A few simple rules ... limitless possibilities

British Go Journal No. 56. June 1982. Page 22.

Report: Matthew Macfadyen
Game Comments: Jim Barty

Things have always been pretty tough at the top of the Amsterdam tournament, which seems to attract all the strongest players around in a way that no other European tournament has quite succeeded in doing. This year it became the first European event to include more than one player of professional strength. Ronald Schlemper had done almost everything necessary to be a fully fledged pro on his recent trip to Japan. Manfred Wimmer, now resident in Berlin, was a professional in Osaka for five years, and no-one seemed to know much about a Korean called Yoo except that he had beaten Manfred by two points at Hamburg. In the end, Yoo won all his games, and the other two had to be content to share second place with Terry Stacey, Bernd Wolter and me, all with 4/6. With Helmut Hasibeder (from Austria), and Rob van Zeijst (Netherlands) both spending protracted periods in Japan at present, it seems likely that it will soon become as difficult to win the European Championship as to become a professional.

Game

Geoff Kaniuk had a surprising success at Amsterdam (at least he seemed surprised) winning the 3 kyu division with six straight wins. The game below comes from the last round, Geoff was already almost sure to win the division, since everyone else had lost at least one game, but he didn't let that worry him.

Black: Geoff Kaniuk, 3k, Hammersmith UK
White: Günter Klemm, 3k, Hanover, DE
The game-file in SGF format.

Figure 1 (1-56)

• Black 5: Black should make the other shimari, preventing White 6 which is a better move for White than the other kakari because it is an extension from a white position.
• White 8: With black 7 already on the board the exchange of 8 for 9 is bad for White. White should attach at 9 instead.
• White 10: Too slow, White needs to extend along the side to give his group a base, with 10 White has given Black a target to attack and a splendid opportunity to seize the initiative thereby.
• Black 11: Not yet necessary.
• White 12: A more normal move would be to extend to 31 in front of Black's shimari, or make a shimari himself. These are big points but protecting 6, 8,and 10 is urgent. Preventing the opponent from taking the initiative is more important than territory.
• Black 13: Much the same remark applies to this and a lot of the following moves.
• White 18: White should pincer 15 and 17 which would also be an extension.
• Black 21: Black should protect 15 and 17 first because White can make territory while attacking them.
• Black 23: Black's worst move so far. White should have been very relieved to be able to play 24.
• White 26: This move and a further extension from 24 are miai of sorts but it would seem better to play the extension as it is also a pincer on 25.
• White 28, Black 29: Black should cut off 28 by playing at 31. One reason for this is that if white answers 29 at 31 himself then 13 is left on a silly point.
• Black 53: This is an attack from the wrong direction. Black should play 54, Black 21 does not need strengthening. White will probably force that himself if himself if Black attacks from 54.

Figure 2 (57-86)

• Black 57 to 63: The attachment and crosscut is a useful tesuji, but Black would do better by playing 57' at 58 to take the eyes out of the whole group.
• White 86: The game record ends here. Black chose to play at B, taking away the eyes of white's group, but it might have been better to shut it in with A, securing his two stones on the side while attacking.

Geoff eventually succeeded in cutting the White group in the centre in half and killing part of it. He won by 20 points.