I think I made some bad choices related to shape/direction after an early cut by White. The bad shape I made turned out to be a burden throughout the rest of the game.
I hope you find my comments and the variations I provide interesting.
(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[go-variants-transformer]ST[2]RU[Toroidal Go / littleGolem]SZ[11]KM[4.5]HA[0]RE[W+R]DT[2020.03.05 - 2020.04.29]GC[Toroidal Go, littleGolem ID 2149544]PB[Malcolm Schonfield]PW[Crelo]EV[go19.in.TOROID.133]SO[http://littlegolem.net/jsp/game/game.jsp?gid=2149544SO[http://www.littlegolem.com]US[Malcolm S, 2020-05-01]C[I would like to share with you an interesting game in which I was at a disadvantage quite early on. I had Black, against possibly the strongest player of Toroidal Go on LittleGolem.
I think I made some bad choices related to shape/direction after an early cut by White. The bad shape I made turned out to be a burden throughout the rest of the game.
I hope you find my comments and the variations I provide interesting.];B[ak];W[ff];B[cd];W[hj];B[jf];W[cf];B[dj];W[bd];B[be];C[Fighting broke out early in this game after this cut.
I didn’t comment on the preceding moves because I don’t really understand that phase of the game well enough to have anything worth saying!]W[ce](;C[Maybe the standard extension would’ve been better (see the variation for move 11).]B[bf];W[cg](;C[I wonder, maybe this was not a good choice.]B[cc];W[ad];LB[kg:A][bg:B][bh:C][ah:D][ai:E][ag:F]TR[be][bf]C[The bad shape around the triangle-marked stones turned out to be a burden throughout this game.
I think it’s bad shape because later on White could play at A in (semi-) sente; and locally Black doesn’t have a good move to develop the territorial potential of this area.
If Black plays B White can hane at C, and if Black D, then the double hane of white E works well.
White could also play at B or F later on.
If Black plays the knight’s move at D, then white F is a bit unpleasant for Black.
If White plays B at some point, Black doesn’t have any way of answering with good shape - a hane at F would let White hane at D, threatening a double atari. And if Black tenukis after B then F threatens to capture two stones.]B[ke];C[This is a really nice, flexible move.]W[jc](;C[I chose this move from a whole-board perspective, in order to try to develop the potential for territory, but I hadn’t anticipated White’s next move.
See the variations for some other options.]B[gc];C[This is a very sharp move. If Black cuts, there are lots of possibilities - see the variations.]W[bb](;C[I chose to push from this side.]B[cb];C[White naturally moved out. The connection/coherence between Black’s stones isn’t so good now. It’s already an uncomfortable game for Black.]W[ba];B[bc];W[ac];B[ka];W[ca];B[da](;C[I think this move is a little too easy on Black.
I had been more worried about White cutting - see the variation.]W[cj];B[dk];W[bj](;C[There may have been a better move. See the variation.]B[ki];W[ec];LB[ec:A][db:B]C[Exchanging A for B feels very good for White.]B[db];W[ie](;C[Probably an overplay.]B[id];W[jd];B[je];W[he];B[hd];C[Another sharp move. It’s a tough position, as there are lots of cutting points for both sides. But Black’s shapes seem to be a bit less resilient than White’s. Overall I think Black has made some bad shapes.
I couldn’t find a good follow-up for Black here.]W[ig](;B[ib];W[kb];B[aa];W[ab];B[ah];W[ja];B[jk];W[ia];B[ee];W[hb];B[ge];C[It doesn’t seem very promising for Black now.]W[gf](;C[An all-or-nothing move, staking everything on being able to save the marked group somehow.]B[fe];W[ii];B[jg];C[Black can save some stones now, but it’s not good enough - see the variation.]W[ih](;C[I thought I saw a way of saving everything here, but I was mistaken!]B[ji];W[aj];B[kj];W[ij];B[ch];MA[ka][aa][ak][jk][kj][ki][ji][ah][jg][jf][je][ke][be][bf][ch]C[I resigned here. All the marked stones are dead, because there is no way of making two eyes or capturing any of the surrounding stones.
I give a few variations for weaker players, showing how White can make sure of killing everything.
]W[dh];B[ci];W[di](;B[bg];W[bi];B[bh];W[eg];B[kg];W[af];B[ae];W[jh])(;B[bi];W[ai];B[bh];W[eg];B[jh];W[bg];B[ag];W[ae];B[af];W[kg]))(;C[I think this move could’ve let me save some of the stones, but even that wouldn’t have been enough.
There are some tricky variations if White tries to kill everything.]B[ch](;C[This is the peaceful variation - a sure way of winning.]W[dh];B[ci];W[di];B[bi];W[dg];B[bg];W[aj];C[Black now has two eyes, but…]B[ai];C[… White captures four stones, and has better potential for territory than Black outside.
I think this is an easy win for White.]W[kj])(;C[This is more complex.]W[bh](;C[This leads to a ko that’s very hard for Black.]B[bi];W[ci];B[bg];W[dh];B[aj];W[jj];B[kj];C[It’s a ko, but it looks good for White.]W[bh])(;C[This most probably doesn’t work either.]B[bg];W[bi];B[dh];W[ef];B[df];W[dg];B[eg];W[de];B[dd];W[df];B[hf];W[if];B[gg];W[hg];B[fg];C[The preceding moves were quite fun, but I don’t think Black can win this capturing race.]W[hf]))))(;C[This move would’ve been more reasonable.]B[ii];W[fe];C[I think this looks like a good game for White.]B[fb]))(;B[ab];W[kb];B[aa];W[ja];B[jk];W[ia];B[ci];W[bh](;B[ch];W[bi];B[bg];W[kh])(;B[bi];W[aj];B[ai];W[kj])))(;C[This variation seems to be slightly better for Black than the game, but I still believe the game looks good for White. It’s a tricky position.]B[ib]))(;LB[ib:A]C[With hindsight, I wonder if this would’ve been better for Black. Or, maybe at A.]B[ge];MA[cc][cd][bc][cb]C[This move is at the vital point of the marked stones, but maybe Black can resist now.
Of course White has lots of other options; this move could be left for later. ]W[ec];MA[ge]C[I think the marked stone makes this move possible.]B[ed](;C[Black has to be careful here!]W[db](;C[This would be a game-ending blunder.]B[eb];C[it’s a snapback.]W[dd])(;B[dd];W[ea];B[fb];W[eb];B[fk](;C[This move fails, but see the other variation.]W[fd];B[fc])(;W[fc];B[fd];C[Black can’t capture these stones, but it still seems playable for Black. I give one possible continuation.]W[fa];B[gk];W[gb];B[hc](;W[ha];B[fi];W[ib];B[ci];W[bi];B[bh];W[ch];B[di];W[bg];B[ah];W[ag];B[ki];W[kb];B[kg];W[ae];B[hk])(;C[This doesn’t seem to work very well - see the variations.]W[ek];B[ej];W[fj];B[hb](;W[hk];B[ga];W[ha];B[fb])(;W[ga];B[hk];W[ha];B[ik];W[ia];B[ja];W[ib];B[fi])))))(;W[dd];LB[ed:A][dd:B][fd:C][ab:D]C[I think the exchange of A for B is a small gain for Black. If White next gives atari at C, maybe Black can cut at D. (But it still doesn’t seem very promising for Black!)]B[db])))(;C[I had been worried about this move. It really rips up Black’s position, and I can’t see any way to handle it.
I give two variations, both of which seem to be too good for White.]W[dk](;B[ea];W[ek];B[ec];W[cj])(;B[ck];W[db];B[ek];W[dd])))(;C[This is a natural move, but it’s pretty complicated. There are two moves for White that seem promising.]B[bc](;W[ac];B[ab](;C[If White plays simply, it should be OK for Black.]W[kb];LB[dd:A][ec:B][jk:C]C[White has sacrificed a stone. White’s next move could be at A, B or C - or somewhere else?
This may be better for Black than the game. It seems to be playable for Black.]B[aa])(;LB[cb:A]C[I didn’t turn at 19 because I saw this variation leads to some complex fighting that I wasn’t sure about. But maybe it’s ok for Black.
White could also try extending at A instead of giving atari.]W[aa];B[kb];C[It’s pretty tough for Black. I show one possible follow-up.]W[ka];B[jb];W[ib];B[ja];W[cb];B[db];W[ba];B[kc];W[dc];B[dd];W[ec];B[kd];C[I’m not sure who is better in this position. But it’s better for Black than in the game!]W[da])(;C[I give two variations; neither of which seem to be good for Black.]W[cb](;B[db];W[da])(;B[ec];W[db];B[ed];W[ck];B[cj];W[bk];B[bj];W[fa])))(;C[White can also play more lightly, with this diagonal move.]W[kb];B[ac];W[kd];LB[ie:A][kg:B]MA[bf][be][ke][jf]C[If Black cuts here, White can aim at attacking the marked stones. A and B seem like promising next moves for White.]B[ab])))(;C[This simple move may be good enough for Black, but I’m not sure.]B[kd](;C[This is not a problem for Black.]W[kc];B[ac];W[ab];B[bc])(;C[This is also not a problem for Black.]W[ab];B[kc];W[bb];B[kb];W[cb];B[ec];W[db];C[I think this is OK for Black.]B[fd])(;C[I was afraid of this move. It’s a flexible way to handle the fight. I can’t see anything good for Black here.]W[bb](;B[bc];W[ac];B[ab];MA[bb]TR[be][bf]C[This doesn’t seem promising to me for Black as White’s groups are hard to attack now, and there isn’t a clear direction for surrounding territory.
Capturing the marked stone seems a bit too small at the moment.
The bad shape around the triangle-marked stones continues to be a burden.]W[kc])(;B[kc];W[ab](;C[If Black blocks here, …]B[kb];MA[cc][cd]C[These stones are too weak for this fight to be profitable for Black.]W[cb](;B[db];W[dc];B[dd];W[ec];B[ed];C[It seems like a catastrophe for Black.]W[fd])(;B[ec];W[db];B[fd];LB[aa:A][eb:B][ea:C]W[fa];MA[ea][eb]C[Now White needs to protect the potential cut (marked points).]B[ka];MA[cd][cc][ec][fd][dj]C[This doens’t look very good for Black as there two groups that could be attacked by White; White’s stones are working nicely together.]W[ck]))(;B[cb];W[kb];B[jb];W[ja];B[ib];C[This doesn’t look very promising either for Black.]W[kk]))(;B[ab];W[bc];B[cb];C[Black can’t cut now, because the ladder is good for White (I show the cut + ladder in the next few moves).]W[kc];B[ac];W[aa];B[kb];W[ka];B[jb];MA[hj]C[The ladder ends at the marked stone.]W[ib])))(;C[Perhaps this move would be the best.]B[ab];LB[ie:A][ah:B][bg:C]C[In this position I’m not sure which of A, B or C to play next. Maybe this is good enough for Black; I really don’t know!
Black still has the shape problem discussed in the comments for move 15.]W[kd]))(;C[I wonder if this could have been a better direction. But…]B[dd];MA[be][bf]C[There’s a shape problem. The marked stones are weak, and I can’t see a way to handle this situation while making good shape.]W[ad];B[bg];C[It’s locally a symmetrical position where White gets to play first. It doesn’t feel good to me for Black.]W[bh];B[ch];W[kf])(;C[Maybe this is the best way; but I don’t really know.]B[bg]))(;B[ae];W[bc];C[It’s another game; I think it’s probably better for Black.]B[dd]))
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