Six Stone Victory

British Go Journal No. 18. October 1972. Page 10.

Black: Andrew Daly, 2d
White: Sachiko Kodama, 2p
Handicap: 6 stones
Time: No time limit (3 hours 20 minutes).
The game-file in SGF format.

Comments by Iwamoto, 9p and Daly, 2d; edited by John Tilley.

This exciting game was played on August 4^th of this year. Andrew Daly, the previous BGJ editor, won the first game he has ever played against a professional. We offer him our congratulations and are happy to present the game with comments to our readers. The game was played in a small room at the Japan Information Centre, and Iwamoto gave a running commentary on the game, aided by a large demonstration board, to some 50 enthusiasts in the main hall..

You might wish to open a second window beside the first one to view Fig 1 whilst reading the text in the first window.

N.B. The first move is white 2, black 1 being the handicap stones.

Figure 1 (2-100) 74 connects at 39.

• Daly (D) White 2 to Black 17 are almost straight out of Basic Techniques, p.116 dia 2. The exchange of 34 to 35 was left for later and this worried me, as white had possibilities at A.
• Iwamoto (I) White 16 is usually played at 34, and then at 16. Black 17 is good.
• (I) Black 19 is good.
• (I) Black 21 is only concerned with escape, but it is not bad. B would be better as black's handicap stone is not captured and White will be worried about it escaping later.
• (I) Black 27 is safety first. A good move.
• (I) White 30, a point many amateurs would miss. Black must play 31 and now 4 is totally captured.
• (I) Black 33 is poor. The ikken-tobi to C is also the eye-stealing tesuji, and a much better technique.
• (D) Black 37 was too simple minded. Perhaps kosumi at D or 46 would be better. Anyway, it is difficult to stop 38 and 40 and white's connection.
• (I) Black 37 is played from the wrong direction, but it is not a serious mistake. E is correct (see Basic techniques, p.90 dias 18-21). Black should aim to shut white up on the right side by building a wall and then to invade at B or F.
• (I) Black 41 is not so good. White's shape up to 48 is extremely good, but the sequence is not fatal for black. Black 41' should be 1 in Dia 1.

  Diagram 1 BGJ omitted original black 37.

  Diagram 2 BGJ omitted original black 37.

  In Dia 1, the combination of black 1 and 3 is very common in this type of cross- cut. Black 5 could be played at A, but in a handicap game if the shicho is good, 5 is simple and safe. Up to 8, white has only a small life on the side and black has tremendous influence. Painful for white.
  If white had played 4' at A, then black 4, white captures at 6 and black at B - too good to allow.
  If the shicho is bad, the sequence of Dia 2 is recommended. However White may complicate things by playing 4' at A, and, if black B, white C, black D, white 5 will make it tricky for black. If white does play A then black 6 is safe. Anyway, the shicho is nearly always good for black in a handicap game, hence Dia 1. (It is well worth studying this cross- cut as it is quite common in 6-9 stone games.) Anyway, up to 51 black has enormous potential around the upper right corner and he is still way ahead of white.
• (I) Black 53 is not so good. (The proverb 'Only a fool would connect', not 'Any fool can answer nozoki' applies!!) The sequence of Dia 3 is correct as it keeps black strong and white separated.

  Diagram 3

• (I) Black 57 is bad - an unnecessary move. The ni-dan bane of 59 is correct.
• (D) Black 57: I was happy with with 57, but Iwamoto was not. I was afraid of the situation in Dia 4, hence the way I played.

  Diagram 4

  Diagram 5

  (John Tilley suggests that black 1-9 in Dia 5 win for Black. Black 3 is an important tesuji. there are several variations, but white is lost.) White gains sente after black 61 due to black 57.
• (I) White 62: White is trying to save the game and this deep invasion is essential as G is not enough.
• (I) White 66' is better at 85 due to the cut of black 83, 85. If black can gain sente he should invade at F. (Mt Iwamoto kept on saying that black should invade at F for the next 60 moves or so!)
• (I) Black 73 is good.
• (I) Black 75 provokes white 76. Black is now playing a difficult line. Black 90 would be a safe way to win; if it were an even game F or G. If he had played 90, Black would have 50 points, White 20 points.
• (I) Black 77: (Daly took a long time here. While he thought, Mr Iwamoto analysed the invasion of white 94, which becomes ko.) The vital point is at 90 and it has been for some time. 77 is a loose move and there is bad aji for black.
• (D) Black 75, 77: Where should I play?
• (I) Black 87: Although Black has a lot of territory, white can still try 94. Black's left side group and lower left corner must live. (All is not up for White; Black has many chances to make a mistake!)
• (I) White 90 is incorrect. She must play at 92 to keep Black's groups separated. Once black connects he is almost home.
• (D) I thought white 94 etc should be ko, but I would have been content to let white live in gote.
• (I) Black 95' is better at 96.
• (I) This corner is difficult; if white 94, black 96, white 98, black H, white J, black K and white L, and then maybe ko?

Figure 2a (101-200) BGJ had Fig 2a and 2b as one diagram, Fig 2. 106 ko at , 109 ko at 103, 112 at , 116 at 103, 187 at 133.

• (I) Black 101: What about C? (It is still there!)^{*
  *}[Unsure of this comment. Is this a reference to white 66 which refers to an invasion to the right of C? SGB.]
• (I) Black 107: This ko is huge.
• (I) Black 109: Why not C? Leave the ko; white has to connect in gote.
• (I) Black 117 is unnecessary! (Please note white 117 doesn't work.)
• (D): The corner has worked out better for me than I thought. Effectively, I have played tenuki once at 13, and it is still gote for white to live. White 114 was a trick and I fell into the trap with 117! (During the game Andrew Daly remarked "I think I am the victim if a swindle!" Maybe he swindled himself!)
• White 120: Gasps of astonishment!
• (D) White 120' should be at D. During the game Miss Kodama touched the board with her stone at D, but then played 120 anyway.
• (I): Black has gained more in the corner than white in the centre. I don't fancy white's chances now. Six stones were too many.
• (D) Black 123: About 20 points in gote. Now I ought to win.
• (D) Black 135 and 137 were unplanned and short-sighted.
• (I) Black 135: Black should reply to white 134. 162 or 175 are the obvious moves. 177 is best.
• (I) White 140 weakens black's other group.
• (I) Black 145 should make eyes in the corner.
• (I) Black 153-155: It is very difficult for black's huge group on the lower edge to die, but professionals are very patient. (Miss Kodama's opportunity soon arose.)
• (I) Black 159. White has no chance.
• (D) Black 165 assures my connection or an easy win in the fight against white's right side group.
• (I) Black 165 was a slight mistake. It should have been played at 197.
• (I) Black 167: Better at 169.
• (D) Black 173: No need for question marks. A gross blunder. I completely overlooked my dame-zumari after 174. I can defend here and then cut at A. White could have resigned.
  Mr Iwamoto agreed entirely. Now the question was would the black group live or die. It was 10:30pm and Andrew Daly had kept the best moments to the end. The huge black group looked very sick, but ...
• (I) White 182: Black has a chance if he can spot the cut of 189, but it is very unlikely he can read this.
• (D) Black 189 was not a bad chance.
  [I don't understand this sentence. SGB.]
• (I) Black 189: Ah, an excellent move! Very strong! Once black cut at 189 the game was his. 193 would have been better at B, ...

Figure 2b (201-222) BGJ had Fig 2a and 2b as one diagram, Fig 2. 204 ko at , 207 ko at 201, 210 at , 213 at 201, 216 at , 219 at 201, 221 at .

• (I) ... and 202 would have been better at B.

When Miss Kodama played 222, saving one group and losing another, time ran out. At first both players wanted to carry on the next day, but then Miss Kodama resigned as she was 15-20 points behind.

According to Daly the count is:

  Black               White
    43 Top               8 Top right
     4 Left             21 Right side
    26 Bottom right     10 Left side
                         9 Bottom
                         6 Centre
    --                  --
    73 Total            54 Total

Although White has 4 or 5 more captives, Black has sente. if I could avoid another of my blunders I would win.