(;FF[4]GM[1]SZ[9]ST[2]CA[UTF-8]AP[SGFC:1.16]

PB[marioxcc]
BR[28k]
PW[wkelly]
WR[30k]
KM[5.5]
DT[2014-06-24]
PC[OGS: http://online-go.com/game/review/25041]
RE[B+10.5]
RU[Japanese]

;B[ff]C[Thanks in advance for the review.];W[cg]C[White is taking a defensive stance. Let's poke him with a stick and see how he responds.]

(;B[gc]C[Mario: I wasn't very confident with this move (Not that I expect to be 100% sure of all of my moves; I'm aware that that would require the game to be trivial), but I tried to follow the principle of making yourself strong before atacking. G3 would seem like overconcentrated. I considered C7; it would allow white to play at G7 and clamp me from 2 opposite corners, but then I could take the center and make it hard for white to join his 2 groups (See variation); however, that seems more complicated that the branch that I actually choosed; specifically, it seems like I would have had to struggle to make life, what do you think?.


[A nice general rule of thumb is that the less space you have to play in, the harder it is to make life. In this case, it's the same for your opponent. 9x9s are great for improving your tactical ability - don't be afraid to dive in, even if you lose because of it. Lose a lot, learn a lot! :)

A fun training game to try: make a square surrounded by your opponent's stones and try to make life. It's significantly harder than a normal 9x9 or 13x13 or whatever, but it's great practice for making life when your opponent has the (overwhelming) advantage.

G7 isn't aggressive enough. 4-4 is still easily invadable (if you're interested, learn 3-3 invasions, they're the first sequence most people learn I think).]
;W[ee]
(;B[cc]C[[Between your two options, I'd pick this one in this case. White's center play is good to start with, but not when he started with a 3-3. G7 is a passive play, and F4 can become passive. C7 is great in this sense - it's also passive. Don't let white start any fights, and his E5 play becomes a wasted turn. All black has to do is carefully grab territory, and he'll win without much issue.

The variation I added is my personal preference. I like to incite fights because I'm a troublemaker like that ;)\]]
;W[dc]C[[This is called a contact play - responses are well known and understood. The usual message is "hey, let's fight, yeah?" I wouldn't touch a 3-3 stone like this though, and especially not in this position (note that C3 and E5 are not connected. E5 and D7 are loosely connected and in deep enemy territory.\]]

(;B[dd]C[Mario: I intended to cut D7 from connecting to D5 through E5 and at the same time, take the top. Now that seems too ambitious.

[An aggressive play isn't bad here - you have the advantage.\]]
;W[ed]
(;B[ec]C[[Don't be atari greedy - C7 and D6 are too weak\]]
;W[db];B[eb]C[William: I'm new to go and don't know anything about opening theory.  Any general feedback would be much appreciated!

[Don't worry about opening theory in 9x9s. In fact, I think the best play in 9x9s is the center - which is technically a 5th row move! The first 3 moves were actually fairly typical for a 19x19 opening... but you're not in a 19x19. Don't bring a fork to a knife fight!\]]
;W[cb];B[bc]
(;W[fc]C[William: At the time this felt like a good way to isolate G7, but now I don't think it is.  What would have been a better move?

[This doesn't hurt black at all, and makes white's shape weak (cutting point at F6). Notice how easily black attaches under at F8.\]]
;B[fb];W[cd]C[Mario: At this time, I realized that I'd lost D6, but that I could save B7,C7 and that's what I did.

[Don't mind me, I'm just going to try some things out - now things are getting fun :D\]]
;B[de]
(;W[bd];B[bb];W[df];B[da]C[[Save this kind of play for the end game\]]
;W[ce];B[ca];W[dd]
(;B[fd];W[fe];B[fg]C[Mario: This move threatens to make territory in the bottom more than G4. Do you think that it was reckless to play this rather than G4?.]

(;W[gd];B[ge]C[Mario: I left the ko open because I think that this move made it possible to connect my bottom group with the top.]
;W[fc]
(;B[hc];W[gf];B[he]C[[Definite overplay by white and good response by black\]]
;W[gg];B[gh]C[William: I thought here I was going to lose G3 and G4]
;W[fd];B[dh];W[eg];B[eh];W[ch];B[ci];W[ga];B[gb];W[bi];B[di]
;W[bh];B[ad];W[ae];B[ac];W[hd]C[[Black's problem right now is the multitude of cutting points. I think white's attempt for plays in the upper right is correct - that's where his chances of success are. Without all these shape weaknesses, white would probably just resign here.\]]
;B[id];W[hf];B[ie];W[if];B[ic]C[William: Here I hoped to get a seki in the lower right (which I think would have given me the win)

[Try for something in the upper right. Probably not doable there either, but better chance I think.\]]

(;W[hh];B[hi];W[fi]
(;B[fh]
(;W[ih];B[gi];W[dg];B[hg];W[ig];B[ii];W[ef];B[hg];W[tt];B[tt]
C[Good game guys! Hope some of these comments help!])
(;W[ig]C[William: Is this seki?]
(;B[ii];W[gi];B[ei];W[dg];B[gi];W[ef])
(;B[gi];W[dg];B[ii];W[ef])
(;B[ih]C[Mario: This is what I would have done if he moved at J3, and this is how I think that it would have continued.]
;W[ii];B[gi];W[ef];B[ih]
(;W[dg]C[[Why not go for the ko? Black has some nice juicy targets, and you have nothing to lose anyways\]]
;B[hg])
(;W[ba];B[aa];W[ii];B[af];W[dg];B[ih];W[ea];B[fa];W[ii];B[be]
;W[ei];B[bf]))))
(;B[gi]C[Mario: I thought this as an option, but I was affraid that I would run short of liberties and lose my D2 group. After the game ended, I analyzed this option and realized that it *could* have been actually better. Apparently, it makes it easier for black.

[Your original move seems better. Takes away the sente move of E4 for white. In a close fight like this that could make all the difference.\]]
))
(;W[ea];B[fa];W[ha];B[ea]))
(;B[hd]C[Mario: I didn't play this because it leaves too many cutting points for me.]
;W[fd])
(;B[he]C[Mario: What about this instead?.]))
(;W[ge]C[William: I wish I played this instead.  Who would win in the lower right?]
;B[gd]))
(;B[ge])
(;B[eg]))
(;W[df]C[[Clearly won't work but might as well put it in here\]]
;B[ce];W[bd];B[be])
(;W[ce]C[[This could turn interesting...\]];B[df];W[ef]C[[Only option for white in this scenario\]]

(;B[cf];W[bf])
(;B[dg]
(;W[eg];B[dh];W[eh];B[cf];W[bf];B[be];W[ge])
(;W[cf];B[eh]))))
(;W[ea];B[bb])
(;W[bb]C[[This could be interesting, let's see\]]
(;B[cd];W[ce];B[de];W[df];B[be];W[ac];B[cf];W[bf];B[ef];W[ce]
)
(;B[ce];W[de];B[cd];W[cf];B[ab];W[be])))
(;B[cd];W[ec];B[df]C[[When people attack groups, they don't usually intend to kill. It's a common mistake among beginners - captured stones are too enticing :) If you want to improve, don't focus on killing (unless you're 100% you can and it's worth it). Focus on driving the stones while gaining territory. While white runs for his life (and he might die here, even), black just racks up the points (focus on the right side).]
))
(;B[db]C[Safe play here.]
(;W[ec];B[cd];W[ce];B[be];W[eb];B[ge])
(;W[cd];B[ec];W[dd];B[fd]CR[dg][eg][fg][dh][eh][fh][di][ei]
[fi]C[Circled territory becomes the focus - whoever gets the most probably wins.]
)))
(;B[dc]C[Mario: What do you think of this branch?.])
(;B[df]))
(;B[cc];W[gc];B[fd])
(;B[dg]
(;W[df];B[eg];W[de];B[cc])
(;W[ch];B[gd];W[eh]
(;B[de])
(;B[gh])
(;B[cd]))))
