Game 8: 1k vs 1k

Interesting game I played. Nigiri blessed me with black.

Time settings = 30:00 + 1:00*5; komi = 6.5

Moves 1 - 50 (23 at 14)

I thought the ko was larger than responding to 20. It gave me something to attack very early in the game. White fell for it. The sequence to 39 gives Black a very nice moyo on the right side and no weak groups.

I regret the approach at 41, it should be a move to prevent a white moyo at 42. However, at the time, I felt that my group on the bottom was safe even if White spent a move to seal it, giving me an opportunity to break into the moyo through a different route.

After 50 moves, Black has 2 fair corners while White has one. One corner is still wide open. Black is trying to get something on the left to prevent White from sealing a large chunk on the left. Black has a very nice moyo going on the right.

Moves 51 - 100

Although I failed to get a living group on the left, I felt that connecting 43 around that corner along with the very large moyo was worth trading the large chunk White got in the end. In fact, I still think it's a favourable trade for me.

White's 80 is an overplay because Black is pretty strong on the right and the ladder does not work for White. Black quickly cuts through with 81 and 83. Although White does survive, Black's got the better of it because it helps secure the outside.

After 100, it looks like White can make something happen. However...

Moves 101 - 150 (113 at point left of 101; 142 at 103)

It only helps Black get very thick on the outside. All those White stones will soon be captured.

I played 121, thinking it would be sente and protect my corner. It isn't, but White defended anyway. This gave me the chance to play the devastating 123, which would help turn the moyo into solid territory.

After 150, I should capture the stone to live with my bottom group... In fact, I should do it right after move 42 way back when. I didn't, and...

Moves 151 - 200

I died here. Completely misread the response of 156 to the peep at 155. I had to count at this point, and realized I can still play on. Count for yourself and see if I made the right decision. (Remember Black now has sente).

163 was probably a mistake in yose. It probably should be gote. I thought I read out a nice sequence, but I don't think it works on second glance. 166 however is very cautious and returns sente.

I thought 168 was a free point for me. When I played 169, my opponent said, "very bad". I'm not too sure if he was saying my move was bad or his move was bad. He plays out everything here probably thinking he'll get something, so I assume he meant the former. It does look dangerous for Black but I did read this out (hopefully correctly) and I saw no danger. In the game, he failed to get anything.

The time settings were getting to me at this point. As you know, I don't have that much free time (even though I'm writing this haha) and my opponent was using all the time he could get. This game probably took over an hour.

Even more frustrating is his wild plays like the top and 194, 196 and 198 combo. These moves shouldn't be played by a 1k. The latter combo gave me two free points and 168 gave me a free point. He could have easily made points in sente by using these flaws against me.

Moves 201 - 213

White missed the fact that 202 is gote. White must defend.

205 is I guess a tesuji haha. Best response to it is one point left of 210. It would be about 15 free points for Black. White however, didn't read ahead and just played it through thinking it was a desperation move. However, unlike him, I don't play desperation moves without reading them out.

White resigns after 213 moves.

Note that I'd win by about 4 or 5 points without ever playing 205.

Not the best game I've played by far, but I just wanted to show how weak some of these 1ks are. I know I didn't play a top-notch game myself, but if I could lose a group like the one in the bottom, and still win, mostly gaining in yose (just by accepting free points), well... not much more needs to be said.

I'm still a 1k though. I don't deserve the 1d quite yet. I'm just too inconsistent.