Susaku Game #12

In this game Shusaku playing against a peer, Black had a rather fast-paced opening, placed group over top edge, right edge and quite a moyo down left bottom corner. But thing start fall in Shusaku's favor when B's invasion and attack on Shusaku's left top group failed, the invasion/attack failure came side effects:

• Shusaku's left top group escaped untouched
• Black's left top group became very weak, as it later played out-only two eyes
• Shusaku's left center group got one sente eye-this change the thickness of that group a LOT
• Black also lost eye shape over the top, that group basically will have to live in gote if Black choose to
• What is worst side effect? one weak group in the center right beside the two weak stones over the right edge-if White(Shusaku) lean against(threaten to attack) one of these groups, he could probably swallow the other group in a big way!

Black choosed to give up the group over the top and strengten the center and right side groups, Shusaku played a very clean yose(end game)-reduced the left bottom white moyo, while Black took his right bottom corner, he broke into the bottom edge and created some territory in the center...while the game record saying Shusaku won by 2 pts, but I think that is 2 pts without komi for White(7-8 pts with komi).

Shusaku Game #11

KO is perhaps in the essense of a Go game, White of this game, Shusaku's teacher, started quite an attack at Shusaku's center and left bottom groups. By giving up the KO of right bottom corner, Black settled his center weak groups. And later in the game, there is another KO over the left top corner, Black hang on and forced White not to make the KO even bigger.

Shusaku Game #10

We often say Shusaku's play was solid, which does not mean he didn't put pressure on his opponent. Even when his group was running, his opponent still felt the pain-in this game, Shusaku running his left center group but dragging TWO(or should I say THREE?) groups of White along with it. After forcing White left top group into settling down with 2 eyes, Shusaku exchanged his right top corner with White's top center group....The result? the center White group became weak and had to run towards lower right corner-the same direction White's left bottom group was running towards. In the end, the right bottom White moyo evapourated, and the left bottom group of White got captured.

Shusaku Game #9

After two losses, shusaku's opponent seemed to lost his balance in this game. Not sure whether Shusaku had extensive research on Taisha Joseki before this game or not, but it feels like he gained upper hand from the conflict around right bottom corner. In this game, Shusaku showed his skill in reducing the territory of his opponent pushing opponent's group in the second line or barely survive with two eyes; also worth learning was how he took care the possible ko near the left bottom corner-capturing 6 white stones. in desperation, White tried very hard in expanding its left top moyo-and again he kind of lost his balance, the moyo become too big, a small group of Shusaku managed to find two eyes and settle down comfortablely inside the moyo which resulted the quick finish of this game...Go very much is about balance and patience, perhaps because of Shusaku's outstanding skill, his opponent first lost his balance then lost his patience in the game.

Shusaku Game #8

Shusaku's opponent, White, made some directional mistake from beginning of the game basically giving Black a big territory across the top in exchange for some small "thickness" around left top and right top, but Black had already stubs on the right edge and left edge. After some smart maneuvers, White's walls showed their cracks and ended up being chased out by Black's left and right center groups. In the middle of game, Shusaku "forced" White's left bottom group live in sente, quite puzzling to me, I guess Shusaku either hate empty triangle shape very very much or was a super strong believer of the "gote no sente" . White got a chance to attack Black right center group but Black successful settle that group down and when black was running his left center group he dragged White 's left top group along, and because the earlier donation over the top-White was now short of Territory, White could not declare a truce with Black with a seki...and had to start a KO in the center but because the bottom White group had barely 2 eyes-actually best result for White bottom group is also live by KO, White just cannot win both KOs.

Shusaku Game #7

In Go or in life, big picture is very important. Shusaku demonstrated his outstanding flexibility and judgement-he left the top right corner for white to swallow, and gave w some chance to attack his top center group while himself cleanly executed the capture of white's big left bottom group. When black's top center group settled down with two eyes, white got no choice but to resign.

Shusaku Game #6

Lessons could be learnt from this game: first when you wanted to reduce opponent's territory, you could start with attacking a weak group of your opponent-good example is how w reduced b's bottom moyo, and when you run your weak group best way is to drag a weak group of your opponent along-just as b's attacking the top right w group. While Shusaku did lose this handi game, he did show some good tactics such as at bottom right-by threatening w to live by KO, b took a stone in sente.