(;FF[4]GM[1]SZ[19]ST[2]CA[UTF-8]AP[SGFC:1.15]

GN[A good game.sgf]
PB[Guest#494]
PW[Guest#495]
KM[5.5]
DT[2003-12-10]
PC[MSN Gaming Zone - Zen (5k or stronger) Table 2]
RE[?]
RU[Japanese]
US[Zone]

C[Dear Reviewer,

This is a game that I played online with one of my friend. I think it is an enjoyable game because both of us spend a long time thinking about each move.

I played white and at the end I lost by 4 points.

I am especially interested in two things in the game:

1) Why does my stones in the lower left turn out so weak? How could I improve my situation?

2) Is it correct to "kakari" the right corner before answering black's kakari on my lower left?

I am interested to join IGS and we would like to know what "rank" to set for ourselves. Based on this game, could you give some suggestions?

Thank you!

Sam Hui]PL[B];B[pd];W[dp];B[pq];W[dd];B[fq]C[I believe that Black should defend his right corner by Q5 or R5 before he "kakari". (I think I got this information from some go books).

DR: many moves are possible in this situation. For example: R9 or Q9 is the famous chinese opening (low or high respectivly), which aims at creating a large moyo for black. The two moves you recomend are good if you like to have some secure territory from the begining. The move played is also good and is a move I would play myself. C10 or D10 are also possible, if you don;t like white to make a san-ren-sei formation. In general opening is a matter of taste.]
;W[po]C[So I go for Q5 first before defending left corner. Is this correct play?

DR: your play is ok, if you like it :-)  This move means that you don't like to be submissive and answer the moves of your opponent: "he attacks my corner, I will attack his. He goes his way, I will go my way".]
;B[oo]
(;W[pp]C[I do not know the "Joseki" for this so I just try something.

DR: There are many josekis. The choice of joseki depends on the situation. The one you chose seems like is going to work for your oponent more than it works for you. It will give black a wall facing left and for white some territory at the right side. Black has already the F3 stone and having a wall at the bottom right facing it, is just perfect for him. At the same time, white's prospects on the right side are reduced by the presense of the Q16 stone. So maybe your choise of joseki is not the best.
See the variation for an alternative.
It must also be said that black's choise of attaching from the outside with P5 was wise for the same reason's as above.]
;B[op];W[qq];B[oq];W[qr]LB[pn:A]C[DR: this move gives the chance to black to play "A" and confine white to the corner. See the variation on the next move. And it gives white very little (it is small). Avoid such moves in the opening! You should play "A" yourself instead.]

(;B[cn]LB[pn:A][eo:C][fo:B]C[DR: Except "A", "B" or "C" building a big moyo is a better use of the P3 wall for Black.]
;W[eo];B[cq]
(;W[dq]C[DR: The C3 move gave white the chance to reduce a little the power of the P3 wall but this is not the correct way. White should block from the other side. See the variation.]
;B[cp]
(;W[gp]C[Is G4 the right move?

DR: Hard to say. It wants to keep black low. Ithink playing  a forcing move at E7 first and then attack the lone stone with H3 might be better. See variation.]

(;B[gq]C[DR: As Black I would play J4. This uses the P3 wall well. See variation. Then he will use the F3 stone sacrifising it to the best way.]
;W[hp];B[hq]C[Now I do not know how to answer this. I am afraid that if I play J4, Black will end up gaining a lot of territory in the lower middle.

DR: On the contrary! It will give black "little" territory, reducing the power of the P3 wall and building power facing the center at the same time. J4 is VERY important!]
;W[cj]C[So I just play somewhere else. I believe C10 is a big point.

DR: Yes, but J4 is very important as I said before. And it is sente. So, you will get the chance to play at a big point later.]
;B[ip]C[Again, I do not know how to answer this "hane". I think I should answer J5 but I am afraid that Black would gain more and more territory in the middle and start to move to the center. 

DR: J4 was very importand for both. Black gains more and more territory in the middle and start to move to the center, just because you let him do so!]

(;W[dm]C[I play D7 because of 2 reasons:

1) I learn from somewhere that both D7 adn G4 are important points in this situation.

2) I try to link the lower group with the stone in C10 in case it went under attack.

DR: OK. But play J5 first. Because of Black J4 the lower white group is already weak and can come under attack. So E7 instead of D7 is better shape for it. Imagine the sequence: Black D6-W E6-B E7 at some point later.]
;B[fp];W[fo]C[I think the situation would be very bad for me if Black cut me at G5. Luckily he did not.

DR: the cut he chose is much more severe for white :-)];B[dn]
;W[fm];B[en];W[fn];B[em]
(;W[dl]C[DR: This is bad. Leting Black E8 is unbearable. E8 was the only move.]
;B[el]
(;W[dk]C[DR: Also bad. This move does not help white in any way. It gives no territory (the are under it is open and black has the C6 stone), it builds no power, it does nothing for the weak white group at F7. In other words D9 is a useless move.

Making some shape with H6 would be heplfull for the weak white group.]
;B[fl];W[hn]C[DR: Good. But now this group will come under severe attack.]
;B[ho];W[go];B[io];W[hm];B[gl];W[jm]C[I am kind of worried about this group now. I try to escape to the center

DR: Better late than never :-) Now this group is "heavy". It has grown up very big to afford to lose it, it has no eye shape, it will be a trouble for white saving it and a source of joy and profit for black attacking it.]
;B[gm];W[gn];B[pn];W[qn];B[pm]LB[qm:A]C[DR: Black missed the double hane tesuji  at "A" :-)]
;W[jc]C[I don't know what is the best thing to do right now so I just take another major point.

DR: Hey! the D3 group is in trouble! how about helping it? Also Black R7is very big and disastrous for White.
There is a go proverb: "Play urgent moves before big moves!". J9 is an urget move. R7 is a big move too (i think bigger than K17, but J9 comes first, according to proverb).]
;B[qm];W[rn]
(;B[jk]C[DR: see variation.];W[ik]C[Since I think Black's K9 is an attempt to enclose and kill my group. I touch his stone hoping that my group would be strength in the process and maybe get two eyes.

DR: Good!];B[ij];W[hk]C[I want to make his two stones being disconnected from his main group.

DR: Black failed to attack this group properly and let it escape too easily. See variations for examples of attack.

One importand thing to know about attack is: When attacking you goal is not killing the attacked group but make profit for yourself. This profit can be either territory or power which can be used for attacking something else. If you manage killing in the process, good for you, but don't try too hard to kill]
;B[jj];W[hj]C[I hope to connect my stones to the left side group at F10 afterwards.]
;B[rm];W[rp]
(;B[fj]C[DR: Black's attack is not correct. F10 does not give him anything! H11, forcing white to escape, but get nothing in the process of escaping, was better. See variation.]
;W[nc]C[I don't know what to do with my weak group, and I am afriad that if I play H11 or something like that , then black would play N17 and the whole upper right would belong to black]
;B[gi];W[qf]C[DR: taking care of the endangered group with H11 was urgent. Nothing else can be as important as that now.]

(;B[oe]C[DR: black is nice to you. H11 shutting the white group in was very severe. See variation.]
;W[qc];B[qd];W[pc];B[qh];W[pg]C[Now I am thinking that if I can kill the three black stone in the upper right and make more territory on the top and maybe somehow I can save my weak group

DR: You are only creating more weak groups! Now Q13 is another weak group. On the variations I give examples of possible attacks.]

(;B[ph]C[Black is nice to you again. See variation.]
(;W[og]C[DR: O13 is faster.];B[me];W[mg];B[ke];W[kg]C[at this point I think I maybe able to connect my weak group with the stones in L13 etc.

DR: See variation.]
(;B[ie]C[Black is nice to you again :-)];W[hi]
(;B[jg]C[DR: "Don't touch the stones you want to attack!"];W[jh]
;B[kh];W[ih]
(;B[ig]C[At this point, I was thinking about escaping at G12, and then I think maybe I can try to kill the four black stones at the center

DR: good thinking. By the way, black L11 instead of J13 was better.]
;W[lh];B[ki];W[ll];B[li];W[mi];B[mj]C[The middle black stones are escaping and I do not know how to enclose them.]
;W[nj];B[ni];W[nh]C[I make it a ko instead of connecting because I think since I have a weak group a "ko" may help me to save it and also a "ponnuki" shape might help my grou pis 11-14 L-R.]
;B[mh];W[fk];B[lg];W[ek];B[gk];W[gj];B[hh];W[gh];B[hg];W[fi]
;B[ff]C[DR: wrong direction. M17 H17 C17  are possible (in this order of preference by me)]
;W[gc];B[df];W[ce];B[nl];W[ko]C[I try to reduce Blacks lower middle territory]

(;B[kp]C[DR: L3 is safer.];W[lp];B[lo];W[jp];B[kq];W[jo];B[jq]
;W[mo];B[ln];W[in];B[iq];W[mn];B[mp];W[lq];B[mq];W[lr]
(;B[kr]C[DR: Black is nice to you! See variation. L7 is the correct move.]
;W[mr];B[nr];W[lm];B[lc];W[nm];B[om];W[ol];B[nk];W[ge];B[gf]
;W[cg];B[cf];W[bf];B[de];W[cd];B[dg];W[ch];B[bl];W[bk];B[cm]
;W[cl];B[bm];W[cr];B[br];W[er];B[do];W[ep];B[fr];W[od];B[nd]
;W[oc];B[pe];W[nf];B[ne];W[mc];B[ld];W[rc];B[rd];W[sd];B[se]
;W[sc];B[rf];W[sm];B[sl];W[sn];B[rk];W[bs];B[bq];W[ee];B[ef]
;W[fe];B[he];W[hd];B[ii];W[mk];B[lk];W[ml];B[oj];W[lb];B[kb]
;W[mb];B[kc];W[jb];B[jd];W[ic];B[kl];W[km];B[dh];W[di];B[eh]
;W[ei];B[fh];W[jl];B[kk];W[os];B[or];W[pr];B[ns];W[ps];B[nn]
;W[mm];B[no];W[ka];B[hs];W[kn];B[ak];W[aj];B[bo];W[hl];B[al]
;W[ks];B[js];W[ls];B[gg];W[gi];B[es];W[ds];B[fs];W[eq];B[ar]
;W[cs];B[as];W[dr];B[id];W[md];B[ms];W[lo];B[oh]C[DR: About giving a rank estimation: try 15k. At this level ranks may vary a lot and you can also improve very fast. Your strength is  +- 3 stones.]
)
(;B[km]
(;W[lm];B[kn];W[jn];B[kl])
(;W[kl];B[jn])))
(;B[kq]))
(;B[ki];W[jf];B[lg];W[kf];B[lf];W[je];B[jd];W[if];B[hf];W[ig]
;B[kd];W[id];B[ic];W[hd];B[hc];W[gd];B[kc]))
(;B[ih];W[hh];B[ig];W[jf];B[je];W[if];B[hf];W[hg];B[kh];W[ii]
;B[jh];W[ji];B[ki];W[kj];B[lj];W[kk];B[lk];W[kl];B[kf]C[Black has gain a hudge territory by eating the R14 group and can still invade either the top or the left. Besides the central white group is not 100% alive (in the future a sequence like B H8, W J8, B J6 W J7 reducing to one eye is possible. now this does not workr be cause white can still escape with G14 etc.).]
))
(;B[hi];W[if];B[ie];W[je];B[jd];W[jf];B[kd];W[id];B[ic];W[hd]
;B[kc];W[jb];B[ib]))
(;W[ng]))
(;B[nd]C["If you want to attack on the west move to the east!" says the asian wisdom.]
;W[mc];B[ng];W[ph];B[qi];W[oi];B[mi];W[ok];B[qk];W[mj];B[lj]
;W[mk];B[hi];W[kl];B[lk];W[ll];B[ml]
(;W[nl];B[mm];W[nm];B[mn];W[ni];B[mh];W[re];B[rd];W[rg];B[rh]
;W[sf];B[qg];W[of];B[nf];W[qe];B[pi];W[oh];B[oj];W[pj];B[pk]
;W[nj];B[ol]C[maybe this is a better attack than the other variation. Both groups killed and white can resign.]
;W[ko];B[kq];W[lp];B[lq];W[mp];B[nn];W[mq];B[mr];W[nr];B[lr]
;W[nq];B[or];W[om];B[pl];W[ln];B[hl];W[jn];B[lm];W[km];B[mo]
;W[il];B[in];W[im]C[still dead])
(;W[mm];B[nl];W[nm];B[ol];W[on];B[mo];W[ln];B[lo];W[kn];B[ko]
;W[in];B[jl];W[il];B[hl]C[also dead])))
(;B[hi];W[jl];B[hl];W[il];B[in];W[im];B[mk];W[ko];B[kq];W[lm]
;B[nm];W[kk];B[kj];W[lk];B[lj];W[ml];B[nl];W[mo];B[mm];W[mn]
;B[ll];W[kl];B[ln];W[km];B[jn];W[kn];B[lp];W[lo];B[mq]C[finished! The Q16 stone can live even if it is attacked a third time.]
;W[oe];B[qc]C[the];W[rd];B[rc];W[pb];B[qb];W[ob];B[re];W[rf]
;B[qd];W[qi]))
(;B[hi];W[fj];B[gi];W[fk]TR[gi][hi][ij][jj][jk]C[this power can be used later to invade the top. Also helps in creating a hudge moyo at the right side. For example now Black K15 is a good strategy.]
;B[je];W[nc];B[ne]))
(;B[ik];W[jk];B[jj];W[kk];B[kj];W[lk];B[il];W[jn];B[ko];W[lm]
;B[jl];W[kl];B[kn];W[km];B[ml];W[mj];B[oi];W[mh];B[og];W[kh]
;B[ih];W[lf];B[df]C[the white group is not 100% secure yet.]
;W[ij];B[hj];W[ii];B[hi];W[ji];B[ch];W[bm];B[cm];W[cl];B[bn]
;W[bk];B[bi];W[al];B[fd]))
(;W[hn]))
(;W[el];B[dl];W[dk];B[cl];W[fk]))
(;W[io];B[jo];W[jp];B[iq];W[jn];B[ko];W[in]))
(;B[ip];W[gq];B[dr];W[er];B[cr];W[fr];B[pn]C[The F3 stone and the territory it gave white is very very small.]
))
(;W[em];B[dl];W[hq]C[Now black should give up the F3 stone.]
;B[jq];W[ho]
(;B[jo])
(;B[pn]C[The F3 stone still has good potential for Black.])))
(;W[cp];B[dq];W[go];B[hp];W[ho];B[ip];W[dj]LB[jn:B][pn:A]C[building a wall of his own facing upwards. the fact that white has a stone at the upper left increases the effect of this wall. Instead of D10 a play at the urgent point "A" might be better. Later "B" is a big point for both sides (junction point of the two moyos).]
))
(;B[pn]C["Play at the head of two stones" says the proverb.]
;W[qn];B[qm]C[the "double hane tesuji". Very powerful in this situation.]
;W[rn];B[rm];W[pm];B[on];W[pl];B[qk];W[pk];B[qj]TR[pk][pl][pm]
C[this way white is confined in the corner and has a very strong wallfacing the right. Also the three marhed stones are weak. And there is a weakness at S5 (black can enter S5 and cause trouble later).]

(;W[rp])
(;W[pj];B[ro];W[qo];B[sn];W[qp];B[qi])))
(;W[on];B[op];W[pm]))
