Game with Synapsis

Synapsis, 6 stone handicap, win Black + 39.5 moku (stones or points)

http://www.mediafire.com/?72sfuy1e2zl

This was a match against a 17 kyu. He was definitely the stronger player but I’m not sure if he was six stones stronger. In the end, it was just too much to overcome. My first stone sealed the deciding territory.

Move 20, How could I let this group live? How would you have approached these stones? On move 28 I felt that I had to move there or let him form two eyes, should I have just let him and focused on hemming in his territory to minimize it?

Move 48, oops I do this sometimes I just make beginner moves that make my groups too easy to take

Move 78, is it possible to take these stones in the corner? I feel as though it should be but I failed… A move to P19 would have allowed him to connect, should I not try so hard to capture but focus instead on territory?

Move 104, it was obvious at this point that he was a better capture player than I was, I considered resigning looking at the group of dead stones in his strong territory, fortunately he gave me a chance at 115

Move 122, well I’ll let Gene Wilder tell you how I felt…



Move 141, I was afraid this would kill my group, I have replayed this sequence, had he made 143 at T13 he could have sealed off my escape but I could have killed and formed two eyes in the group he attacked, still an interesting attack that almost worked

Move 147, he is tenacious

Move 175, again I give up a living shape in the corner, I need to work on joseki, any book suggestions or websites? I have to stop losing these corner battles if I am to improve

He was aggressive and stronger than I was. I didn’t breathe until it was all over. If he reads this I hope he doesn’t take the clip as a sign of gloating. How often do you get to make a Mel Brooks reference in with an .sgf file and a go game review? This was the first noteworthy match I’ve had in a while. I think I can improve by reviewing my mistakes here.