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

GN[TOTAL(W) - onagato(B) on WING]
PB[onagato]
BR[ 8k*]
PW[TOTAL]
WR[16k*]
KM[7.5]
DT[2003-01-27]
PC[WING: wing.gr.jp 1515]
RE[B+5.5]
TM[600]
US[Brought to you by WING]

;B[ff]C[Question zero
when did white's unfavourable situation start how could it be avoided (the last chance, if possible)


Question 1
Did the black make any mistakes and how could white take advantage of it?

laver: Hi, I am 7k, and I will be glad of commenting your match.


laver: usually on 9x9 matches, the 4-4 point is avoided as initial move. This is because there are few points one can get in the center, so it is better to focus on corners.
Hoshi is in 3-3 points, but also other moves are playable.
Most of times, a stones is placed on the third line.]
(;W[dd]C[laver: same comment as before. I think it is better to play C7, for instance, later threatening G3. The thick wall black would build following the traditional joseki will be pretty much useless (see variation).]
;B[fc]C[laver: komoku (3-4 point) is better tha 4-4, but the weakness at g3 is huge for black.]

(;W[cf]C[Q2
it seems to me that c4 left too much territory open, nevertheless wider placement would enable black's threat of breakthru and even more successful attack on the sides. any better move? why?

G3 is less playable than in the variation, since D6 can be attacked more easily than C7.
I think C3 is playable. Black can hardly keep the two stones separated. The variation shows just an example, if have specific questions on this please ask me.
D3 also is playable: you will get the same configuration as black.

I don't like C4, since the two stones seem to me a bit overconcentrated: they claim very little territory.]
;B[db]C[laver: with this move black takes the top. What will white take?]
;W[ed]C[laver: Answer: nothing!!
There is a go proverb saying: "Don't threat to cut, but simply cut!"
This peep will give black secure territory on the top right corner, while giving almost nothing to white.]
;B[fd];W[eb]C[laver: white is fighting for very few points. If I were in black, I would play something like E3 to protect the corner, threatening C3-C2.
White has to keep in mind that black has made very light moves in the beginning, leaving the weakness in G3.
If White does not take advantage of that, black will win by sure, since his moves claim much more territory.]
;B[ec]C[laver: Black responds, so White has the opportunity to switch to G3 or F3, for instance.]
;W[cb]C[laver: White continues the sequence. At the end, Black seems bigger at the top, so keeping sente will be essential for White to make up for the disadvantage by playing first at the bottom.]
;B[dc];W[cc]C[laver: Aargh! White ends up in gote!];B[ee]C[laver: This move by black is not urgent. Since White is now safe on the left, I would play G3, for instance. I propose a variation to let you see the power of that move.
White will win by one point, without komi.]
(;W[de];B[eg]C[laver: black plays first at the bottom. I think the game is over here.]
;W[ch];B[ca];W[ge]C[Q3
which move made white's offensive inefficient?

Q5 when did it become apparently doomed to failure and how do you know?

laver: The invasion comes too late now. G3 was the weak point, but now it has been protected by E3.]

(;B[fe]C[laver: WOW, black's reply is really submissive.
By sure G4 is much better ang gives no hope at all to White (see variation)]
;W[hg]C[laver: good! Do you see now the importance of black G4?]
;B[gg]C[laver: the only thing Black can do, but White now has a lot of space...]
;W[hh];B[hf];W[gh];B[gf]C[laver: White has made one big move in sente.
D1 or F1 connect. (see variation)]
(;W[eh]C[laver: nooo! Now Black can cut. Anyway, I think White is alive in the corner.]
;B[dh]
(;W[dg]C[laver: what about F2? White threatens to live with E1 or to cut with D3 (see variations).
Now the match is over. Due to the very bad move at F5, Black gave White the change to come back, but this chance has been wasted by White.

The rest of the match is just some side enclosures and a hopeless attempt to live in the corner, not worhty of any further comment, I guess.]
;B[fh];W[di];B[fi];W[ba];B[da];W[bb];B[ei];W[dh];B[ef];W[gi]
;B[fg];W[if];B[ie];W[ig];B[ii];W[he];B[hd];W[id];B[hc];W[ic]
;B[ib];W[ie];B[gb];W[df]
C[
laver: I had a look at your rank, and I think you played quite well w.r.t. your strength.
I don't know if you are used to play 9x9 matches, but keep in mind what follows:
- best strategical points are 3-3 and 3-4 and 3-5. Take them in the opening.4-4 and 5-4 make sense only in wider boards.
- Try to plant your flag on unclaimed territory. This is extremely important in games on wider boards, such as 19x19, but even in 9x9 games it is not a minor issue. For example, in this game Black won because he claimed first the bottom.
- The center is basically worthless in 9x9 games. So, play low and solid. Once you are alive,don't jump to the center, but extend to the side or create another group.
Influence makes sense only if you plan to kill some group.
This is much different w.r.t. 19x19 games.

Hope my comments will be of some use for you.
Let me know if have any further questions.])
(;W[fh]
(;B[dg];W[ei];B[cg];W[bg];B[bh];W[ah];B[ci];W[be];B[ig];W[ih]
)
(;B[di];W[dg];B[df];W[cg])))
(;W[fi];B[ei];W[eh];B[fh];W[di]))
(;B[gf];W[fe];B[ef];W[gd];B[gc];W[hc];B[hb];W[gb];B[hd]))
(;W[gg];B[gf];W[fg];B[eg];W[eh];B[dh];W[fh];B[dg];W[hf];B[he]
;W[hg];B[bg];W[bf];B[af];W[cg];B[ch];W[ae];B[ag];W[be];B[bh]
;W[ie];B[hd];W[id];B[ic];W[if];B[hc];W[da];B[fb];W[ea];B[fa]
;W[ca];B[de];W[cd];B[ce];W[di];B[ci];W[ei];B[df];W[ac]TW[aa]
[ab][ad][ba][bb][bc][bd][fi][gh][gi][hh][hi][ig][ih][ii]TB[ah]
[ai][bi][ef][fe][ga][gb][gc][gd][ge][ha][hb][ia][ib]))
(;W[cg];B[cf];W[df];B[ce];W[de];B[cd];W[cc];B[bc];W[bb];B[cb]
;W[dc];B[ba];W[bd];B[ab];W[bf]))
(;W[cc];B[cf];W[gg];B[fg];W[gf];B[ge];W[he]
(;B[gd];W[hd];B[gc];W[fh];B[eh];W[gh];B[dg];W[ec]MA[ab][bb]
[cb][db][da][ca][ba][aa][hf][if][hg][ig][hh][ih][ii][hi][gi]
[ie]SQ[ch][ci][bh][bi][ai][ah][ag][bg][cg]C[laver: white has 18 points, while black has 9 points.
Black will gain some extra points from his influence, but I think this won't be enough.]
)
(;B[hd];W[gd];B[fe];W[hf];B[gc];W[fh];B[eh];W[gh];B[dc];W[ec]
;B[fd];W[db];B[dd];W[fb];B[bd];W[bc];B[cd];W[ei];B[dh];W[di]
;B[ci];W[fi];B[ch];W[ad];B[ae];W[ac];B[be];W[gb];B[hb];W[ha]
;B[ib];W[id];B[ie];W[if];B[hc];W[ed];B[ee];W[fc];B[ic];W[ie]
;B[gd];W[ga];B[ia]TW[aa][ab][ba][bb][ca][cb][da][ea][eb][fa]
[gi][hg][hh][hi][ig][ih][ii]TB[af][ag][ah][ai][bf][bg][bh][bi]
[ce][cg][de][df][dg][ef][eg])))
