British Championship

British Go Journal No. 55. March 1982. Page 16.

Matthew Macfadyen

Game 4

Black: Matthew Macfadyen, 6d
White: Terry Stacey, 5d
Date: 1981-10-06
The game-file in SGF format.

This article is continued from game 3 on page 15.

Figure 1 (1-59)

The fourth game was the most spectacular in several ways. Up to black 33 Terry uncharacteristically gave up a lot of territory for a huge central wall, but then something seemed to go wrong - I suggest 34' at 58 as a better alternative, but I have no idea what would have followed, Anyway with the sequence 35 - 44 Whites central prospects seemed to have evaporated.

Figure 2 (60-104)

Black 93, which captures at least four stones, seems to assure the black central group of life, and when Terrys corner died at 111 I was beginning to feel pretty complacent.

Figure 3 (105-154) 119 captures at black , 120 ataris at white , 135 ataris at white , 136 takes ko at 112, 139 takes ko at black , 142 ko, 145 ko, 148 ko, 151 ko, 153 captures at white .

There should have been no trouble living with the centre group, but I made a bad mistake at 133, losing the possibility of an eye by playing 134 instead, and then lost my nerve and started fighting the ko. Terrys threat at 152 was big, but even after this disaster I was ahead.

Figure 4 (155-200)

Black 163 and 165 are the reward of Terrys patience - they are awful moves. I was idly hoping that Terry would allow me to connect my groups along the edge, so that I would not have to worry about capturing his corner stones. After 166 it was necessary to play another move in this area. Terry made a seki in the corner (actually 194 was unnecessary) and moved into the lead, though he was now in byo-yomi.

Figure 5 (201-284) 210 captures 207 at white , 274 connects at 247, 277 ko at 207, 283 fills at white , 284 fills at black .

I made up some of the difference by getting in 225 in sente, but it was not enough. Terry won by 3.5 points. This game is an object lesson in the art of not resigning.

The article continues with game 5 on page 18.