(;FF[4]GM[1]SZ[9]AP[SGFC:1.13b]

PB[Unknown]
PW[John Sullivan]
WR[30 Kyu]
KM[5.5]
RE[B+]

C[9x9 games are a fine way to start playing Go.  They are quick
and you can get a lot more games played that way.  This small
of a board removes a lot of the strategy in Go, however.  Move
up to 13x13 and 19x19 as soon as you can.  It is best to play
a variety of sizes right from the start, not focus on 9x9.

Also, I don't know who played black.  It is helpful to play as
many different opponents as you can.  Each person will have a
different style and you will learn more by being exposed to many
players.  Computers are OK as opponents, but they are not a great
substitute for playing a human.
Reviewed by Steve Carder S_Carder@compuserve.com on May 20, 2000
[cricket: totally agree! Good suggestions. Later in the review, I'll keep variation comments within the variation, rather than at the root node.\]

[cricket: overall a good review, with good suggestions for white to learn from.  The only caution is to be careful of variations that are faulty. Go just deep enough to illustrate the point, but not so deep that you end up teaching something wrong. I had to learn this myself when a student often questioned my suggestion when he found a refutation. It was wonderful to see he was studying and learning, but embarassing that I hadn't provided better instruction.\]]
;B[ee]SQ[gg][fg][gf]C[This is an unusual start for black.  Generally one starts near
a corner, like at one of the squares.

[cricket: however, in 9x9, this flexible move is a great way to start for Black, and is quite reasonable and common. My own favorite first move.\]]
;W[dc];B[fg]
(;W[fc]TR[dg][cf]SQ[gd]C[This is too close to white's other stone.  In the beginning it
is best to spread stones out to "sketch in" areas of potential
territory.  Later, each side will fill in the "sketch" with real
lines of stones.   Playing at the square still starts to take
the upper right corner, but it also undermines black's center
stone.  Playing at one of the triangles starts to take the lower
left corner.
See the variation.
[cricket: yup, very good advice\]];B[ce]
(;W[cd]SQ[ge]C[This is rather passive.  Playing at the square is better since
it is still connected to the upper right corner, but pushes into
black's area better.   A more difficult move would be to invade
black's lower left corner.  See the variation for an example
invasion
[cricket: agree with the comment.  Invading should be possible on the c3 point, but g5 or similar seems best to provoke a response.\]]
;B[be]
(;W[bd]SQ[ge]C[The square is still the best place for either person to play.
See the variation for a possible way for white to win by playing
there now instead of at eight.

[cricket: agree\]];B[ge]TR[ai][bi][ci][di][ei][fi][gi][hi][ii]
[ih][hh][gh][fh][eh][dh][ch][bh][ah][ag][bg][cg][dg][eg][gg]
[hg][ig][if][hf][gf][ff][ef][df][cf][bf][af]SQ[ic][ib][ia][ha]
[hb][hc][gc][gb][ga][fa][fb][eb][ea][da][db][cc][cb][ca][ba]
[bb][bc][ac][ab][aa]C[This move puts white behind by a large margin.  At this point
white can expect to get the 24 spaces marked with squares while
black can expect to get the 35 spaces marked with triangles.
This sort of estimated score is important to do in your mind
regularly throughout the game.  Now white would need to do something
drastic to win.  A desperate invasion might work
[cricket: totally agree. c3 shouldn't be too desperate, but even if it is desperate, it is necessary at this point.\]]

(;W[gd]C[[cricket: even though the invasion doesn't work, not trying for it with crossed fingers, and playing this instead, basically gives up on the game by white.\]]
;B[hd];W[hc];B[fd]
(;W[gc]C[This is a nice solid response, but a riskier response may be
in order since white is behind.  See the variation.];B[he];W[ed]
;B[fe];W[de]TR[id]SQ[ae]C[I would save this move and play at the square first.  Move 18
probably loses Sente while playing at the square does not.  Playing
at the triangle does lose Sente for white, so save that for after
playing at 18.  In the end game, play all of your Sente moves
first, then play a Gote move

[cricket: agree. c3 may yet be playable. White is consolidating a loss right now\]]
;B[df];W[dd];B[cf]C[I don't think that black needs to connect here, so black should
play somewhere else instead.

[cricket: probably true, but with the lead, this is a reasonable move for safety, totally ending any mischief white could try\]]
;W[dg]C[This is a bit late to make an invasion.  It probably won't hurt
to try, but it would be more likely to work if started before
black has such solid line of stones.

[cricket: absolutely! right on!\]];B[eg];W[cg];B[bg];W[bh];B[ah]
;W[ci];B[ad]C[Black has decided that the invading stones can't live.  He thus
plays elsewhere rather than waste another move on them.  I agree
that they are dead unless black really makes a big mistake.]
;W[ac]C[If you are serious about the invasion, you could ignore black's
move and keep trying to make your stones live.  If you agree
that they are dead, it is OK to give up on them at this time.
Just be sure you played here because you know they are dead,
not as a reflex response to black.

[cricket: very good suggestion for future reference to the player\]]
;B[ae];SQ[bc][id]C[White passes

White should play at one of the squares if he wants to finish
out the end game.

[cricket: yes. I think I remember as a beginner being frustrated seeing the game as lost, but yet unfinished, and so I would pass prematurely\]]

(;B[ic]C[[cricket: it might be worth pointing out to white how not following the previous suggestion now loses 3points. I'll add a variation or two to illustrate\]]
;W[ib];B[id];W[hb];W[eh]C[It is unusual to go back to these stones after abandoning them
a few moves ago.  If you thought that they still had potential
you should have continued with them then.  If you know they are
dead then you can't accomplish anything with this move.

[cricket: yup, quite true. \]];B[fh];W[di];B[dh]SQ[bc]C[Someone should play at the square to be really finsihed with
the end game.  Since black is a head by a large margin, it isn't
really critical to do this however.

This game go off to a poor start for white in the opening.  After
that it was almost impossible for white to catch up.  It is important
to make frequent estimates of how much potential territory players
have.  Once you are obviously behind it is often too late to
react.

[cricket: yes, very good. Summed up nicely. White needs to assess the situation and play appropriately while time is still available.\]]
)
(;W[id]C[[cricket: had white played here as suggested...\]]
;B[ie];W[ic]TR[hb][ib][ie]C[[cricket: note the difference in this and the position in the game. White has gained the two points at H8 & J8 and denied black the point at J5, for a total of 3 points.\]]
))
(;W[he];B[gc];W[id];B[gd];W[hf]
(;B[hg]C[[cricket: black shouldn't play against the weak stones. These white stones will be challenged to live. I put a variation in on previos node.\]]
;W[gf];B[ff];W[gg];B[gh];W[hh];B[hi];W[ig];B[fh]C[This exchange allows white to live in the corner but lets black
break into the upper side.  It is hard to tell if white will
come out ahead, but desperate times call for desperate measures.]
)
(;B[gb];W[gg];B[fh];W[gh];B[hh];W[gi];B[ie];W[if];B[gf];W[hg]
;B[ih];W[hb];B[ha])))
(;W[hf]C[[cricket: a very difficult place to live. How about the wider space at c3? I'll look at it in a variation on previous node\]]
;B[he];W[gf];B[ff];W[gh];B[gg];W[hg];B[fh];W[gi];B[if];W[ig]
;B[ie];W[fi];B[ei];W[hh];B[ii]C[This keeps white from making two eyes in the corner.]
;W[eh]C[Black normally would connect here to prevent this atari.]
;B[dh];W[di];B[ci];W[ei];B[ch];W[eg];B[ef];W[dg];B[df]SQ[cg]
C[Black should play at the square here.];W[cg];B[bg];W[bh];B[ah]
;W[bi];B[cf]C[This reqires black to make some mistakes, so it may not work.]
)
(;W[cg]TR[be]C[[cricket: the b5 stone may make this invasion no longer workable. but, I'll look at a few variations to verify if White can live, or if Black can kill.\]]
;B[df]
(;W[bf]
(;B[af]C[[cricket: this seems to help white, so black can't kill this way\]]
;W[ag];B[ae];W[bh];B[dh];W[dg];B[eg];W[ch];B[ei];W[cf])
(;B[ae];W[bh]
(;B[dg];W[dh];B[eh];W[ci])
(;B[dh]C[[cricket: this seems to finish white, so perhaps even now the invasion is too late.]

(;W[dg]
(;B[eg];W[ch];B[ei];W[ag])
(;B[eh]C[[cricket: this seems an obscure move, but here it seems to work\]]
;W[ch];B[ag];W[af];B[cf];W[bg];B[ci]))
(;W[ch];B[ag];W[af];B[cf];W[bg];B[dg]))))
(;W[dg];B[eg]
(;W[eh];B[fh];W[di];B[bh];W[bg];B[ch])
(;W[bf];B[ae];W[eh];B[fh];W[di];B[bh];W[ch];B[bg]))))
(;W[ge];B[bd];W[gg]C[White is giving up the upper left corner in exchange for the
lower right.  This can be a better strategy than just reacting
defensively to black

[cricket: agree. good general advice.\]];B[cc];W[dd]C[[cricket: rather than speculating on so many moves deep in a variation, perhaps get to where your point is illustrated, then stop and return to the main line.\]]
;B[gh];W[hh];B[fh];W[ff];B[ef]SQ[hg]C[Black could also play at the square and atari white]
;W[de];B[df];W[cb];B[bc];W[fe];B[ed];W[ec];B[fd];W[gd];B[bb]
;W[db];B[ca]
(;W[hg]C[This is an important cutting point to protect.  It is worth letting
black have an extra move on the upper side to defend here.  In
fact it would have been wise for white to defend here sooner
and let black have a bit more in the upper left.];B[da];W[ea]
;B[ba];W[gi];B[fi];W[hi]
(;B[eg]C[Black needs to play here.  See the variation for what happens
if black jus passes this turn.
This gives a score of
Black 22
White 22])
(;B[tt]C[Black passes, thinking that the game is over with black ahead
by one point...];W[eg];B[eh];W[dg]TR[fd][ed][ee][ef][df]C[The stones marked with triangles are in atari]
;B[cf];W[dh]SQ[fi][gh][fh][fg][eh]C[Now the stones marked with squares are dead and black has lost
the game.]))
(;W[da];B[hg];W[gf];B[ih];W[hf];B[hi];W[if]C[See how this result is worse for white than if the cutting point
was protected])))
(;W[df]C[[cricket: the c3 point is more common, and should easily live. it also is a chance to illustrate a common invasion technique. The d4 move can be dangerous under other circumstances, and I'm not sure I like it here myself.\]]
;B[de]C[Black has to play here to keep white from pushing out to his
other stones at the top];W[ef]C[[cricket: very heavy. White can get captured playing this way. c3 may still be playable to keep the white stones alive. As the line proceeds, I think white is dead.\]]
;B[ff]C[Again black plays to contain white];W[cf];B[bf]C[Now the race to make two eyes begins.  This would never work
if white was on the third line.];W[bg]
(;B[be]SQ[bf]C[Black has to play here to prevent white from capturing the marked
stone.  See the variation.];W[eh]SQ[eg]C[Playing down here rather than at the square is better.  This
moves has more potential to break out into the lower right corner.]
;B[eg];W[dg];B[dh];W[cg];B[fh];W[ch]SQ[eh]C[white is forced to sacrifice the marked stone.  A sacrifice is
often a good strategy if it allows a bigger group to live.]
;B[ei]
(;W[bi]SQ[ag][ci]C[This is an important place to start making two eyes.  White needs
to cut the corner into two eyes and this does the job better
than either of the squares.  See the variation.];B[ag]C[[cricket: black would finish white with a2\]]
;W[ah];B[af];W[ci]C[This is one way for white to live.  White has only two points
of territory, but the main purpose of this invasion was to destroy
black's corner territory.])
(;W[ci];B[ah]C[[cricket: white is already dead, and this isn't even necessary yet.\]]
;W[ag];B[ai]C[White is dead now.  There is no way to make two eyes here.  Even
if white captures the two black stones, it will still leave just
one eye.]))
(;B[eg];W[be];B[dg];W[af];B[cg];W[bf];B[bd];W[ch];B[dh];W[ci]
;B[di];W[ah]SQ[bh]C[Playing here rather than at the square is critical.  White has
very little eye space and needs to divide it into two sections
to serve as two eyes.  If black plays at 24 then white dies.

Here white lives with four points of territory and black has
lost a stone.  This is a better result for white than the main
variation])))
(;W[gd];B[ce]
(;W[gf]C[White has a foot-hold in both upper corners.  A move towards
the lower corner is now in order.  If white plays one line further
down, black will play at the marked stone and try to cut white
off.
See the variation.

[cricket: no mark appears at this node\]];B[gg];W[ff]SQ[gf]
C[This strengthens the white's marked stone and forces black to
play a purely defensive move.

[cricket: the marked stone can be left alone and the invasion of c3 or similar could be made now.\]]
;B[ef];W[bd]SQ[cd]C[This is another attempt for force a defensive move from black.
Things get more complicated if black plays at the square instead.

[cricket: this might be a good place to stop, having illustrated your point.  Black should be feeling behind, so the marked move at c6 might be preferred. But rather than get into all that, just return to the main line now that it's obvious that white should play over a broader area sooner.\]]
;B[be];W[cd];B[dd]C[This is not a great move for black because he loses the initiative
(ie Sente) when he has to defend this stone next turn

[cricket: agree, but then why play this in a teaching variation? It can be confusing to show new players "bad" moves.\]]
;W[ed];B[de]
(;W[fd]TR[fd][gd][gf][ff]SQ[ed]C[This move keeps black from playing an atari against the marked
stone.  See the variation.
It also creates a very solid "bamboo joint" connection between
the four stones marked with traingles.];B[fe];W[ge];B[hf];W[he]
;B[hg];W[ae];B[af];W[ad];B[bf];W[if];B[ig];W[ie]C[White wins with a score of
black 25
white 28])
(;W[fe];B[ec];W[fd]C[White has to connect to save the stone.]
;B[cc];W[db]C[White again has to play a purely defensive move.]
;B[bc];W[eb]SQ[cd][bd]C[White knows the marked stones are doomed and tries to salvage
something by catching the black stone.];B[ad]SQ[ec]C[See how the series of ataris allows black to cut white apart.
Note the the original stone played by black is a sacrifice.  Even with losing that stone, black came out well ahead in this
exchange.]))
(;W[gg];B[gf];W[hg];B[hf];W[fh];B[eh]C[[cricket: I added a variation that I think is helpful here\]]

(;W[gh]C[[cricket: this looks really heavy, and doesn't seem like a move that white should learn.  The variation is a better option. This group of white stones looks pretty dead to me.\]]
;B[ig]C[[cricket: this leaves the weakness in blacks's position at e3, and is not necessary to kill the stones. Sometimes the detailed variations are helpful, and sometimes they can confuse the student, depending on how sure you are of the variation.  Last comment for this variation from me.\]]
;W[ih];B[fi]SQ[ig]C[Even though black's marked stone is in atari, white is so busy
trying to make two eyes that he should not bother to capture
it at this time.];W[gi];B[hi]C[This move keeps white from dividing his eye space into two eyes.
If white could play here the group would be alive.  Thus, it
becomes critical for black to play here first.  Most of the time,
if a particular space is a good move for your opponent, it is
a good idea for you to play there first.];W[if];B[ie];W[ig]
;B[he];W[ei];B[di];W[fi];B[dg]TR[ie][he][hf][gf]SQ[ff]C[White is not a live yet, so things don't look so good.  White
could play an atari at the square and then try to capture the
stones marked with triangles, but it will only work if black
makes errors.])
(;W[eg];B[ff];W[dh];B[gh];W[ei];B[hh]C[[cricket: here's a way to show a common sequence, and illustrate how trades can be made. The 2 stones are sacrificed, but the other corner is invaded, and another move there by white will stabilize the invasion stones. It also shows hos black's wall might be hard on the two upper white stones.  Just a thought.\]]
))))
