Spot The Move - Answers

British Go Journal No. 67. April 1986. Page 10.

Richard Granville

The problems for these solutions are on page 5 of BGJ 66.
This month's problems are on page 3.

Richard Granville summarises the answers of our panel of experts to competition number 4.

BGJ had a summary of replies for each problem listed here. It has been split to put each summary with the relevant problem. The original article used coordinates (such as K10) for most of this article. It has been altered to use marked up diagrams for the EBGJ.

You might wish to open a second window beside the first one to view Dia X1 whilst reading the text in the first window.

Problem 1 - Marks

Marks for various white moves.

Diagram 1

Problem 1 - Commentary

Diagram X1

Panelists replies:

• G - Matthew Macfadyen 6d
• C - Toby Manning 2d
• F - Francis Roads 3d
• M - Piers Shepperson 3d
• M - John Smith 3d
• R - Alastair Thompson 1d
• Q - Brian Timmins 3k

The first position appears complex, but is not really so.

Manning: "This game has seen a complicated joseki (the 'Taisha') in the lower left peter out into a sort of stalemate; both Black and White have weak groups, but neither can be profitably attacked at present. White would appear to be slightly behind; if he uses sente to strengthen himself at Q, Black will respond at E or D."

Diagram 2

Since Q is 'too slow', he goes on to prefer the pressing move, C, to the outer attachment at B, and suggests Dia 2 is good enough for White. Two other panelists agree the top left is the place to play, but prefer to make a kikashi (forcing move) first.

Macfadyen: "An important feature of this position is black's possible cut at L. At present the ladder works for white, but if it later becomes unfavourable, white will have difficulty saving his three stone group including . White should play so as to minimise the effect of a ladder breaker in the top left."

"I recommend G, when black's best reply is probably 'honte' (the honest move) at H. White can then continue at C. G is a light stone and a ladder breaker, so black can't easily cut at L. White could try A or B immediately, but the ladder will remain a thorn in his side."

Roads: "White needs to develop his stone in the top left. Black's left side group has a weak spot at F, and I think White should play there at once, threatening J. If black defends at H, white continues at A, with F/H having become an excellent forcing exchange."

RG: Since both the previous panelists mentioned A, I have awarded points for it; in fact this was also the move I chose in the game. However two other panelists favoured the bottom right as the place to play.

Timmins: "Black's lower group is likely to escape, so an attack on the lower right corner or a splitting attack around about U looks imminent. White should play Q, which defends one of his groups (against eg black S). White's centre group is not in danger, since it has plenty of space to run away."

Diagram 3

Thompson: "White can't get a satisfactory result in the top left: eg if A, the sequence in Dia 3 leaves his stones overconcentrated. Therefore he should make a shimari (enclosure) at R. If black attacks the stone, he should treat it lightly."

RG: I cannot agree with either comment: White's position in Dia 3 is strong, rather than overconcentrated. Second, if white wants to treat his stones at the top lightly, he should play around K. Finally, white's groups at the bottom are in no danger. A black play at U is gote, and does not even let black play the hane and connection at T in sente. Moves around Q are big, but not urgent.

Two other panelists also differ with our strongest player.

Smith: "The move that springs to mind is M. It builds thickness, so will help white tackle any problems black creates elsewhere. If black extends, white keeps pushing. "

Shepperson: "M is the vital point of influence for both sides, any other move is pedestrian by comparison. It strengthens the centre and weakens black's group below. Black is almost forced to answer at N to prevent white playing a double hane at N and P."

"But if black gets to play M first, white's centre position begins to look thin and the right hand side is in danger of turning into black territory."

The answer to problem 3 can be found on page 11.