(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]GN[Gu-Li-vs-Lee-Sedol-20120905]PW[Lee Sedol]PB[Gu Li]WR[9d]BR[9d]DT[2012-09-05]EV[17th Samsung Cup]RO[Group Stage]PC[Beijing]SO[http://gogameguru.com/]AN[An Younggil 8p]C[This game is from the round of 32 (group stage) of the 17th Samsung Cup. It's between Lee Sedol (9p) and Gu Li (9p). Lee Sedol defeated Nie Weiping and Gu Li defeated Cho U before this game, in the group stage.The group stage of the Samsung Cup uses a double elimination system, and two winners can proceed to the next round.This is the 29th game between Lee and Gu, and so far, their record is the tied at 14-14. Their games are always exciting and interesting to watch.Let's have a look at the game.]RE[Void];B[pd]C[Gu Li plays black. ];W[dd];B[qp];W[dp];B[fq];W[cn];B[lq]C[Black starts with this Micro Chinese opening. ];W[qj]C[This splitting play is the most common move for white in this opening.];B[qg];W[qm];B[pn];W[ro];B[pm]C[This opening has been becoming popular in China recently.](;W[qo]C[This is the right sequence.];B[po];W[rp]LB[po:C][qo:B][qq:A]C[It seems as if Lee wanted black to answer at A. so he exchanged B for C first, but](;B[ql]C[Gu Li didn't follow white's plan. ](;W[pp]LB[qp:A]C[White cuts here to capture the stone at A. ](;B[op]C[This atari is proper. ](;W[qq];B[pr]LB[oq:A]C[This knight's move is interesting.Playing at A instead is more common, but this is Gu Li's style of play.];W[pq]LB[oq:A]C[White can't hane at A and fight the ko, because there aren't any good ko threats in the early opening.];B[oq]LB[pq:B][pr:A]TR[oq]C[Playing at A was successful, because this shape looks as if black A and white B were exchanged after P3, and it's profitable for black.];W[kc]LB[jc:A]C[However, since white can play here first, the game's still even.A is also possible, but white's more concerned about black's influence on the right side.];B[fo]C[This jump is very nice. Black's developing his lower side.];W[dk]LB[dm:A]C[This is a proper answer. If white doesn't answer here, black's shoulder hit at A is very good next. ];B[je]C[Gu Li shows good sense.](;W[nc]C[White chose a calm move. ];B[jc]C[Black wants to make a good shape with this attachment. ](;W[jd]C[This wedge is Lee's counter attack. They're both genuine infighters, so their games are always spectacular and exciting to watch. ];B[kd]C[The first fight's begun and, as you'll soon see, they never stop fighting. ];W[id];B[lc];W[kb];B[lb];W[ld]C[This cut is good, because ];B[ke];W[jb];B[md];W[le]LB[qj:A]C[This ladder doesn't work for black, because the stone at A helps white. ];B[mc];W[lf];B[ie];W[hd];B[he];W[gd](;B[jh]C[This jump looks natural, but ];W[oe]C[Lee shows very good sense here.](;B[oc]C[Black has to answer here.];W[pe]C[This push is good, and black can't stop white from going in. ](;B[qd]C[This extension is the right choice for black. ];W[qe];B[rd](;W[re]C[White's aiming at some aji in the corner, but this seems to be too much. ];B[og]C[This jump is very good for black. White's group suddenly becomes heavy. ];W[od];B[ob];W[qb]C[This is a good probe and it's hard for black to answer properly.];B[rb]LB[pc:A]C[This attachment looks fine, but because of the sequence Lee played in the game, black should just connect at A instead.];W[rg];B[rh];W[rc]C[This move is brilliant! ](;B[pc]C[Connecting here doesn't look good, but it's inevitable. ];W[sd](;B[nf]C[Black tries to seal white in, and it was a good idea.];W[nb];B[nd];W[ne]C[White also has to fight here. Otherwise, black's center will become too big. ];B[me];W[mf];B[na];W[pg]C[This is a wonderful tesuji.];B[ph](;W[qh]C[This move looks marvelous, but it was a small mistake.];B[qi];W[ng](;B[oh]C[This connection is right.];W[of];B[sb]LB[ra:A]C[Black has to come back here. If black doesn't play here, white can atari at A, and black's corner wouldn't be alive.](;W[qf]C[This atari seems questionable. ](;B[mi]C[This is a very good point for both, and the game seems to be slightly favorable for black after black plays here.];W[qh];B[cd]C[This is a ko threat. ](;W[ce]C[Lee might have thought white had more ko threats. ];B[qg];W[la];B[mb];W[qh];B[de];W[cf];B[qg];W[sc];B[qc];W[qh]LB[se:A]TR[rc][sc][sd]C[Capturing the marked stones with A isn't big enough for black.];B[cc];W[dc];B[qg];W[se];B[qa];W[qh];B[db];W[eb];B[qg];W[pa];B[pb];W[qh];B[bb];W[da];B[qg];W[ra]C[This is white's last ko threat inside black's corner. ];B[oa];W[qh];B[ca](;W[cb]C[This is Lee's style of play. He doesn't want a compromise. ];B[qg];W[ba]C[This move shows Lee's audacity. He's sure that white's right side group won't die.];B[pf];W[mh]C[This is a good tesuji to make eye shape. ];B[lh];W[lg];B[li];W[pg];B[qh];W[nh](;B[sg]C[This is Gu Li's style of play. He knows the game's favorable for black, but he'd prefer to capture this white group. ];W[ni];B[nj];W[kg]C[This move is a probe. ];B[ig]C[This diagonal move is the right reponse. ](;W[oj]C[This hane is good. ](;B[rj]C[This is the proper response. ];W[sf];B[sh];W[qk]C[This move is tricky. ](;B[pj]C[This is the right response. It's really thrilling to watch their every move. ];W[mj];B[nk];W[ok];B[mk]LB[kh:A][ji:C][ki:B]C[Black has to reinforce the center, otherwise white will push through and cut with A to C again.];W[pk]C[Now, black doesn't have many options, because black's center's already been damaged. ](;B[oi]C[This is the only option for black. ];W[rk];B[si]C[This is a brilliant move. It's not easy to read ahead and come up with this.];W[sk];B[rm]TR[oj][qj][ok][pk][qk][rk][sk]C[Black tries to cut and attack White's marked stones. ](;W[ol]C[This is Lee's style of play. Neither of them care about shape.They both rely heavily on their own instinct and reading.];B[nl];W[om];B[nm];W[on];B[oo];W[nn];B[mn];W[mo]C[This hane is good.](;B[kh]C[Black starts filling white's outside liberties.];W[ln]C[This white group is safe now, but ];B[jg]C[Black's aiming at this capturing race. ];W[sj];B[rf];W[pi];B[pf];W[rg];B[pj]LB[jd:A]C[The game was ruled to be a draw after a quadruple ko formed here.It's the first time this has ever happened in an international match. It's extremely rare to see a quadruple ko, and these incredible rivals created a masterpiece together.The game featured many interesting shapes, right from the start, and after the first battle began with A, they never stopped fighting until the very end of the game.This game will long be remembered as a classic masterpiece in the history of Go, and we're very lucky to have witnessed it.I hope you'll understand the game better after reading this commentary, and please feel free to leave comments if you have any questions.Thanks,An Younggil 8phttp://gogameguru.com/])(;B[no]C[If black cuts here, ];W[mm];B[ln];W[kh];B[ki];W[lk];B[lj];W[ml];B[mj];W[ji];B[kj];W[hh]TR[kd][he][ie][je][ke][ig][jh]C[Black's marked stones are still in trouble. ]))(;W[sj]C[White could also atari here.];B[ol]C[Then black would block here.];W[nf];B[pl];W[ri];B[rf];W[pi];B[rj]C[It's a quadruple ko and the game would be a draw.]))(;B[rk]C[If black just connects underneath, ];W[oi]C[White can come back here and the big group will live.];B[rm]LB[rl:A]C[Black has to defend here, otherwise white can cut at A.];W[pi]C[White's alive, and black can't catch up now. ]))(;B[rk]C[If black just answers here, ];W[pl];B[rl];W[mj];B[nk];W[mk]C[This push is sente, and ];B[nl];W[kh];B[ki];W[ji]C[Black's in trouble again.]))(;B[oi]C[Black can't cut here, because];W[ok]LB[mj:B][rj:A]C[This extension is good, and A and B are miai next.](;B[rj]C[If black answers here, ];W[mj];B[nk];W[kh];B[ki];W[ji]C[Black's in trouble. ];B[lk];W[jj];B[kk];W[hh]TR[kd][he][ie][je][ke][ig][jh]C[Black's marked stones will be captured instead.])(;B[nk]C[If black pushes from the center, ];W[rj];B[pj];W[pk];B[qk];W[pi]C[Black's still in deep trouble. ])))(;W[oi]C[White can't live by just coming out here. ];B[rj];W[oj];B[qk];W[nk];B[mj];W[ol];B[ml]C[There's no way for white to escape. ]))(;B[ni]C[Black's good enough after this. ];W[sh];B[si];W[sg];B[gk]LB[hj:B][rj:C][gm:A]C[It's very hard for white to reduce this huge black area.There could be some bad aji around A, B and C, but the game's still ok for black.]))(;W[nh]C[This is still possible. ];B[ni];W[pi];B[oi];W[ri];B[ea];W[fc]C[The game still seems to be even. ]))(;W[nh]C[This is also possible for White. ];B[ni];W[pi]C[This cut is a good followup. ](;B[oi]C[Black should connect here, ];W[ri]C[And white eliminates the ko. ];B[dc]C[And then black can play another move here. ];W[ce];B[cc];W[de]C[It's playable for both. ])(;B[qg]C[Black shouldn't take the stone like this, because];W[oi];B[pf];W[rj]C[This black group is in trouble. ])))(;B[pf]C[Black shouldn't take this stone, because];W[mi]LB[pf:B][qf:A][rg:C]C[White can come out. The exchange of A for B is good for white, because black can't capture C anymore. ]))(;W[mi]C[This knight's move seems better. ];B[rf]C[If black captures here, ];W[ki]C[White can jump here and white's better.]))(;B[of]C[Black can't save this stone. ];W[oh];B[pf];W[qf];B[pg];W[pi]C[It's a ladder. ]))(;W[qf]C[White should atari here first, and](;B[pf];W[qh]C[Now throw in here.];B[qi];W[ng]C[This is the perfect sequence for white. ](;B[of]C[This connection doesn't work, because];W[oh];B[pg];W[pi];B[qh];W[ri]C[White would capture like this. ])(;B[sb]C[If black looks after the corner like this,];W[of];B[oh];W[mi]C[White can come into the center and it looks good for white.]))(;B[qh]C[If black just connects here,];W[ng]C[White can still play like this, and];B[of]C[Black can't connect here, because];W[oh]C[White can capture black's stones in a snapback, . In addition, black still has to live in the top right.])))(;B[qc]C[Black still can't cut here. ];W[nb];B[nd];W[oa];B[sc];W[pb];B[se];W[sf]LB[sd:A][qh:B]C[A and B are miai next. ]))(;B[qc]C[This cut would be careless. ];W[nb];B[nd];W[sd]C[This would be a good sequence. ];B[sc];W[pb];B[pc];W[oa];B[se];W[sf]C[This atari is what white's aiming for.];B[mb]LB[sd:A]C[Black would have to answer here, because of the ko at A. ];W[qh]C[And now white could cut here. This is what white wants. ]))(;W[og]C[This jump would be better, but it's not Lee's style of play.]))(;B[qe]C[If black plays here,];W[qd]C[White will cut, and];B[qc];W[od](;B[rd]C[If black captures this stone, ];W[ob]C[This atari is sente, and];B[pc];W[nb];B[nd];W[ne]C[Black's dead. ])(;B[pc]C[Black has to connect, but ];W[qf]C[White plays here, and];B[rd];W[re]C[Up to here, the game looks complicated, but it's playable for white. ])))(;B[pe]C[If black answers here, ];W[od];B[pc];W[nb]TR[lb][lc][mc][md]C[Black's marked stones are in danger. ]))(;B[nd]C[This move should be better. ](;W[lh]C[If white jumps out, ];B[jh];W[lj];B[jj]C[Black's position is a bit more favorable. ])(;W[jg]C[If white attacks like this,];B[hg];W[lh];B[hi]C[This variation is still better for black. ])))(;W[jb]C[This hane underneath isn't good in this case. ];B[kd];W[lc];B[ic];W[ib];B[gc]C[Black's shape on the top is lively, and the game is more active for black. ]))(;W[id]C[You won't see this answer in pros' games, because];B[ie];W[hd];B[ld]LB[cc:A]C[This sequence is what black wants, and black can still come into the corner at A. ]))(;W[pq]C[White can get some more points with this extension, but];B[oq];W[pr]C[Black can get sente, and ];B[jd]C[Play at the top first. This isn't favorable for white, because it's too slow. ]))(;B[qq]C[Black wants to come out here, but];W[pq];B[qr];W[pr];B[rq];W[rs]C[Black can't fight in the corner. ];B[qn];W[qs]C[White's happy to capture the corner. ]))(;W[qq]C[This would be more common. ];B[oq]C[Then black would answer here, and it's slightly better for white than in the actual game. ]))(;B[qq]C[This answer would be more common. ];W[ql];B[fo]C[This is another game.]))(;W[ql]C[If white just answers here, ];B[qo]C[Black can make an ideal shape like this. ];W[rp];B[rq];W[qn];B[pq]C[The result is better for black. ])(;W[rp]C[This is also possible. ](;B[qq];W[ql]C[It would be a peaceful game. ])(;B[ql]C[Gu Li would have played here. ];W[qq];B[pq];W[pp];B[op];W[qo];B[oq]C[This is also possible for both. ])))