(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]PW[Baek Hongseok]PB[Dang Yifei ]DT[2012-05-13]EV[4th BC Card Cup Final]RO[Game 2]PC[Seoul, Korea ]SO[http://gogameguru.com/]AN[An Younggil 8p]C[Dang Yifei vs Baek Hongseok – 4th BC Card Cup Final – Game 4]RE[W+Resign]PL[B];B[pd]C[This is the second game of the 4th BC Card Cup final between Baek Hongseok (9p) and Dang Yifei (4p).Dang Yifei won the first game.Baek Hongseok is currently ranked number 8 in Korea. This is his first time in the final of an international tournament. He won the SK Rookies' tournament in 2006, but afterwards he only took second place, nine times in a row, in other tournaments. This was his 10th time challenging for a major title.Baek defeated Niu Yutian in the quarter final and Hu Yaoyu in the semifinal. Baek was losing in both games, but he eventually won.Dang Yifei's journey to the finals was even more amazing. He defeated Piao Wenyao in the semifinal and he won the first game of the final as well.Before that he defeated Park Younghun, and you can see my commentary of that game here: http://gogameguru.com/go-commentary-dang-yifei-park-younghun-4th-bc-card-cup/ - as I said in that commentary, Dang also defeated Lee Sedol and Tan Xiao on his way to the finals, which was very impressive.As this game begins, Dang's on a 17 game winning streak in international matches, and it's really amazing. His record last year (2011) was 46 wins and 36 losses. That's nothing special, but he's become a totally different player this year.Let's see how these fresh new players go in these final matches.You can read more about the 4th BC Card Cup in the following articles:http://gogameguru.com/china-roll-4th-bc-card-cup/http://gogameguru.com/4th-bc-card-cup-quarter-finals/http://gogameguru.com/4th-bc-card-cup-finals/http://gogameguru.com/baek-hongseok-wins-4th-bc-card-cup/];W[dd]C[In the first game of the final, Dang won smoothly, so if Baek loses this game the series will become very hard for him.];B[qp];W[dp];B[oq];W[qf];B[nc]LB[qj:A]C[This opening seems to be Dang's favorite. He started with the same opening against Park Younghun in the quarter final. Park played at A next. ];W[rd]C[Baek chooses the sliding move. ];B[fc]C[Pros have researched this approach move (in this opening) recently.];W[df];B[qh]LB[qg:A]C[A is also possible, but this pincer is more popular today.];W[qc];B[qe];W[re];B[pf];W[pg];B[qg];W[rf];B[og]LB[fc:A][gc:E][df:B][pj:D][gq:C]C[If black hadn't exchanged A for B, white would exchange C (ladder breaker) for D now, then play at E.];W[gd]C[Baek tries to fight here. Baek's style of play is active and a bit aggressive. ];B[fd]C[Black should fight here, because has a strong position in the top right.];W[ge]LB[fe:A]C[If white blocks at A, black would cut at 22. This extension is better for the fighting in the center. ](;B[fe];W[ff];B[gf]C[A fight has begun. Dang is also good at fighting, but he seems to prefer a peaceful game somehow. ];W[fg];B[hf](;W[id]C[Jumping like this is the right shape. ];B[gc];W[ie]LB[hc:A]C[Right answer. If white answers at A, black would strike at white's vital point with 30.];B[db]C[Black has to take care of this top group first. ];W[if];B[hh];W[jh];B[gh]C[It looks a bit slow, but this is the right move. You should take care of yourself first, before fighting. ];W[dj]LB[ei:A]C[White can also think about playing at A, but then black can easily split on the left side. ];B[hj];W[cc]C[Big and sente. ];B[ib];W[jb](;B[ic];W[jc];B[cb]C[It's necessary to save the top. ];W[jj]C[A nice jump. Both black and white should keep playing in the center. ];B[hl](;W[md]C[It doesn't look urgent, but it makes this white group stronger. ](;B[pj]C[Proper move, erasing the possibility of a ladder breaker in the center. Even though Dang's still a teenager, he waits patiently for a good time to fight.];W[gq]C[Eventually, white takes this big move. The game's still well balanced. ];B[jl];W[mg]C[Good move. Even though Baek is very good at the middle game, he has to look after his own group first.];B[iq]LB[jl:A]C[Very good combination with A. It's white's turn to reduce black's framework now.](;W[ok]LB[si:A]C[A shoulder hit against a 4th line stone is uncommon, but it's good in this game because the right side isn't that important. That's because black has an open skirt on the right side, so white can play the monkey jump at A later.];B[pk];W[om]C[Jump lightly. ](;B[mk]C[Dang starts to attack. ];W[mm]C[As black's outside isn't strong enough, it's very hard for black to capture these white stones. However, black can try to get some profit by attacking them. ];B[ki];W[kh];B[nn]C[Peep to make white's stones heavy.];W[nm]C[This connection is what black wanted, but there's no other good option for white.](;B[pl]C[Vital point. ];W[np]C[Baek is very good at attacking, but let's see how good he is when he's being attacked. ];B[nq];W[lp]LB[mp:A]C[A nice jump. It's better than extending at A. ];B[mp]LB[mq:A]C[Black doesn't want white to make a tiger's mouth at A.];W[mo];B[mq];W[jn]C[Nice move. Living here is not a big task for white, but Baek is thinking about a counter attack too.];B[io];W[in];B[hn]C[Black still tries to block white's group in.];W[ho]TR[hj][mk][hl][jl]C[White wants to fight here. Black's center area is not really safe, nor solid.];B[jo];W[kn];B[go];W[hp];B[gn]C[A good choice. Black recovers his thickness in the center.];W[eq]C[Proper answer. ];B[kq];W[kl]C[This white group is no longer in danger. ](;B[jk];W[lj]LB[kj:B][kk:A]C[If white blocks at A, black would cut at B. White chose a gentle move instead.];B[kk];W[lk];B[ll](;W[ml]C[Right move. ];B[km];W[ko]LB[mj:A][ln:B]TR[in][jn][kn]C[If white just plays atari at A, black would play at B and cut off white's three stones, so white wants to exchange this move first.](;B[fr]C[Very sharp, and very good timing! ](;W[gr]C[Proper answer. ];B[gp]LB[fr:A]TR[ho][hp]C[Good combination with A. White can't save the two marked stones now. ](;W[mj]C[This is an easy way of playing. Baek might have thought the game's not bad. ](;B[cq]LB[hq:A]C[Sharp again, but it's not certain whether this invasion is good or not at the moment. Cutting at A isn't big enough for black, so black comes in here, but (see the variation)];W[cp];B[bp];W[bo];B[er]C[A sophisticated sequence. ];W[fq];B[bq](;W[cn];B[dq]C[Black lives in the corner in sente, but black's center becomes weaker. ];W[hq]LB[en:B][ir:A]C[Proper answer. If black answers at A, white can come back at B. ](;B[ce]C[The game's still very close, but Dang doesn't seem to think so. ];W[de];B[ch]C[Black makes a deep invasion here. This is white's biggest area of influence, so white should attack black severely now.];W[dh];B[ci];W[cj]C[Baek's very good at fighting, so it's time for him to show his ability. ];B[di];W[ei];B[eh];W[fh];B[dg](;W[eg]C[Right answer for white. ];B[ej](;W[fi];B[bj];W[bk];B[cf];W[bd]LB[ai:A]C[White is forcing black to make bad exchanges like A, while white plays towards the center. ];B[ai]C[Black plays here in order to live. ];W[ck]LB[cl:A]C[This solid connection's better than A in this case, because now black can't utilize any more forcing moves around here. ];B[bg]C[Black's left side is alive, but the issue is black's center group. If black's center group can live without any serious damage, black will win the game.];W[gk]C[A good start to the attack. ];B[kj];W[gl];B[im];W[ji]LB[li:B][hk:A]C[Black has to choose between A and B. ](;B[li]LB[hk:A]C[Wrong. Black should connect at A, even though it's not certain whether A is good or not. ];W[hk]TR[gf][hf][gh][hh][hj]C[Good judgement. White doesn't need to capture black's big group. These five stones are big enough to win. ];B[nj]C[A good tesuji. ];W[mi];B[mh];W[ni];B[nh];W[nk];B[lh]LB[ml:A]C[White's group at A is already alive. ];W[ik]C[Sente. ];B[jm];W[bb]C[Big sente endgame move. ];B[dc];W[cd]C[Black still needs one more move on the top.];B[oj]C[Black tries to attack this white group. This is black's last hope.By the way, let's look at the life and death situation for black's top and left groups (see the variation).](;W[jp];B[ip]C[It looks as if black is going to die, but Dang has a good idea. ];W[jq];B[ir](;W[lq]C[Right move. ];B[lr];W[jr];B[kr]C[Dang is hoping Baek will make a mistake here, but Baek is something of a veteran compared to Dang. ](;W[kp];B[js];W[ln]C[Baek's play in this game is pretty calm and gentle. ];B[is];W[ks];B[ls];W[hs];B[mr];W[oo]C[White's completely alive now.];B[pn];W[on];B[kd];W[jd];B[kf]C[Because of the weakness in black's top left group, these moves are a bit too deep, but Dang doesn't want to keep going.];W[ia];B[hb]C[Black's top is in trouble. ](;W[mc]LB[ca:B][lg:A][ch:E][li:F][gp:C][cq:D]C[Black resigned here. See the variation for the life and death of the top left group.Because they're both in time trouble, Baek just blocks here, and A and B are miai for white. Black can't go on, so he resigned.Baek's opening in this game was active, and his reading and judgement in the middle game were accurate. When black came into the left side, Baek didn't try to capture those stones. Instead, he engineered an attack against black's center group, which won the game for him. Dang also played very well up to C (91), but the corner invasion at D seemed to be premature. Furthermore, the invasion at E was an overplay, and it cost him the game.It appears that black 129 (F) was the last losing move, but D and E weren't good ideas either.After Baek won this game, the final was tied at 1-1, and the remaining matches became more interesting. I'll talk more about the finals when I comment game 4 between Baek and Dang next time.An Younggil 8p http://gogameguru.com/ ])(;W[ca]C[Good start, ];B[fb];W[ga];B[ha];W[da]C[Good move, and black can't live. ];B[ea];W[ec];B[ba];W[ed]))(;W[is]C[It's easy to make a mistake if you're not careful enough. ];B[ln]C[Good tesuji. ];W[mn];B[kp]C[Double atari.];W[hr];B[lo]C[Game over. ]))(;W[jr]C[This is too greedy. ];B[ln]LB[mn:B][lo:A]TR[mi][ni][lj][mj][lk][nk][ok][ml][mm][nm][om]C[Good tesuji. If white answers at A, black would connect at B, and white's center group wouldd be captured. ];W[mn]C[If white answers here, ];B[kp]C[Black can cut here, and it's troublesome too. ];W[lo];B[kr]C[White doesn't want to see this result. ]))(;W[af];B[ag]LB[bh:A][dh:B]C[This left side group is alive. A and B are miai for black.];W[ia]C[However, the top side isn't completely alive yet.];B[ha];W[hb];B[hc];W[ga];B[fa](;W[eb];B[gb];W[ha];B[ja];W[ha];B[ia];W[ec];B[lb]LB[lb:B][mc:A]C[Black can live like this. Which means moves like white A (or B) should be sente against black's top group (earlier on).])(;W[mc]LB[eb:B][gb:A]C[White can block here in sente. Black has to answer at A, otherwise white can play at B to kill black.])))(;B[hk]C[Black has to connect here. ](;W[fm]C[If white tries to capture the center group, ];B[li];W[mi];B[lh]C[There's some aji here. ];W[mh];B[lg];W[lf];B[kf];W[le];B[ig]C[Good move. ];W[jg];B[jf];W[kg];B[ih];W[ke];B[gg]C[Black can live like this, for example.])(;W[li]C[If white reinforces here. ];B[eo];W[ep];B[em]C[It's not easy for white to capture this group. ])(;W[gi]C[If white plays here, ];B[li]C[Black can still go out and it's difficult for both sides. I can't say for sure that black is good here, but black might have a chance to win with this variation.])))(;W[dh]C[White can take the ko first, but ];B[bj];W[bk];B[eh];W[fi];B[cf]C[It would be about the same as the actual game. ]))(;W[cf]C[White wants to play here, but ];B[fi];W[ej];B[ef]C[Black can cut white off. ]))(;B[el]C[Instead, black can reinforce the center like this and,];W[dm];B[ej];W[di];B[ce];W[de];B[bc];W[bd];B[bb];W[qn];B[be]C[The game looks very close. This should be better for black than the actual game.]))(;W[dr]C[White wants to capture the corner, but];B[dq];W[cr];B[br];W[fs];B[co]C[This cut is troublesome for white. ];W[bn];B[cn];W[cm];B[ep]TR[cp][dp]C[White can't save those two stones. ];W[do]C[If white keeps going, ];B[dn];W[eo];B[dm]LB[bm:A][fp:B]C[A and B are miai for black now.]))(;B[dm]LB[ch:A][cq:B]C[This is also possible for black now. A and B are miai for black.];W[co]C[If white answers here, ];B[ce];W[de];B[ch]LB[dm:A]C[Black can come in here. It's similar to the actual game, but black has one more stone at A now, so the battle should be better for black.]))(;W[hq]C[If white wants to save those two stones, ];B[fq];W[fp];B[fo];W[ep];B[ip]C[Black can utilize those moves in sente first, and ];W[er];B[nk]LB[mo:A]C[White's group at A seems be in danger now.]))(;W[fq]C[If white answers here, ];B[hq];W[gp];B[gr]LB[mj:A]C[Black can get some points here. White still has to come back at A, so white can't play this way.]))(;B[mj]C[If black doesn't answer on the bottom, ];W[jr]C[Good tesuji. ];B[jq];W[ip]TR[io][jo]C[White can capture black's marked stones. ];B[jp]C[If black tries to save those two, ];W[lq];B[lr];W[kr];B[mr];W[ir]C[Big trouble. ]))(;W[km]C[Saving the stone in atari is not a good idea for white.];B[mj]LB[li:A][ml:B]C[White is in trouble. If white plays at A, black would connect at B. ];W[ml];B[li];W[kj];B[ji]C[Big trouble, ]))(;B[kk]C[This hane is not a good idea, ];W[jk];B[il];W[kj]C[White can atari here first, and];B[lk];W[oj]LB[pg:B][oi:A]C[This push is good. A is also sente for white, because of the stone at B.];B[oi];W[ni]LB[kl:A]TR[kk][lk][mk]C[Black's center stones are in danger. White's cutting stone at A looks weak, but black doesn't have a way to capture it.]))(;B[lo]C[This is also possible, then ];W[pl]C[White would go here. ];B[oj];W[qn]C[White can live inside without any trouble. ];B[ql];W[qm];B[rl];W[pp];B[pq];W[rp];B[qq];W[on]C[White can settle like this. Dang might have thought this was a bit too easy for white. ]))(;B[nn]C[This is also possible, and this should be a bit better than the game. ];W[ml];B[lm]C[Black's bottom is quite big. The game's still even though. ]))(;W[oo]C[This is also conceivable, but ];B[np]C[Black would answer here, as the bottom is more valuable than the right side.];W[qo];B[pp];W[po];B[mn]C[Black is happy with this big bottom territory. ]))(;B[fq]LB[pg:D][pj:C][gp:A][hp:B]C[Even if black can approach here first, black would have to come back to C (to prevent D from escaping) after white's pincer at A or B. Therefore, black just played at C in the game.]))(;W[fq]LB[md:A]C[If white doesn't reinforce at A, ];B[kd]C[This peep is a good move to start with.];W[jd];B[kf]C[Good follow up. ];W[ig];B[ki];W[ji];B[jm]C[White's top group becomes heavy, without any eye shape. White should avoid this sort of hopeless shape.]))(;B[jc]C[Black wants to hane here, but ];W[hb]LB[hc:B][ic:A]C[White will clamp here. A and B are miai for white, so black's stones will be separated.];B[kb];W[hc]TR[db][fc][gc][fd][fe]C[Black's top group would die. ]))(;W[gc]C[If white blocks here, ];B[gb];W[hb];B[eb]C[Good responses for black. ];W[ga];B[fb];W[id]C[White's top is good, but ];B[cc]C[Black can easily get the corner. This result is unsatisfactory for white. ]))(;B[gc]C[If black doesn't want to fight, black can turn here, ];W[id];B[hc];W[if]C[But white's shape is rather active and lively. It's not good enough for black. ]))