(;CA[UTF-8]GM[1]FF[4]SZ[19]AP[SmartGo:2.5.0.0]CA[shift_jis]GN[Agon-Kiriyama Cup preliminary final]PW[Michael Redmond]WR[9p]PB[Nakano Hironari]BR[9p]DT[May 6, 2010]PC[Nihon Kiin]KM[6.5]RE[W+4.5]TM[3600.0]AN[Michael Redmond]MU[1]MU[1]MU[1]C[Agon-Kiriyama Cup preliminary finalMay 6, 2010Nihon Kiin, Tokyo, JapanW: Michael Redmond 9PB: Nakano Hironari 9PCommentary by Michael Redmond 9P Published in the May 22 edition of the American Go E-JournalThis win got me into the final (honsen) of the Agon-Kiriyama Cup, which has 16 participants.];B[cp];W[dd];B[qp];W[qe]LB[pd:A]C[In this opening I usually play at A. The 5-3 point was an idea that came to me on the spur of the moment. White is making miai of the upper right and lower right corners. ];B[pc];W[op];B[mq]LB[oq:A]C[This hasami is a move that Nakano likes. I think most pros would play the tsuke at A instead. ];W[pl]LB[qq:A][oq:B]C[The normal move would have been White A, of course. If Black now plays at B I have a moyo in mind (see var). ](;B[qn];W[po];B[qo];W[pq];B[om]C[Black's strong response causes the fighting to start. ];W[mo];B[jq];W[qq](;B[qj]C[This is an aggressive move. The variation shows what I had expected. ];W[ql];B[oj];W[ol];B[nm];W[nl];B[mm];W[pn];B[rl]LB[rm:A]C[Nakano had this move ready. White A does not work (see var). ](;W[rk];B[rm];W[qk];B[pm];W[qm];B[rq];W[rr];B[sq];W[sl];B[sn]LB[pp:A]C[White cannot kill this group because of the weakness at A (see var). ](;W[ml];B[lm];W[nq];B[sr];W[lq];B[ll];W[nj];B[pf];W[od]C[It is difficult to say which side is attacking in this fight. ];B[qf];W[pd];B[qc];W[rf];B[rg];W[rd];B[sf];W[re];B[nb];W[ni]LB[qg:A]C[Next White can cut at A. ];B[og];W[mg];B[mf];W[mc]C[White can play the keima because of Black's weakness in the center (see var).](;B[lg];W[mh];B[nf]LB[ld:A]C[Now I should have played at A to force Black to live in the corner ( see var). ](;W[nc];B[mb];W[lb]LB[oc:A]C[Black can live by playing at A (see var), but the game is better for Black. ](;B[lc];W[ld];B[kc];W[ob];B[kb];W[oc]C[White gains about 20 points, counting the B territory if Black had lived in the corner. In return Black has profit on the upper side. Also, Black's right side group has been strengthened and now Black has the initiative to attack. ];B[ki];W[ph];B[qh];W[pi]LB[cf:A][ko:B]C[White is alive. Although Black's next move at A is big, it is more important to protect at B and make a moyo (see var). This was a key point, and the advantage I gained in the following few moves was decisive. ](;B[cf];W[lh]C[Since Black's right side group is not alive, he must connect to the upper side. ];B[ke];W[lf];B[le];W[kg];B[md];W[jp]C[This move starts my attack on the B center group. This attack makes it relatively easy for me to erase Black's potential on the lower and left sides.];B[ip];W[jo];B[io];W[jn];B[kq];W[lp];B[jl]LB[in:A]C[Attacking directly with A does not seem to work (see var). It is better for White to break into the lower side as in the game. ](;W[hq];B[iq];W[ep];B[lr];W[mr];B[ms];W[nr];B[gq]C[Black doesn't want to have two weak groups under attack, so he makes eyes for the side group. ];W[gp];B[fq];W[eq];B[hr]TR[ep][gp][hq]C[Since the B side group is now alive, I am thinking of discarding the marked stones and switching to the left side. Black's weakness in the center indicates that I can do that in an aggressive fashion. ];W[co];B[do]C[Maybe this is an overplay. However, B is behind already and probably feels that he needs to play aggressively. ];W[dp];B[cq];W[bo];B[dn];W[bp];B[dr];W[er];B[bq];W[cm];B[dm];W[cl];B[br]LB[ds:A]C[Black's corner group is alive, depending on the forcing move at A. ];W[fp];B[hp];W[gn];B[dl];W[dk];B[ek]LB[hm:A]C[I would have had an easy win if I had now played at A (see variations). ](;W[el]C[This mistake vastly improved Black's shape. ];B[fl];W[hm];B[fn]TR[el]LB[go:A][ck:B]C[This captures the marked stone, and now A and B have become miai. The exchange of the marked stone and 125 has cost me a move. ];W[ej];B[fk];W[hk]C[Fortunately for me the B center group is still half-dead, and I can salvage the position. ];B[ck];W[dj];B[bk];W[fj]C[Now B must escape with the center group. ];B[ii];W[bl]LB[ci:A][fm:B]C[If Black A, White B will win the semeai. ];B[gm];W[cj];B[hn];W[gl];B[go];W[gk];B[em];W[ce];B[cn];W[bn];B[al];W[bm];B[fc];W[fd];B[cc];W[be];B[ec];W[gd];B[gi];W[im];B[ik];W[jh];B[ih];W[gc];B[bb];W[fh]C[I have a small lead. ];B[ig];W[rs]LB[qr:A][ps:B]C[White should play this move at A, as in the game Black B can be troublesome later (see var)](;B[ro];W[lj]LB[ij:A]C[White threatens A (see var).](;B[fg]LB[ij:A]C[This attachment starts a sequence of moves that cleverly erases the potential of White A. ];W[gg];B[gh];W[gf];B[fi];W[eh];B[ei];W[dh];B[di];W[ci];B[ch];W[bh];B[cg];W[eg];B[gj];W[bj];B[rj];W[ji];B[jm];W[in];B[hj];W[jj];B[hl];W[gb];B[bd];W[dc];B[db];W[ed];B[ea];W[kr];B[ks];W[ls];B[cd];W[ae];B[lr];W[jr]C[White cannot win this ko, but will be satisfied to play two endgame moves (last comment). ];B[ir];W[ls];B[de];W[ef];B[lr];W[fa];B[eb];W[ls];B[ad];W[df];B[lr];W[pj];B[js];W[oe];B[pg];W[ib];B[oh];W[oi];B[pb];W[oa];B[rc];W[sb];B[rb];W[qa];B[no];W[oo];B[mn];W[mp];B[ic];W[jb];B[jc];W[hc];B[he];W[ge];B[lk];W[jk];B[il];W[kk];B[mk];W[sj];B[mj];W[mi];B[kf];W[qi];B[ri];W[si];B[rh];W[hf];B[ie];W[ns];B[hd];W[ls];B[sm];W[sk];B[ms];W[na];B[la];W[ls];B[kp];W[ko];B[ms];W[jg];B[jf];W[ls];B[sc];W[pa];B[ms];W[aq];B[ar];W[ap];B[ja];W[ia];B[fb];W[ga];B[nk];W[ok];B[ls];W[hg];B[lg];W[np];B[kl];W[lf];B[ln];W[lo];B[lg];W[cs];B[ds];W[lf];B[qr];W[pr];B[lg];W[bs];B[es];W[lf];B[hb];W[ha];B[lg];W[fr];B[fs];W[lf];B[ss];W[qs];B[lg];W[cb];B[ca];W[lf];B[ps];W[os];B[lg];W[sp];B[rp];W[lf];B[bf];W[ee];B[lg];W[gs];B[gr];W[lf];B[af];W[de];B[lg];W[dq];B[hs];W[lf];B[bi];W[ai];B[lg];W[cr];B[as];W[lf];B[aj];W[ak];B[lg];W[cr];B[cs];W[lf];B[pe];W[qd];B[lg];W[sh];B[sg];W[lf];B[nn];W[lg];B[hh];W[kn];B[ka];W[ma];B[lb];W[ra])(;B[rj];W[ij];B[jj];W[hj];B[ji];W[kk]C[Black is cut off.]))(;B[ps]LB[pr:A]C[White will actually play at A now because Black's right side group is not yet alive, but will potentially lose some territory here. This variation is to show the tesuji for Black. ];W[os];B[or];W[ns];B[qr];W[pr];B[pp]))(;W[hm];B[ck];W[dj](;B[bk];W[bl];B[ci];W[di];B[ch];W[el]TR[dl]C[The marked stones are dead. ])(;B[fl];W[cj];B[hk];W[in](;B[jr];W[ej]C[Good for White. ])(;B[fi];W[fr];B[ds];W[gr]C[The Black side group dies. ]))))(;W[in];B[fp];W[hl];B[hj];W[ik];B[jj];W[ij];B[ii];W[hi];B[ih];W[gi];B[hg]C[White is not gaining anything in this attack. ]))(;B[ko];W[lh];B[ke];W[lf];B[le];W[kg];B[md];W[cf];B[dj]C[This looks good for Black. ]))(;B[oc];W[ld];B[kc];W[lc];B[rc];W[ma];B[oa];W[je];B[kf];W[ki]LB[sc:A]C[Later White can play at A to cut the side group off and attack. ]))(;W[ld];B[mb];W[lb];B[kc];W[lc];B[rc];W[oc];B[ob];W[je];B[kf];W[ki]C[White takes the offensive. ]))(;B[nc];W[nd];B[md];W[me];B[ld];W[nf]C[Bad for Black. ]))(;W[ro];B[rp];W[so];B[pp];W[no];B[oq];W[or];B[nq];W[sr];B[nr];W[pr];B[os];W[qs];B[oo];W[on];B[lo]C[White loses. ]))(;W[rm];B[qm];W[rk];B[pm]C[Black connects, and this is bad for White. ]))(;B[ql];W[qk];B[pk];W[qj];B[ok];W[rl];B[qm];W[ph]LB[or:A]C[This is a thick way for B to play. Later B can choose a time to attack at A. ]))(;B[oq];W[od];B[oc];W[md];B[nd];W[ne];B[nc];W[me];B[qd];W[re];B[lc];W[np];B[pq];W[lo]))