(;FF[4]GM[1]SZ[19]ST[2]CA[UTF-8]AP[SGFC:1.16]

PB[Stawrogin]
BR[8k]
PW[weiqi5]
WR[7k]
KM[0.5]
DT[2013-02-14]
PC[The KGS Go Server at http://www.gokgs.com/]
RE[B+13.5]
TM[1800]
OT[3x30 byo-yomi]
RU[Japanese]

C[buckyyowza: Hello. Comments by Mark Fyffe.  I hope you enjoy my review!

Hello!
Thanks in advance for commenting my game. I appreciate your time and effort!

I have added some questions to the game record. Besides that, I would be curious if you see anything that I consistently do wrong, things that I should improve etc. Such advise would be highly welcome, since I seem to get stucked a bit at my current level of play Thank you very much! :)


weiqi5 [7k\]: hi gg
Stawrogin [8k\]: hi
Stawrogin [8k\]: gg]FG[259:]PM[2];B[qd];W[dp];B[pq];W[dd];B[fq]
;W[cn];B[dr];W[cq];B[ip];W[oc];B[mc];W[qc];B[pd];W[pc];B[od]
;W[rd];B[re];W[rc];B[pg]LB[qo:A]C[buckyyowza: white is fine - there is no need to be concerned with this opening.  You have two solid corners, significant influence on the left and upper left, and sente.  In all, I'd say well played so far.  Since white does have sente, a natural next step for this game will be to play on the right side, R5 for example.

I was not feeling comfortable with this opening, but I don't know really what I did wrong. It looks like black is strong and I am not. That's why I tried to attack the black position with the next moves, but then I don't know whether this was clever, since I ended up having weak groups to take care of...]

(;W[ql]LB[po:A][qo:B]C[buckyyowza: This play concedes too much to black.  Perhaps you are seeing strength in black's position that isn't there?  I prefer a play closer to the corner here, to prevent black from becoming too large on the lower side/lower right.  R5 and Q5 are both good choices, though I prefer R5.]
;B[qj];W[qo];B[rk];W[rl]LB[oo:B][qq:A]C[buckyyowza: This play is too slow for white; it helps black make shape while failing to effectively develop white's group.  Why not extend to the corner (R3) or jump to the center (P5) here instead to make shape while expanding further into black's influence?]
;B[nj]C[buckyyowza: I would have expected black S4 first.  Either way, it appears black is feeling comfortable now.]
;W[dj]LB[ic:a][nl:c][oo:d][nq:b]C[buckyyowza: D10 is big, and seems a fine choice.  J17 is similar, but not as big since it plays agains black thickness on the top side.  However, your group in the lower right is unsettled and under direct attack.  Something like S3 will settle the group, but I would play sente first.  P5 seems a good choice here.  Your other alternates fail to address the R5/R8 stones.

I was thinking on alternative moves: extending to the top (A), directly invading the bottom (B) or running to the center with my right side group (C or D). What would have been the best idea?]
;B[fd]
(;W[cf]C[buckyyowza: White is too slow here - I prefer a pincer at J16 or similar.  C14 allows black to develop a large moyo in the center, which gives black an early advantage.]
;B[ec];W[dc]C[buckyyowza: One black stone at F14 now makes a very difficult game for white.  Slow play like D17 makes the game much more difficult to win later on.]
;B[id];W[nq]LB[oo:A][kq:B]C[Was this attack okay? I wasn't sure since my right side group is not really strong!

buckyyowza:  I think O3 is too close to Q3, and too easy to cut from R5 - P5 is better, or L3 if the right side group were more settled already.]
;B[op];W[kq];B[jq];W[kp];B[np];W[mp]C[buckyyowza: better choices are N3 and P2.  Note that black is closing off his own stones here - S3 has become sente for white.]
;B[mq];W[mr];B[mo];W[lq];B[lo];W[jp];B[iq];W[or]LB[jn:A]C[That safety move was unneccessary, was it?

buckyyowza: Right, this is not needed.  K6 is important, however - don't forget to run toward the center after an invasion whenever possible. Remember, it is usually better to run than to live.]
;B[sl];W[sm];B[sk];W[rn];B[pm];W[qk];B[rj];W[qm];B[pj];W[pn]
;B[nn];W[om];B[pl];W[ol];B[pk];W[on]LB[kg:B][jn:A]C[I was happy to manage to come out a bit from the right side.

buckyyowza: White was settled with S6, then black followed up with some "thank you" plays :)  In all, this is a good result for white.  K6 looks increasingly big after these developments, as does L13.]
;B[nc];W[nb];B[mb];W[ob];B[db];W[cb];B[eb];W[kl]LB[kg:A][jn:B]
C[Here I was happy to have found this move that allows to come out big scale from either right or bottom. Was there a better way for black to respond?

buckyyowza:  Good move.  Black's last few plays seem to be too early in the game - this is a good way to use sente to bring play back to the middle game.  I like L13 better, to cut further into black's largest area, but attacking black's dragon is also a good choice.  I would prefer to cover the connection to J4 before O10 (J4 is closer), so would have played K6 here instead.]
;B[ml];W[jn]C[buckyyowza: Note that if K6 had been played first, there would still be time to cut at N9/O9.  Now that the situation is developing, the white L8 stone seems to be helping black escape.]
;B[in];W[im]LB[mk:A]C[buckyyowza: This area is not contested, so J6 is only a distraction.  I would prefer to cut at N9 here.  White can settle below if needed.]
;B[hn];W[hm];B[lk];W[kk];B[kj];W[jj];B[ki];W[ji];B[kh]
(;W[ig]C[That was too greedy, right? I attach some variant with more modest moves that look better. I misestimated the situation and thought I will be way behind with his big moyo on the right, although mine on the left is as big. What would have been the correct sequence in this pushing battle? Where to close my moyo?

buckyyowza: White is not too greedy. If black is giving easy points, then take them :)  This will still be a fight becuse of black influence at F6, F16, and high invasion potential for black on the left side.  White is correct to build influence here, while pushing into black's upper-center moyo.  Be aware, however, that the lower-right corner is the biggest part of the board after J13.]
;B[dg]LB[ee:A][ef:B]C[I guess I didn't handle the defnse against the invasion/reduction well either. What would have been a better way to respond here and in the next moves? I tried first to lock the black stones in and to kill. I didn't see how to profit elsewise from attacking these stones. Was there one?

buckyyowza: The response to D13 should be from above: E15 or E14.  This is white territory, so it is better to run black into the side.  White should be able to kill any invasion here.  Black wants to reach the center in order to live, so do not help black toward the center and the fight should work out.  Black should have played F12 or F13.]
;W[df];B[eg]C[buckyyowza: white already lost this fight.  Only C13 will minimize the damage.]
;W[ef];B[ej];W[ek];B[dk];W[cj];B[fk];W[el];B[fi];W[fg]C[buckyyowza: C13 is more important - it seems unlikely that white can kill the black stones from here.]
;B[fh];W[ei];B[fj];W[di];B[fl];W[fm];B[gm]C[I plainly overlooked this move. :-(

buckyyowza: F7 should have been E7 ;)];W[gn];B[em];W[gl];B[dl]
;W[en];B[gg];W[ff];B[hg];W[ih]LB[eh:A]C[buckyyowza: E12 is very big for both sides.]
;B[hf];W[jf]C[Now I tried at least to reduce his moyo. COuld I have done better?

buckyyowza: This couldn't been done earlier, but is otherwise well played here.]
;B[ke];W[kf];B[lf];W[je];B[jd];W[le];B[kd];W[lg];B[mf];W[kg]
;B[mg];W[lh];B[mi];W[mh];B[nh];W[lj];B[li];W[mk]LB[mm:A]C[buckyyowza: I prefer N7 - there is still a threat to cut off black's dragon from the main group. E12 is still biggest. I hope white gets there first :)]
;B[nk];W[ll];B[nl];W[hh];B[gh];W[eh]TW[gm][rm][qn][mq]C[I'm left now with many holes. I fill one, but others are open. Guess the game is already lose or did I have another chance?

buckyyowza: This game is up in the air still, with no clear winner at this time.  There are two undecided corners, and and unsettled left side.  White has closed the gap just now by playing the largest gote on the board, so the game is even but black has the advantage at the moment.]
;B[bl];W[bm];B[bj];W[bi];B[cm];W[bn];B[ck];W[qq];B[bh]
(;W[cg]C[buckyyowza: B12 doesn't work. Play at A10 instead is better for white, see var.]
;B[ai];W[ci];B[bg];W[bf];B[pr];W[oq];B[pp];W[qr];B[ge];W[ag]
;B[aj];W[ho]C[Was there any real chance to make trouble to his lower group? I think not, but maybe I have overlooked something?

buckyyowza: Black's lower group is fine and cannot be threatened in any meaningful way. However, white does have several sente yose moves here.  I would play G4 first.]
;B[io];W[hp];B[hq];W[fp];B[cr];W[br];B[dq];W[cp];B[kr];W[lr]
;B[js];W[gq]C[I don't think I have played the endgame well, but probably that is not the keypoint, is it?]
;B[gr];W[gp];B[eq];W[ep];B[bs];W[bq];B[ed];W[ee];B[cc]
(;W[cd]C[buckyyowza: B18 instead works here.];B[bb];W[bc];B[ca]
;W[ab];B[ba];W[ma];B[la];W[na];B[kb];W[se];B[rf];W[sf];B[sg]
;W[sd];B[rg];W[hj];B[qp];W[rp];B[qs]
(;W[rq]C[buckyyowza: S1 is best here.];B[rs];W[lp];B[jo];W[kn]
;B[ko];W[os];B[ps];W[oo];B[no];W[sr];B[mj];W[lk];B[lm];W[km]
;B[ie];W[nm];B[mm];W[ok];B[oj];W[dn];B[if];W[jg];B[ah];W[af]
;B[dm];W[gj]
(;B[gk];W[hk]C[Stawrogin [8k\]: thx
weiqi5 [7k\]: no problem :)];B[po];W[qn];B[rr];W[ls];B[hi];W[ii]
;B[gi];W[jk];B[da];W[ar];B[cs];W[al];B[ak];W[am];B[aa];W[ch]
;B[bk];W[ac];B[ss];W[sq];B[cc];W[ks];B[jr];W[cb];B[fe];W[cc]
;B[tt];W[ln];B[mn];W[tt];B[tt]TW[oa][pa][qa][ra][sa][pb][qb]
[rb][sb][sc][ad][bd][ae][be][ce][de][dg][eg][dh][ij][ik][hl]
[il][jl][gm][jm][rm][an][fn][sn][ao][bo][co][do][eo][fo][go]
[ro][so][ap][bp][sp][aq][mq][nr][ms][ns]TB[ea][fa][ga][ha][ia]
[ja][ka][fb][gb][hb][ib][jb][lb][fc][gc][hc][ic][jc][kc][lc]
[gd][hd][ld][md][nd][he][le][me][ne][oe][pe][qe][nf][of][pf]
[qf][ng][og][qg][oh][ph][qh][rh][sh][ni][oi][pi][qi][ri][si]
[sj][ek][cl][el][er][fr][hr][ir][ds][es][fs][gs][hs][is]C[buckyyowza: In all, this was a good game for both players but white came out a little ahead toward the end.  It is interesting that it worked this way, though, because black started a little stonger to the point of leaving white a little desparate up until move 138, where I feel white took control for a stronger finish.

I would say the best advice for white in this game is to be less "apologetic" with your play.  Plays like 182 and 202 can make a big difference in a close game - it only takes a little reading in these situations to be confident in the best move.  Earlier on, plays like D17 (#30) give black an easy game with a big moyo in exchange for a relatively small corner. At move 84, you wonder about being too greedy after forming a thick wall - it was this wall that helped win the game by dominating the center.  Since black had chosen a big center game early on, the sequence around #80 was very good for white.

Tactically your moves appear to be sound, so be more bold and I think you will find yourself winning a few more games :)  I hope you have enjoyed reading my comments, and have found something new to think about to improve your game.

Best wishes, Mark

weiqi5 [7k\]: thanks for the game!
Stawrogin [8k\]: thanks good game])
(;B[hl]))
(;W[rs]
(;B[rr];W[ps];B[rq];W[qs])
(;B[ps];W[rr])))
(;W[bb]
(;B[cd];W[de];B[ca];W[bc];B[ba];W[ab];B[bd];W[be];B[ad];W[ae]
;B[da];W[ce])
(;B[bc];W[cd];B[bd];W[be])))
(;W[aj]
(;B[dh];W[bk]
(;B[al];W[ch])
(;B[ch];W[al];B[ci];W[bj];B[ah];W[cl]))
(;B[ch];W[bk];B[al];W[cg];B[dh];W[bg];B[ah];W[ag];B[ak];W[ai]
)))
(;W[gh];B[jh];W[ih]
(;B[ef];W[ee];B[fe];W[ff])
(;B[ff];W[eh];B[hg];W[hh];B[ig]
(;W[gn];B[eo];W[en];B[do];W[co];B[dn];W[dm];B[fn];W[em];B[fm]
;W[fl];B[gm];W[gl])
(;W[fn]
(;B[eo];W[ep];B[fp];W[fo])
(;B[ep];W[eo];B[gn];W[gm];B[fo];W[en];B[rq]))
(;W[qq];B[fn];W[fl];B[em];W[dl];B[dm];W[cm];B[el];W[ek];B[gm]
;W[gl];B[do];W[co]))))
(;W[id];B[ff];W[df]C[buckyyowza: Now black is very thick, but white can run through the center or try to live small on the upper side.  This is a fight, but it is over black's moyo so any gains will be good for white.]
))
(;W[qo]
(;B[rq];W[pl])
(;B[po];W[pn];B[qp];W[oo];B[pp];W[qn])))
