
(;CA[ISO8859-1]ST[2]GM[1]FF[4]SZ[19]AP[GOWrite:2.3.28]SO[Recorded by WAGC staff]RO[1]PM[2]GN[Lazarev vs Ge]AN[Michael Redmond 9P]BR[7d]DT[2010-05-26 ]US[Comments transcribed by Chris Garlock]EV[31st WAGC]OT[3x30 Byo-yomi ]C[WAGC 2010
Round 1, May 26, 2010
W\: Alexey Lazarev 6d, Russia
B\: Yongfei Ge 7d, Canada
Commentary by Michael Redmond 9P
Recorded by WAGC staff\; comments transcribed by Chris Garlock

Lazarev used to come to int'l tournaments fairly frequently and I have an impression of his game which is that it's a very orthodox, territorial game.]BT[Canada]PB[Yongfei Ge]PC[Hangzhou, China]TM[3600]WR[6d]WT[Russia]PW[Alexey Lazarev]FG[259:]
;B[pd]
;W[dc]
;B[dp]
;W[pq]
;B[de]
;W[ce]
;B[cf]
;W[cd]
;B[df]
;W[fc]
;C[a bit unorthodox\; B has not played the joseki. The weakness is that W can invade in the left side around A to put pressure on B's upper left group. The strength of B11 is that it works very well with the moyo on the lower side which would enclose more than a quarter of the board.]LB[di:A]B[cm]
;C[This shows Lazarev's style, as I remember it and mentioned at the outset, but in this case, I question the overall positional judgement. W12 follows the proverb that you play the shimari after taking the corners\; enclosures and approach moves come second. But in this position it would be better to play in the center of the lower side at A to reduce B's space. After a W play in the vicinity of A, an invasion on the left side would be more effective, because B will have less space to enlarge on the lower side.]LB[jp:A]W[qo]
;C[Natural move\; choice between a play on the 3rd or 4th line is style, hard to say which is better]B[jq]
(
;C[Again, W is taking territory. a more well-balanced move would be to play at A\: see variation]LB[jo:A]W[lq]
;C[this is an idea way for B to play two stones on the lower side. B has two weak points -- A & B -- but B's moyo is now so large and flexible that it can be centered on either the left or lower side, making it difficult for W to choose an effective invasion point. C is a move that I might choose, to handle this problem, and to emphasize the strengths of W's position.]LB[di:B][dq:A][in:C]B[jo]
(
;C[This is an unorthodox invasion point]W[ck]
(
;C[looks weird, because W had no way to make eyes here anyway\; I prefer A or B.]LB[el:A][ek:B]B[ci]
;W[ek]
;C[that's good]B[gk]
;W[ei]
(
;C[making sure B doesn't have eyes while strengthening his own group\; very conservtive way of playing. I still prefer the jump at A]LB[ge:A]B[cj]
(
;C[W is paying attention to Bs entire moyo, erasing from above, which I think is the correct way to do it]W[em]
;TR[jq][jo]C[again, a solid move\; now all of B's stone's are connected. You could say that W has played kikashi here, so his invasion has worked fairly well. But the next move is difficult for W to choose, because W doesn't want to be too heavy. W's entire group (marked stones) is very light and could even be discarded at this point. What W must focus on is on the potential to put pressure on B's marked stones, so W should be looking for a way to get into the lower side (see var)]B[cl]
(
;C[The more moves W plays to save this group, the better B's play on the left side becomes, as all of B's stones are necessary now.]W[fh]
;B[fp]
;C[big move -- almost 30 points -- but it doesn't affect the strength of B's stones, which are all connected now. A play at A is also possible but is a matter of style.]LB[qf:A]W[cq]
;B[cp]
;W[dr]
;B[fr]
;W[bp]
;B[bo]
;W[br]
;B[ap]
;W[bq]
(
;C[This is a choice, one way to play\; call it style. I might prefer the sequence beginning with A (see var)]LB[qf:A]B[nq]
;TR[lq]C[W is trying to throw away the marked stone on a small scale in a standard discarding maneuver.]W[np]
;B[mp]
(
;C[Saving the side stone is a bad positional mistake]W[mq]
;B[op]
;W[nr]
;C[This ponnuki is quite influential\; in addition to ending in sente, closes the gap and has potential towards the right side.]B[no]
;W[oq]
;C[B begins his attack on the center W group]B[gd]
;W[gc]
;B[hd]
;TR[fh]C[a bit painful for W, especially with the marked stone, but it's hard for W to find a good move here]W[gj]
;B[hj]
;TR[gk][hj]C[since W has a cramped shape but now has one secure eye, this is a good time for B to switch off the attack\; shd be prepared to discard his two stones. They must be saved during an attack, but once you stop attacking, must be prepared to discard.]W[gi]
;C[a timely tenuki]B[hc]
(
;C[If W approaches from the other side (see var), B winds up with a big terr on the upper side]W[nc]
;B[oc]
;W[nd]
;B[pf]
(
;C[Over extension, but since W is already in trouble, he needs to create confusion]W[jc]
;C[natural]B[lc]
;W[ld]
;C[the two connections underneath are miai]B[lb]
;C[so W tries to eliminate one of the miai]W[pc]
(
;C[B gives up his attack in return for a secure terr in the upper right. Probably not the best way to play but it shows B knows he's winning and has decided to play safely.]B[pb]
;W[nb]
;B[ob]
;W[kd]
;B[or]
;W[np]
;B[ib]
;W[jb]
;B[nq]
;W[mr]
;C[B exploits the bad aji in the corner quite well]B[qm]
;W[qh]
;B[qj]
;W[qe]
;B[pe]
;W[qf]
;B[pg]
;W[qg]
;B[qd]
;W[ph]
;B[me]
;W[md]
;C[this is the tesuji and the resulting loss of terr for W is pretty much the finishing blow]B[qq]
(
;C[only possible move for W]W[pr]
;B[qp]
;W[pp]
;B[ro]
;W[po]
;C[B scoops out the corner\; this is big in territory of course, but it also helps out B's last weak group on the right]B[rn]
;W[hk]
;C[Forcing, because it sets up A to save B's two stones]LB[la:A]B[gb]
(
;W[na]
;B[eb]
;W[ec]
;C[making an eye for these B stones is important\; B is wrapping up the game and trying to keep things simple because he knows he has more territory]B[fb]
;W[db]
;B[ja]
;W[ka]
;B[ia]
;W[kb]
;B[da]
;C[avoiding giving B two eyes]W[ea]
;B[fa]
;W[cb]
;C[W is unlikely to die, but it's a seki shape, which would be costly. Plus B is helping his group on the left, which looks fairly safe but only has one eye. Play continues but B has a sizable lead and just avoids complications and makes sure W doesn't materialize some territory somewhere.

No further comments.]B[je]
(
;W[jd]
;B[ri]
;W[pj]
;B[pk]
;W[oj]
;B[oh]
;W[oi]
;B[nh]
;W[mj]
;B[ie]
;W[kf]
;B[ih]
;W[hl]
;B[mf]
;W[ok]
;B[pl]
;W[lf]
;B[lh]
;W[om]
;B[ol]
;W[nl]
;B[nm]
;W[mm]
;B[nn]
;W[ml]
;B[lo]
;W[ig]
;B[hg]
;W[jh]
;B[jg]
;W[kg]
;B[if]
;W[kh]
;B[ij]
;W[li]
;B[bf]
;W[bc]
;B[kr]
;W[np]
;B[gm]
;W[gl]
;B[nq]
;W[kp]
;B[in]
;W[np]
;B[fm]
;W[fl]
;B[en]
;W[er]
;B[nq]
;W[jp]
;B[ip]
;W[np]
;B[eq]
;W[oo]
;B[qr]
;W[dk]
;B[bk]
;W[be]
;B[dm]
;W[mh]
;B[mg]
;W[lg]
;B[re]
;W[rf]
;B[rd]
;W[af]
;B[ag]
;W[ae]
;B[bh]
;W[fs]
;B[gs]
;W[es]
;B[gr]
;W[pm]
;B[ln]
;W[rh]
;B[qi]
;W[pi]
;B[qk]
;W[qs]
;B[rs]
;W[ps]
;B[rr]
;W[ni]
;B[kj]
;W[ne]
;B[nf]
;W[hm]
;B[hn]
;W[aq]
;B[ao]
;W[jm]
;B[jn]
;W[kq]
;B[ir]
;W[gf]
;B[gg]
;W[ff]
;B[fg]
;W[ee]
;B[eg]
;W[jk]
;B[jj]
;W[dh]
;B[dj]
;W[ej]
;B[lk]
;W[eh]
;B[mk]
;W[nk]
;B[oa]
;W[cg]
;B[bg]
;W[el]
;B[on]
;W[pn]
;B[sh]
;W[sg]
;B[si]
;W[bj]
;B[bl]
;W[ch]
;B[bi]
;W[se]
;B[sd]
;W[sf]
;B[ls]
;W[lr]
;B[ms]
;W[ns]
;B[ks]
;W[ca]
;B[ea]
;W[jf]
;B[ig]
)
(
;W[hl]
;B[jd]
;W[mb]
;B[la]
;W[kc]
;C[worth about 10 points to B]B[lf]
)

)
(
;W[fb]
;B[la]
)

)
(
;W[pp]
;B[pr]
(
;W[rq]
;B[qp]
;W[po]
;C[really no way for W to kill the B group]B[rp]
)
(
;C[B has lots of ko threats]W[np]
;B[rp]
)

)

)
(
;B[qc]
;W[pb]
;B[od]
;W[ob]
;B[kd]
;W[rc]
;B[rd]
;W[qb]
;B[qd]
;W[rb]
;C[even if W can live in corner, B can be satisfied with this result]B[qj]
)

)
(
;W[kc]
)

)
(
;W[qf]
;B[nd]
;W[rd]
;B[qc]
;W[qi]
;B[ih]
;W[hk]
;B[ij]
;W[hl]
;B[ph]
;W[qh]
;C[and the moyo on the upper side is really big]B[pf]
)

)
(
;W[op]
;B[mq]
;W[mo]
;B[lo]
;W[lp]
;B[mn]
;W[no]
;B[lr]
;W[ln]
;B[ko]
;W[qf]
;B[nc]
;C[W would be satisfied with this result, B not so much, because he's reinforcing a strong group on the lower side. This also helps the W group on the left]W[rd]
)

)
(
;B[qf]
;W[kd]
;C[something like this might be more natural, maybe]B[pk]
)

)
(
;W[fp]
;B[fo]
;W[go]
;B[eo]
;W[gn]
;B[fl]
;W[hq]
;B[fq]
;C[this would be an ideal continuation for W, following the flow of play and his own game plan. He could easily discard the stones on the left, although B will be hard-pressed to easily capture them.]W[hl]
)

)
(
;W[dk]
;B[em]
;W[ff]
;B[fe]
;W[ge]
;C[w can't enclose]B[gf]
)

)
(
;C[more natural]B[ge]
)

)
(
;B[ek]
;W[dl]
;B[en]
;W[el]
;B[fk]
;W[fl]
;B[gk]
;W[gl]
;B[gn]
;W[hl]
;B[ij]
;W[jl]
;C[W is still under attack and B can keep control of the game]B[oo]
)

(
;B[el]
;W[di]
;C[this would be another natural way to play\; not sure which one I would choose.]B[ge]
)

)
(
;W[in]
;B[jn]
(
;C[A 1-point jump is also sometime possible, but I prefer the direct extension here]W[im]
;B[jm]
;W[il]
;C[B must defend somewhere on this side]B[hp]
;C[And W can scoop out the corner. This makes it more difficult for B. The game would depend on the fight in the center, how effective an attack B can mount.]W[cq]
;B[dq]
;W[cp]
)
(
;W[il]
)

)

)
(
;C[W already has almost 30 points of terr between his two corners, and B has almost no terr at all. W's concern is preventing B from extending his moyo too much and/or getting a severe attack on W which would have immense benefits]W[jo]
(
;C[obviously bad for B, who will not play this way because the 3-3 is still open]B[hp]
;W[cq]
)
(
;B[lp]
;W[jl]
)

)

)
