(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[6.50]
GN[Monday Go Meditation - Game 45]PW[BenGoZen]PB[Black]WR[6k]BR[5k]PC[OGS]RE[W+4.50]
;B[pd]C[Standard starting move that provides Black the most options for fuseki based on White's decision.]
;W[dd]LB[dp:A]C[You've read this probably a few times now, but by choosing this corner, this invites a territorial game which is more to White's advantage. However, something new I will add is that it does make the game more complicated. So if that is not your cup of tea, play the opposing diagonal corner at A.]
;B[cp]C[A cross-fuseki! I joked with him when he played this that he wasn't giving me a chance for a moyo. Haha. And his response? "Absolutely not." xD]
;W[pp]C[In a cross-fuseki, I like to keep it straight forward (initially) with a calm 4-4 that will give me options and flexibility later on.]
;B[df]C[This one space high approach was a little surprising for me. It signified that Black had intention of building the right side, which is consistent with his C4 komoku.]
;W[fd]C[Lately I've been avoiding pincers, not sure why, but I thought the calm response would be adequate.]
;B[di]LB[dj:A]C[This two space high extension felt a little awkward since it looks a bit over concentrated and actually doesn't really have a base yet. I think the 3 space extension at A would have been more efficient.

Question: Where should White play next?]
;W[ep]C[This is not necessarily the "correct" answer, but I think it merits being acknowledged since the idea is to limit Black's development of the left side. If Black were given the chance to enclose his corner, he would gain quite a bit (aka corner + left side potential).]
;B[dn]C[Good choice. This is consistent with Black's intention to build the left.]
;W[cq]C[Normal joseki sequence.]
;B[bq]
;W[dq]
;B[bo]
;W[hq]LB[dj:1][dk:2][dl:3][dm:4]C[Extension to establish a base. Also, notice that the D6 and D11 stones have a sort of awkward relationship since it's four spaces side. There's no easy way to defend the left side if White invades.]
;B[ce]C[If you look at the board, it is clear that Black has spent practically every move in trying to build the left. Whiel it might look big, realize we are only 15 moves in the game and it puts Black in a one-way street for strategy.]
;W[cd]C[Since Black wanted to protect the left, I felt that reinforcing my group while starting to secure the corner on the 4th line was more than adequate.]
;B[qk]C[This move normally signifies an intention of negating White thickness in the lower right. However, notice that White has no thickness to counter, so in fact, it would be best for Black to simply approach the lower right instead.]
;W[nc]LB[qn:A]C[It might surprise you that I ignore that R9 move, but it is because that an approach at A (R6) now would be a two-space extension that would be easily overconcentrated with a kick.]
;B[oc]C[Question: Is this a good kick? Or a bad kick?]
;W[nd]C[Answer: Bad kick. The only time you should kick is when the approach stone is already pincered and will be forced into a cramped situation.]
;B[qf]LB[qg:1][qh:2][qi:3][qj:4]C[As you can see with Black's follow up here, his goal is to protect the corner. However, this runs contrary to playing the star point stone since it's more about development and speed rather than territorial. In addition notice again that the R14 and R9 stone have an odd 4 space extension and are both situation on the 3rd line (which is not good for growth).]
;W[jc]LB[hc:A]C[As you can see, White gets an ideal 3-space extension from his 2-stone wall. In addition, White also gets to protect his weak side (around A) of his F16 group.]
;B[qn]C[Now we get to see the approach in action and why the White did not respond to it.]
;W[qo]C[In this case, the kick works because it aims to overconcentrate Black.]
;B[nq]LB[pn:A]C[The normal move at this point is A. It may seem correct that Black tenuki with this double approach, but remember, White is not worried wince the star point stone is not concerned with protecting the corner. ]
;W[pn]LB[qk:1][qn:2]C[So White comes out while putting pressure on the right side (which Black spend 2 moves trying to establish a base.]
;B[kq]C[Black tries to settle down, and while this seems good for Black, remember that White has no intention of building the bottom since his D3 group is settled on the 3rd line. So the bottom is actually not worth very much.]
;W[qm]C[White goes ahead and secures his group weakening the R9 stone. Now Black's moves on the right side have been negated.]
;B[pr]C[Black further establishes his group, but White is settled on both sides and not concerned with protecting the corner.]
;W[qi]C[So White counter attacks. Now you can really see White's stones working well.]
;B[ok]C[Black must jump.]
;W[oi]C[White chases.]
;B[ob]LB[qc:A]C[Black's descent here is to protect the invasion at A.]
;W[nb]C[Though this is an example of me following my opponent around the board, I thought this was pretty big and helped to further build my top.]
;B[rl]TR[oi][qi]C[This cuts off my marked stones, but doesn't necessarily help Black settle down.]
;W[rn]C[I decided a clean capture was best since it eliminates any aji while practically ensuring the life of my group (which will allow me to attack the Black group at my discretion.]
;B[mk]
;W[mi]
;B[qq]C[Oh no! Black got the corner! Oh wait, White is alive and wasn't aiming to take the corner anyways.]
;W[lp]TR[mk][ok][qk][rl]C[White's aim here is to gains some thickness and keep the marked Black stones floating.]
;B[lq]
;W[np]
;B[mp]
;W[mo]
;B[mq]LB[lo:A][no:B]C[Many would feel compelled to connect at A or B, but White has the thickness he needs to attack now.]
;W[nl]C[Time to poke and make Black heavy!]
;B[nk]
;W[pl]C[Continuing to make Black heavy.]
;B[pk]LB[kj:A][kk:B][lm:C]C[Question: How should you attack Black?]
;W[kk]C[This is the most severe attack since it forces Black to flail in order to escape and make life. Meanwhile, White should gain profit through thickness or securing some territory in the process. And remember, while Black tries to make life, he will not be gaining any points.]
;B[lj]TR[mi][lj][kk]C[Question: Elephant eye shape has appeared! How should White respond?]
;W[ji]C[This is the proper shape and I believe the proper direction since it cuts of Black from his allies and drives him towards where White is strong.]
;B[li]
;W[mh]
;B[lh]
;W[mg]
;B[lg]
;W[lf]LB[mf:A]C[At this point, I felt I was strong enough to hane in case he tried to cut at A.]
;B[kf]
;W[le]
;B[rh]C[This attacks White's base and threatens to link up the Black groups, but Black does not need to kill the group.]
;W[kg]C[So I cut instead and focus on possibly building the top.]
;B[jf]
;W[jh]C[Keep my cutting stone safe.]
;B[ri]C[Black goes back to link up his groups.]
;W[hg]C[And now I can focus on an attack on the marked stones while building a big top!]
;B[gj]C[This builds Black's left a bit, but it seemed kind of awkward and I wasn't too concerned with my stones getting cut off.]
;W[fg]C[So I further solidified my top area while strengthening my group.]
;B[jj]C[Black looks like he's expecting a fight here.]
;W[hi]TR[kk]C[Making shape and keeping my group strong. The marked stone is not important anymore.]
;B[on]C[Black tries to attack the group in the lower right.]
;W[oo]C[But it should be quite clear that White won't be dying any time soon.]
;B[nn]
;W[no]
;B[ol]
;W[mn]
;B[ml]TR[nl]C[Marked stone is not important. White should tenuki.]
;W[cg]C[Here I try to probe Black's intentions and try and create aji since his left side is sizable.]
;B[dg]
;W[ck]
;B[ch]
;W[be]C[This hane is big since it protects the corner while reducing Black's left.]
;B[bg]
;W[ek]C[Since Black did not respond to my invasion on the left, I went ahead and did a simple jump to start reducing the left.]
;B[rp]C[This move was pretty nice. It threatens the life of my group, and at the time, I didn't feel like trying to run since I had other operations occurring elsewhere on the board (aka left side).]
;W[qp]C[So with this move, Whtie is alive through and through.]
;B[dl]LB[dk:A]C[Question: Should White connect at A?]
;W[ei]C[Absolutely not. It makes White heavy there is no need to destroy the left side. A simple reduction should be adequate.]
;B[dk]
;W[dj]
;B[cj]
;W[ej]
;B[ij]TR[gj]C[This is a little greed yby Black. The marked stone is not that important.]
;W[kj]C[Time to cut him off!]
;B[ki]
;W[kl]
;B[gi]
;W[hh]
;B[eh]
;W[fh]
;B[im]C[Black tries to make life.]
;W[fi]LB[fm:A]C[This move is a mistake. I was too concerned with my stones, but it would have been better to play at like A instead.]
;B[hj]
;W[fm]C[I start surrounding the group.]
;B[km]C[This attachment was excellent by Black. All of a sudden I realized I was in a bit of a predicament.]
;W[lm]C[I try to flail a bit.]
;B[ll]
;W[jm]
;B[kn]
;W[il]
;B[jn]
;W[el]LB[dm:A]C[But I realize that it's useless and choose to strengthen my group here while threatening the atari at A.]
;B[dm]
;W[pe]C[Now I try to reduce Black's corner in sente.]
;B[qe]
;W[od]
;B[pc]
;W[de]
;B[ff]C[This move surprised me, but it is the bigger move.]
;W[jr]C[I didn't feel much like defending, so I thought it would be a good time to reduce the bottom since I was pretty sure I was ahead.]
;B[ee]
;W[ed]C[Solid connection for 4th territoyr line.]
;B[hf]C[Black makes good on his threat.]
;W[gf]C[But I had something else in mind.]
;B[ge]
;W[gg]
;B[fe]
;W[eg]C[See where I'm going with this?]
;B[ef]
;W[dh]
;B[ci]
;W[cf]C[This is a picnic ko for White. He profits either way.]
;B[eh]
;W[jl]
;B[dh]
;W[hm]C[Now my stones are rescued and I gained a bit of center!]
;B[hd]LB[hc:A]C[This is a little slow. A move like A would probably have been more efficient and faster.]
;W[hc]C[Calmly protecting my top.]
;B[gc]
;W[gd]
;B[ic]
;W[hb]
;B[id]
;W[if]
;B[he]
;W[ib]C[Taking solid profit.]
;B[of]
;W[oe]
;B[ng]
;W[nf]
;B[og]
;W[pf]
;B[pg]
;W[jd]C[Securing my top.]
;B[jg]
;W[kh]
;B[ig]
;W[je]
;B[ie]
;W[jq]C[Expanding my bottom a bit.]
;B[jp]
;W[ip]
;B[kp]
;W[oq]
;B[or]
;W[ms]C[Big monkey jump reduction!]
;B[ns]
;W[ks]
;B[in]C[This seemed tame at first....]
;W[fo]C[Here I try to solidify my connections.]
;B[hl]C[But I completely miss Black's intention with the cut here. Ouch!]
;W[gl]
;B[hk]
;W[oa]
;B[qb]
;W[pa]
;B[qa]
;W[do]
;B[co]
;W[en]C[Start solidifying my territory and connections.]
;B[br]
;W[cr]
;B[bf]
;W[pq]
;B[rr]
;W[ce]
;B[gn]TR[hm]C[Question: Should White save the marked stone?]
;W[go]C[Absolutely not. Gaining 5th line territory is way bigger.]
;B[hn]TR[gm]C[This is a little passive of Black since he could have captured the stone at A instead. I guess he was aiming to get sente though.]
;W[gm]
;B[fn]
;W[em]
;B[bl]LB[ck:A]TR[ic][hd][id][ee][fe][ge][he][ie][bf][df][ef][ff][hf][jf][kf][bg][dg][ig][jg][ch][dh][eh][ci][di][cj]C[This is an important move since if you notice, the marked Black group is actually far from alive and could be killed due to the aji of the stone at A.]
;W[dp]C[Small endgame for a little while....]
;B[qj]
;W[pi]
;B[ql]
;W[pm]
;B[mm]
;W[ln]
;B[lo]
;W[om]
;B[nm]
;W[af]C[Pretty big endgame move here since it's sente.]
;B[ah]
;W[ke]C[Connected up solidly to prevent Black from pushing and cutting and possibly causing some ruckus.]
;B[mr]
;W[ls]
;B[cs]
;W[ds]
;B[bs]
;W[ho]C[Finishing up my bottom boundary.]
;B[io]
;W[gk]
;B[lk]
;W[fj]
;B[jk]
;W[ae]
;B[bk]
;W[ag]
;B[bh]
;W[qh]
;B[qg]
;W[na]
;B[pb]
;W[ro]
;B[so]
;W[sn]
;B[sp]
;W[sl]
;B[sk]
;W[sm]
;B[er]C[Black tries to get fancy here.]
;W[dr]C[Simple connection is enough.]
;B[ni]
;W[nh]
;B[nj]
;W[oh]
;B[if]
;W[kr]
;B[ik]
;W[mf]C[We didn't fill the dame, but the result was a lot closer than I thought: White +4.5 points. In other words, I would have lost without komi. o.O What a close game!])
