B[ei];W[pc];B[pb];W[qb];B[pd];W[qc];B[ke];W[je];PM[2]FG[259:];B[jf];W[ie];B[kf] ( ;W[hj];B[cc];W[cb];B[dd];W[ec];B[bc];W[ob];B[nb];W[pa];B[od];W[eg];B[dh];W[bb];B[if];W[he];B[og];W[of];B[nf];W[df];B[cf];W[ac];B[ad];W[ab];B[cd];W[li];B[ii];W[ij];B[ji];W[lk];B[ll];W[jj];B[gk];W[hk];B[fm];W[gm];B[ee];W[er];B[dr];W[ds];B[cs];W[es];B[cr];W[gr];B[hr];W[gg];B[mh];W[lh];PM[2]FG[259:];B[mk];W[kk];B[lg];W[mi];B[ni];W[kg];B[mg];W[pe];B[gs];W[ne];B[me];W[oe];B[nd];W[dg];B[cg];W[pg];B[oh];W[kh];B[fe];W[ge];B[fh];W[fg];B[rl];W[ed];B[de];W[gh];B[gi];W[hi];B[ih];W[gj];B[fi];W[nm];B[si];W[sh];B[ro];W[rp];B[sm];W[so];B[sj];W[os];B[ns];W[ps];B[gp];W[go];B[eo];W[fo];B[fr];W[fq];B[gq];W[fs];PM[2]FG[259:];B[gr];W[kp];B[jq];W[mq];B[nr];W[fj];B[ej];W[dn];B[cn];W[fl];B[el];W[ep];B[ja];W[ia];B[ka];W[nl];B[nk];W[dp];B[co];W[na];B[ma];W[oa];B[pm];W[hf];B[hh];W[hg];B[jh];W[ff];B[km];W[mm];B[om];W[nn];B[lm];W[sn];B[sl];W[il];B[lj];W[ki];B[no];W[op];B[lr];W[nq];B[ig];W[ef];B[eh];W[jg] ) ( ;PM[2]FG[259:]MN[1] ;W[cd];B[bd];W[bc];B[dd];W[cc];B[jk];W[kk] ;B[jj]C[When Black played a sequence from 99 in Figure 2 up to the connection at 3 in Figure 3, I was very tempted to take the upper left corner with the kick at 1 in DIAGRAM. I counted points and saw that this way I would have a big advantage. However, then I realized the real meaning of Black's previous moves. They were not just slow moves merely helping Black's top group. In fact, my opponent was aiming at destroying my central shape by extending his stone at 6 in DIAGRAM. If I try to connect all my stones, my whole bottom group might be in trouble. The keima at 4 in Figure 3 helped my group and at the same time, created a little territory in the center. I counted points and saw that this way I will also have a few points advantage. Afterwards, nothing special happened. I cared to play moves on the sides such as White's 10, 16, 24 and 40 in Figure 3, as they are also very valuable in the big endgame. This way, I managed to keep my advantage until the end of the game.]LB[km:A] ) ) ( ;VW[aa:sh]PM[2]FG[259:]MN[1] ;C[After the position on the right stabilized with Black's jump at 85 in Figure 2, there were a few big places left\: both upper corners, the upper side, and the left side. I thought that the upper side is the biggest. However, a simple extension at 1 in DIAGRAM would leave a weak point at A. In the actual game, I managed to get a solid territory by playing the attachment at 86 in Figure 2. I was not afraid of giving Black a strong shape because all my groups were safe and the center of the board was not valuable.]W[jc]LB[hc:A] ) ) ( ;MA[dk][di]PM[2]FG[259:]LB[kl:A][lk:B][ik:C][gj:D]CR[kj]C[After White's 68 in Figure 2, the attachment at A would be a good continuation which destroys Black's shape. Black could answer to White's 68 with a calm kosumi at B. However, then White could enclose Black with C which will continue putting pressure at Black's group and help with a future rescue plan of the two marked stones. Black could split White stones with the kosumi at C but then White's jump at D gets a double meaning, having a good continuation both on the left and on the right side. In the actual game, Black chose to jump at 69 and push at 71 preparing for a fight by leaning on my stones on the right. I decided that I can simply secure my position in the center, letting Black capture my stone with the hane at 73.] ) ) ( ;PM[2]FG[259:]MN[1] ;W[ej];B[fk];W[hj] ;B[gi]C[Black's kick at 63 in Figure 2 not only takes territory in the corner, but also takes away the base of the big White group. I was thinking whether I should answer by jumping out at A. However, it would feel too slow to simply jump without putting any pressure on Black. I came to a conclusion that my group is not very weak, and I can afford a more active play. I played the shoulder hit at 64 in Figure 2, and continued by pulling a hand towards my bottom group with the jump at 66. If Black continued locally by extending at B, I would happily fix my shape with the jump at Black's 2 in DIAGRAM. I didn't expect Black's sharp attachment at 67. My two groups got split. At first, it seemed to me that I need to continue playing from my two stones (White's 64 and 66). However, as DIAGRAM shows, this would let Black launch a splitting attack, and I would end up with two weak groups. It would be a strategical failure. For me, this was a crucial moment of the game. I realized that I can wait before helping the two stones. A simple idea would be to jump out at A. However, in this case Black would simply extend at White's 2 in DIAGRAM, defeating the purpose of my shoulder hit. On the day before the tournament, I was in a park with Elian Grigoriu, 6 dan, where he showed me a Youtube video of Doctor Baduk. In the video, Doctor Baduk played a game and reviewed it with AI. At one point, AI suggested to not continue the local fight, but to play a placement from the other side of opponent's shape instead. This suggestion was very inspiring for me. Pondering how I should continue the fight, I realized that\: 1. The shape on the left side doesn't need my immediate reaction. 2. My bottom group is not very weak yet. 3. Black's group on the right is not very strong. Taking all these things into account I came up with the placement at 68 in Figure 2. After the game, I reviewed it with the AI Sensei, and I was very happy to see that the placement was the only move on the board that KataGo considered.] ) ) ( ;VW[aj:ss]PM[2]FG[259:]MN[1] ;B[oo];C[ ]W[no];B[nn] ;MA[pn][on]LB[pr:A]C[I thought that Black's 41 in Figure 1 might have been a mistake as White's extension at 42 quite effectively destroyed Black's shape. Afterwards, Black had troubles to both connect at the bottom and, at the same time, keep my two stones on the right side surrounded. After White's extension at 46 in Figure 1, Black might capture White's two marked stones. However, with the sequence up to White's 4 in DIAGRAM, White splits Black at the bottom. Moreover, White has a continuation at A which creates a liberty problem in Black's shape, and lets White connect his groups while making points. In the actual game, Black decided to let White connect the two stones but in exchange, he connected his bottom groups. I thought that this result cannot be bad for White.]W[nr] ) ) ( ;MA[po][pp][pq][or][qr]VW[aj:ss]PM[2]FG[259:]LB[no:A][mo:B][nm:C][fp:D]CR[mn] ) ) ( ;VW[aj:ss]PM[2]FG[259:]LB[np:A][nl:B][lo:C]CR[ol] ) ) ( ;PM[2]FG[259:];W[lo];B[or];W[qs] ;MA[pp][or][po][qr][pq]LB[no:A][mo:B][nm:C][fp:D]B[mn]C[After my large knight's move at 1 in DIAGRAM, my opponent immediately hit the vital point of my shape. This move left me with a difficult choice. If I play the kosumi at A, Black will push through at B. At that point, I might descend, and Black will keep pushing. I'll manage to capture Black's five marked stones but Black will get a magnificent wall. If I push at B, Black will counter with the hane at A. I can cut but Black will cover my stones with C. I won't have enough liberties to capture Black's marked stones. However, I might get profit on the outside by sacrificing my stones. I might also decide to go out with the kosumi at C. This will lead to a very chaotic fight. I didn't know which option is the best. However, I thought that maybe the position doesn't require my immediate reaction. Even if Black adds one more stone there, the result isn't too bad for White. I decided that I will first continue the joseki in the bottom left corner with the kosumi at D. Perhaps, I can stabilize my position there before making a decision about the bottom right corner. The way Black answers here might help me with the choice there. However, after my kosumi, Black immediately added a move on the right.] ) ) ( ;PM[2]FG[259:];W[pn];B[qm];W[rm];B[ql];W[on];B[qr];W[rr] ;B[ol]C[After Black's 19 in Figure 1, I thought that it's most interesting to continue the joseki in the bottom right corner. It's usual to play atari at Black's 2 in DIAGRAM but I thought that with a help of the stone at A, I could also cut at 1. I never studied variations after the cut very carefully. I knew that a sequence up to Black's 8 is standard. I also know that it's possible to continue by putting pressure with B. Perhaps, White can prepare for that attack by leaning on the other Black's group with C. I didn't know how such a fight would develop so in the end, I chose a large knight's move at D. I don't know if this move is also considered standard but in my opinion, such a light shape move cannot be a mistake.]LB[pf:A][np:B][nl:C][lo:D] ) ( ;VW[nl:ss]PM[2]FG[259:]MN[1] ;W[qm];B[pn];W[qr] ) )