(;
GM[1]FF[4]VW[]AP[Many Faces of Go:10.0]
SZ[19]
HA[9]
ST[0]
PB[epiiplus1]
PW[slimedawg]
DT[2000-08-13]
PC[MSN Gaming Zone - Zen (5K or Stronger) Table 17]
KM[0.5]
RE[?]
US[Zone]
GN[epiiplus1-slimedawg.sgf]
GC[antsoshl@hotmail.com]

AB[dd][pp][dp][pd][jj][dj][pj][jp][jd]

C[Set your viewer to SGF style viewing, which means showing the
upcoming moves with the letter "A". In this game, you should
see an "a" at c14, where the first white move shall be played.
When I mention A in the commentary, I mean the upcoming move.

Many of white's plays are made aware of the 9H difference. If
a white overplay goes unpunished then it often becomes a good
play. In high H games this may be the only way to overcome the
H
stones.

If the comments appear choppy, move the (verticle) bar separating
the comment window from the board window. It may help.

PLEASE READ THIS CAVEAT:
Only a high ranking professional can know the truth about Go.
Amateur dans like me just have more sophiticated random opinions
that their kyu brethren. Whatever value may exist in my commentary
is only to the extent that it may help you critically think about
your game. 

SO, PLEASE TREAT ALL MY OPINIONS WITH POLITE SUSPICION.
Enjoy.

John Stephenson
August 2000

]
PL[W];W[cf]
C[A is correct to make white heavy, because the marked black stone
squeezes white already.

CONCEPTS

Heavy: stones that are hard to give up because it would incur
too much of a loss, but that are also baseless and inflexible.

Squeeze stone: a stone that prevents the opponent from properly
extending two lines on the side.

]TR[dj]
;B[ce]
C[While white doesn't want to become heavy, if he doesn't reinforce
his stone at a then black will play there and the white stone
will become useless.
];W[df]
C[Playing A maintains the pressure on white while preventing white
from pressing black at the marked point. (It is standard in this
formation.)
]SQ[ed]
;B[fd]
C[White A tries to enlarge the battle zone right away.
];W[dm]
C[Black a is wrong. Since the marked black stone already squeezes
the two white stones (making them uncomfortable), further squeezing
with a is redundant (overconcentrated). To continue the attack
on the two white stones, play c instead, which also enlarges
the top. However...

Calmly playing b in response to white 5, moving the corner stone
out, is proper. The marked black stone is in no real danger.

CONCEPT:

Normal priority in the opening is first corner, then side, then
center.
]TR[dj]

(;B[ch]
C[Now white tries to gang up on the lower black corner stone. Of
course black has ways to handle this. In high H games white needs
to rely on fear and intimidation to win.
];W[fp]
C[Black moves out with a. It's correct and proper to separate the
marked white stone and white 7. Their relationship is not good
between white 7 and the makred white stone from the point of
view of connectedness.

]TR[dm]
;B[eo]
C[White seizes the corner. Black must decide how to make one of
the outside white stones suffer.
];W[cq]
C[Separating white this way is fine.
];B[dq]
C[White must live inside.
];W[cp]
C[Black plays a, which is natural and good shape. Both white stones
are now too close to a strong black position.
]TR[dm][fp]
;B[co]
C[White has little choice but to continue to make a base.
];W[bo]
C[Now we can see that black a is both a natural extension and exposes
the bad relationship between the marked stone and 13. Black is
better off than white so far.
]TR[dm]
;B[cn]
C[White might continue with b instead, but the damage to the outside
white stone is done.
]
(;W[bn]
C[Oops. Black makes a very serious mistake with a. Black must continue
at b to separate the white marked stone and help his own stones
on the left. Then black maintains his H advantage.
]TR[dm]

(;B[cl]
C[White is very happy to connect. Now, instead of white being separated,
it is black who is separated. This is a HUGE difference.

CONCEPT:

The three fundamentals that go is made of are liberties, connections,
and base.

];W[cm]
C[A is an important local point of this black shape.
];B[en]
C[White would like to continue to move out.
];W[em]
C[A is a good forcing move.
];B[bl]
C[Connection is important.
];W[bm]
C[It is hard for white to ignore a, so its okay.
];B[cr]
C[White keeps his base intact.
];W[br]
C[A may not be the biggest move. Perhaps move out with b. See variation.
]
(;B[dr]
C[White makes a thin move in the hope of intimidating black.
];W[gn]
C[Black a is too slow. Because of the marked black stone, black
can extend out to b. See variation.
]TR[dr]

(;B[fq]
C[White tries to enclose the whole black group now.
];W[gq]
C[Black tries to make some base.
];B[fr]
C[White switches focus to the top, leaving the potential on the
bottom for later.
];W[hd]
C[Black attacks while further weaking the two marked stones. Good
direction.
]TR[cf][df]
;B[ge]
C[White tries to play lightly.

CONCEPT:

Light play means playing in a flexible manner, if necessary able
to give up something with compensating gain elsewhere.

];W[gg]
C[Black directly attacks two white stones with a. But since white
did not answer black when black pressed the top white stone,
black should follow up with b. It's large to damage this white
stone. The black group on the left can take care of itself because
it has some base and because the white stones at the top left
are even weaker.
]TR[hd]

(;B[ef]
C[White always hopes to bamboozle black during local fighting in
a high H game.
];W[eg]
C[Cutting is natural.
];B[dg]
C[White wants to take advantage of cutting points, so tries to
push in.
];W[ee]
C[The marked stone is important because it separates some white
stones, so black can't give it up.
]TR[ef]
;B[ff]
C[White tries to keep black separated as well.
];W[de]
C[Black a is doable since white is also short of liberties.
];B[cd]
C[White tries to get more liberties with a.
];W[bf]
C[Black a takes away a white liberty, but black needs to solve
his connection problem. If black plays at b, white has crashed.

CONCEPT:
Don't neglect defense during attack.
]
(;B[be]
C[Finally white sees many cutting points as planned.
];W[ed]
C[Black must try to stop.
];B[ec]
C[White cuts on one side meaning his intention is on the other.
];W[dc]
C[A saves the corner by capturing one stone in a ladder. If black
tries b instead, see variation.
]
(;B[db];W[fe]
C[Connecting at b is stronger fighting style than pushing through
at a.
]
(;B[fg]
C[Finally white get the double atari he was aiming at.
];W[fc]
C[Black wisely save the corner group. It's valuable.
];B[cc]
C[Now white catches the cutting stones. This gain is a consequence
of black's B15.
];W[gf]
C[Extending at at b is better than capturing at a because it does
not give white a free forcing move at b.
]
(;B[eh]
C[White gains something for free with the forcing move at a.
];W[fh]
C[Black can save 3 stones because its sente. (White must go back
and catch G15.)

CONCEPT:

Sente, a move that the opponent must answer or suffer too great
a loss.

Gote, a move that must be played in answer to the opponent, or
suffer to great a loss.

"It's your sente."  When a player is free to play anyplace he
wants, because the last move that the opponent made was gote.

];B[eg]
C[White needs to catch the cutting stone.
];W[he]
C[Black ataris to get more room for the left side group. This group
looks like it may need help now since white got strong on the
outside, so it's understandable.
];B[fi]
C[White saves an unimportant stone because white has some nebulous
hope of somehow swindling black on the left later. But white
should use his sente elsewhere.

CONCEPT:

A stone is unimportant if it doesn't protect anything, connect
anything, cut anything, or pressure anything.
]TR[fh]
;W[gh]
C[Black a seems like sente.
];B[fb]
C[The white group is still not totally comfortable even after answering.
];W[gc]
C[Black helps the stone close to the white position. It's a nice
point.
];B[jf]
C[White returns to the bottom with a standard corner approach move.
]
;W[nq]
C[Black repeats the mistake made on the left.  The white approach
of O3 is already squeezed. Black should just help the corner.
]TR[jp]
;B[lq]
C[Now white hopes to make mischief against the black group while
looking at the larger target of K4 and M3. Of course, these plans
are wildly ambitious, but that is the nature of H go.
];W[gr]
C[A is strange. Black can still take care of his bottom left group
with the cut at b. White cannot catch b in a ladder. See variation.
]
(;B[hr]
C[If w can strengthen his outside he may be able to kill black
on the left.
];W[hq]
C[Black is intent on saving unimportant stones.
];B[ir]
C[White is happy to push because white wants h1 in sente.
];W[iq]
C[B connects.
];B[jq];W[hs]
C[It's not clear what black gained by this.
];B[jr]
C[White tries to narrow the black space.
];W[ep]
C[It seems like black is helping white to kill him. Actually that
is typical in high H games. Black still could cut at b to save
his group. See variation.

CONCEPT

Always examine cutting points carefully.
]
(;B[ho]
C[Of course white connects.
];W[go]
C[Peeping accomplishes nothing but wasting a ko threat.
];B[hp]
C[White must connect.
];W[gp]
C[Black a is a nice squeeze on the heavy white group at the top.
However b is more urgent to help the black group on the center
bottom and pressure the single white stone.

CONCEPT

Urgency means you have a group that is uncomfortable or unsettled.
It takes precedence over an ordinary big point. A group is uncomfortable
if it has liberty problems, connnection problems or base problems.
You can tell if a group is uncomfortable by imagining what will
happen if the opponent's stones come near it. If it has to struggle
then it was urgent to help it.
]
(;B[ic]
C[White wants to split black and attack one side or the other.
];W[no]
C[Black moves the inside stone out. Good.
];B[pn]
C[White tries to make mischief, of course. He may not see a success
in attacking the black bottom group directly.
];W[pl]
C[Black separates white, good.
];B[om]
C[White tries to defend his single stone. But now it's heavy.
];W[ol]
C[Black continues to separate and come out, correct.
];B[nm]
C[White tries to get out, but it's tough looking.
];W[mn]
C[Black a may not be the best direction. There is a battle happening
between four groups on the bottom right. Since black is already
out witht the marked stone, it seems black should help his bottom
stones while continuing the attack. For example, with b ... see
variation.
]TR[nm]

(;B[mm]
C[White runs out but now is pressuring the bottom black stones.
];W[kn]
C[Necessary to run out.
];B[jn]
C[White still has to come out as well.
];W[lm]
C[This peep could be useful, but it is a bit early because it takes
away some potential on the outside. Anyway, black b is the vital
point. It get the black bottom group out and keep the pressure
on white as well.
]
(;B[lo]
C[White tries to force back instead of being forced. That is a
rhythm of go.
];W[ko]
C[Black keeps connected, ok.
];B[jo];W[jm]
C[Black like to peep.  Black needed to come out with b.

CONCEPT

Don't atari or peep if it loses potential.
]
(;B[kl]
C[White again tries to avoid being forced.
];W[ll]
C[Black a does not work.
];B[ln]
C[Of course white is happy to catch the cutting stones.
];W[lp]
C[Black tries to make some base in sente but it loses the potential
of L7.
];B[kp];W[mo]
C[Now white has changed a weak group into a strong group which
augers trouble for black.

COMMENTARY ENDS HERE.
];B[mp];W[mq];B[lo]
;W[oq];B[pq];W[im];B[fk];W[gl];B[fl];W[fm];B[gj];W[oo];B[po]
;W[kk];B[mk];W[ig];B[jg];W[nc];B[lc];W[qh];B[qf];W[qc];B[pc]
;W[pb];B[ob];W[qb];B[oc];W[re];B[qd];W[rd];B[rf];W[qe];B[pe]
;W[pf];B[pg];W[of];B[ph];W[qg];B[rg];W[rh];B[qi];W[sg];B[ri]
;W[sf];B[nd];W[oj];B[ql];W[qm];B[qk];W[pm];B[oi];W[nj];B[ok]
;W[nk];B[pk];W[nl];B[on];W[ml];B[mi];W[ro];B[rp];W[rm];B[qo]
;W[mg];B[ni];W[or];B[pr];W[kr];B[lr];W[ks];B[ng];W[nf];B[og]
;W[me];B[md];W[rn];B[qq];W[gb];B[fa];W[ai];B[bg];W[ag];B[bh]
;W[ah];B[bj];W[ha];B[jb];W[ja];B[ka];W[ia];B[kb];W[ps];B[qs]
;W[os];B[ki];W[rr];B[qr];W[sp];B[sq];W[rq];B[so];W[sr];B[rs]
;W[sp];B[cg];W[gd];B[sq];W[oa];B[ss];W[nb];B[ma];W[na];B[mb]
;W[jk];B[ij];W[mj];B[lj];W[lk];B[lf];W[mf];B[lg];W[le];B[ke]
;W[ld];B[kd];W[od];B[oe];W[ne];B[mc];W[od];B[ih];W[if];B[hi]
;W[mh];B[nh];W[lh];B[li];W[kh];B[ji];W[hk];B[jh];W[kg];B[kf]
;W[gk];B[ae];W[af];B[lp];W[ln];B[hh];W[ek];B[el];W[dl];B[fj]
;W[dk];B[ck];W[bi];B[ci];W[ak];B[al];W[aj];B[ej];W[hg];B[rl]
;W[sk];B[sj];W[sl];B[rk];W[sm];B[ik];W[il];B[ie];W[id];B[hb]
;W[ga];B[je];W[am];B[gs];W[fs];B[es];W[gs];B[eq];W[cs];B[ds]
;W[ib];B[bs];W[bq])
(;B[im]))
(;B[jm]))
(;B[kn];W[mm];B[nl];W[km];B[jm];W[kl];B[jl];W[oj];B[pi]
;W[mj];B[nk];W[ok];B[lk]
C[I show one possible line. White has problems. Of course, if black
could fight on equal terms with white, there wouldn't be a handicap.
]))
(;B[np];W[mp];B[mq];W[op];B[no];W[pq];B[oo];W[oq];B[qp]
;W[qq];B[rq];W[rr];B[rp];W[sr];B[lo]
C[Black is doing okay with these simple moves.
]))
(;B[gp]
C[White cannot catch the cutting stone. One or the other marked
white group will be captured.
]TR[gq][gr][hq][iq][fp][ep]
;W[ho];B[fo];W[go];B[eq]
C[Now these two marked points are miai for life.

CONCEPT

Miai means recipricol points for a good result. If the opponent
takes one, then you take the other. 
]SQ[dn][fp]
))
(;B[gp];W[hp];B[go];W[ho];B[fo];W[hm];B[np]
C[Black is fine.
]))
(;B[fh]))
(;B[gf]))
(;B[bg];W[ae];B[ad];W[af];B[cc];W[db];B[cb];W[fc];B[eb]
;W[fe];B[gf];W[gd];B[if]
C[White is still under a lot of pressure.
]))
(;B[ed]))
(;B[he]))
(;B[gq];W[fq];B[fr]
C[White cannot separate you.
]))
(;B[gn];W[dr];B[er];W[cs];B[fq]
C[White gain something in the corner but black became stronger
on the outside, so its fair. The marked white stone is damaged.
]TR[fp]
))
(;B[cm]TR[dm]
))
(;W[dr]))
(;B[gp])
(;B[ff]))