(;GM[1]FF[4]SZ[19]AP[SmartGo:2.8.3.0]
PW[Hideo Otake ]WR[9P]
PB[Chang Zhenming]
EV[WAGC]RO[Presidents Match]
KM[-6.5]
US[Chris Garlock]
RU[Simple]
AN[Michael Redmond 9P]
C[President's Match
May 25, 2010
W: Hideo Otake 9P
B: Chang Zhenming
Game commentary by Michael Redmond 9P; transcribed by Chris Garlock
This game featuring outgoing International Go Federation President Hideo Otake 9P playing incoming IGF President Chang Zhenming, and was played Monday afternoon just before the 2010 IGF General Meeting. ]
;B[pp];W[qd];B[cp];W[ec]
C[Otake is playing to make an unusual pattern; he knows his opponent has a plan and Otake wants to see what he'll do when things change. Otake prefers to create an original game, rather than relying on set patterns. The Japanese rely more on their feeling for the art of the game, which helps them to play at a top level longer, but can be a problem when facing much younger Chinese or Korean players who have trained in understanding openings thoroughly. 

]
;B[cd];W[eq];B[do];W[ch];B[dc];W[ed];B[cf];W[dl];B[fp];W[gq];B[dq]
(;W[eg]
C[Black is playing very orthodox moves, nothing wrong with these moves; natural moves. ]
;B[ef]
C[So W takes a local loss when Black strikes at the weakness. ];W[ff];B[dg]
;W[eh];B[dh];W[di];B[ci];W[cj];B[bi];W[dj]
C[B has taken a profit on the left side but W has fixed his shape and now his stones have eyes and thickness and more stones towards the center of the board and W's theme is the moyo, that's his story for this game. Otake likes to have a story for his game, a flow for the game that's relatively easy to understand. ]
LB[lc:A]
(;B[kc]
C[The question for B is where to play; I would have played at A. Perhaps B was thinking there was a bit of weakness in W's wall but because W has a peep at B, he's actually very thick. Even if B plays first there's no good move and W can connect up very easily. So because W is thick on the left, it's better to play at A. I would call this a lopsided move because it's allowing W to make a big moyo. ]
LB[lc:A][de:B];W[mc];B[hc];W[qk]
(;B[qn];W[le]
C[B's wish to attack W's left-side wall is more difficult to realize, now that W is attacking. ]
(;B[df]
C[This move is consistent with B's plan -- which I think is wrong -- but it's better than playing something inconsistent. ]
;W[fe]
(;B[he]
(;W[je]
C[This is a very slow, Otake-style attack, very gentle. He clearly feels that he's in control of the game, but he would play this way even if he didn't think he was ahead. ]
;B[hg];W[gg];B[hh];W[jg];B[gh];W[fi];B[gf];W[fg]
C[All of W's weaknesses has disappeared and B's stones are squashed against W's wall, far from W's moyo on the right. Plus, B still has a fatal weakness at A...]
LB[id:A];B[jd]
C[and must play at 45]
(;W[lc]
C[This is another very Otake move. Object is to deny B an easy life, and to consolidate the territory on the right. There's also an attack beginning with B that won't materialize until 50 moves later. This move also gives B an opportunity to show what he wants to do. I think Otake's pleasure in the game is the way he lets his opponent express himself; he know B wants to jump in on the right and he wants to see what happens; I think that's a big part of his enjoyment of the game. ]
LB[if:B];B[pj]
(;W[qm];B[qj];W[pn];B[qo];W[qg]
(;B[nk]
C[not sure about the keima; I'd play the kosumi instead. B's shape is weak. ]
;W[pk];B[qh];W[pg];B[ok];W[om];B[qc];W[pc];B[rd]
(;W[qb]
C[B's just trying to create some aji here (see var)]
(;B[mm]
C[W's upper right territory is just about the same as all of B's territory, so the game is close on the board. Both players have weak groups, so the outcome will depend on who takes the upper hand in the fighting on the lower side. ]
;W[no];B[nq];W[lo];B[lq];W[gp];B[jp];W[kn];B[ph];W[og];B[kl];W[in]LB[ho:A][ni:B]
C[Both sides have potential attacks on each other, but B's central group is larger so a trade would be a disaster. ]
;B[mh]
C[Good; covers B's weak point. "A" seems to be a more severe move, but the game move at B is more elegant and has the same threat of C and is more effective at cutting off the upper group, which is what W should be trying to do at this point of the game. If B connects his two groups, all sorts of bad things start happening to W. ]
LB[lj:A][kj:B][ni:C]
(;W[kj]
C[very nice move; elegant];B[lk]
C[this move is a big ugly but it works and is necessary. Among other things, it protects against A. And considering the reverse komi it still looks like B has a chance. ]
LB[ni:A]
(;W[if]
C[the peep seems vulgar but must be played first (see var)];B[hf];W[id]
(;B[ie];W[jc];B[kd];W[ic];B[hd];W[kb]
C[This was painful for B, but the game is not yet definitely lost, considering the reverse komi. His plan should be to escape his group in the center and attack W's left side by saving the two marked stones. W's objectives are to capture the two marked stones and to protect the weakness at A. ]
TR[bi:ci]LB[ho:A];B[hk];W[ii];B[jh]
C[Looks like a sharp move];W[kh];B[ig];W[kg];B[ij];W[hi];B[ji];W[hj];B[ih]
;W[jj];B[ki]
C[nice sequence; B's escape was well-played. In turn, W has taken some profit in the center. ]
;W[ik];B[lh]
C[forcing];W[ke];B[lj];W[jr]TR[bi:ci]
C[W moves into yose; the two stones on the left are the biggest moves on the board but the lower side is bigger because it has to do with W's life and death. I think at this point W's pretty well in control and has picked up enough points to account for the reverse komi]
;B[jq];W[kr];B[lp];W[er];B[dr];W[iq];B[ip];W[go];B[pl];W[rl];B[ol];W[pm]
C[B's object is to consolidate the lower right corner as he tries to attack W]
;B[ln];W[mn];B[lm];W[op]
C[W must play this to connect, now there's no aji at the 3-3 for W];B[oq]
;W[ko];B[hq];W[ir];B[hp];W[hr];B[jm]
C[B's using his attack to try to break into the center];W[io]
(;B[gk]
C[very strong move; the extension at A doesn't work (see var)];W[fj];B[il]
;W[gm];B[bj]
C[Absolutely necessary that B gets this, whatever happens in the center]
;W[bk];B[bl];W[ak];B[bh];W[hl];B[mf];W[rn];B[ro];W[so];B[sp];W[sn]
(;B[qp]
C[Often the tesuji here; potential 1-point gain (rather than A)];W[rg];B[qe]
;W[pd];B[ne];W[od];B[fn];W[em]
C[B resigns. He's behind on the board, even with reverse komi ])
(;B[rq];W[po];B[pq]
C[slight gain for W]))
(;B[hl]
C[this is the intutive move but w would ignore...];W[bh];B[ho];W[hn];B[gn]
;W[il];B[im];W[gm];B[fn];W[hm]
C[20-point loss]))
(;B[ic];W[kd];B[jc];W[hd];B[gd];W[ie];B[ge];W[eb];B[gb];W[kb];B[jb];W[lb]
LB[bh:A][bg:B][bj:C][db:D]
C[This sequence sets up the descent at the marked stone, which makes the A-D sequence forcing for W, which would not have been the case otherwise. The whole sequence is very satisfying for W; 92 alone is a difference of 8 points  ]
TR[eb]))
(;W[id];B[ie];W[if];B[ke]))
(;W[lj];B[kj];W[li];B[lk]
C[This is a possible variation that I';d consider; it';s hard to say exactly how B would counter it but it's possible it would actually weaken W's splitting attack because W's playing inside and eliminating the aji of splitting B into two groups. ]
))
(;B[rg];W[rf];B[ri];W[sg];B[sh]))
(;W[qe]
C[here B would be alive in the corner]))
(;B[ok]))
(;W[pk];B[oj];W[ok];B[qj];W[nk];B[qg]TR[qn][pp]
C[This is the natural way to play but it's a bit slack, because it's hard for W to use his wall against the marked stones]
))
(;W[ok];B[oc]
(;W[lc];B[qc];W[rc];B[pd]
C[This would be a dangerous way for W to play; it takes one more move to kill the upper side and since B's group is out in the center, his group is ok for the time being.]
)
(;W[od];B[nc];W[nd];B[mb]
C[now B's weaknesses have completely disappeared; this is playable for w too, but w would have to complete the moyo to win and would limit his opportunities. Otake prefers to have a lot of different options, maybe make a moyo, maybe attack, maybe using his thickness to make small territories. ]
)))
(;W[jd]
C[This would be more aggressive; I can't find anything wrong with this but it's not Otake style, he'd probably call it vulgar. He plays the same way against his strongest opponent. Even when he's attacking he likes to protect his own connections and build up thickness. He doesn't choose moves that takes his opponent's eyes away but moves that have another object. A fighting player like myself would take the eyes away first. ]
))
(;B[ie]
C[This is the key point for B; looks like a weakness at ]
(;W[jd];B[kd];W[je];B[ke];W[jf];B[kf];W[jc];B[jb];W[ib];B[lb];W[ja];B[kb]
;W[ic];B[nc]
C[Playable for B; and not consistent with Otake's style anyway. ])
(;W[kf]
C[this is also possible; setting up the attack at A]LB[jd:A][mb:B];B[mb]
;W[nb];B[lb];W[nc];B[pj]
C[B can settle in sente, ceding the upper right corner to W, but this would work better for B than the game]
;W[jd];B[gb]
C[B is easily alive. W can cut off the one central stone but it's not important. Note that W still has a potential weakness in his wall.]
)))
(;B[fe];W[ee];B[df];W[ge];B[fd];W[gd];B[fc];W[gc];B[fb];W[gb];B[eb];W[je]
)
(;B[he];W[de];B[ce];W[df];B[cg];W[je]
C[B has not onlky completely lost any hope of attacking W's wall, but he's under even more severe attack, which means that it'll very unlikely he'll ever be able to erase W'c right-side corner territory.]
))
(;B[ke]
C[Here, I prefer jumping out, to maintain the balance.];W[me];B[df];W[fe]
;B[kg]
C[This kind of way of playing for balance, you could call it Japanese style; the Chinese play a more risky style, relying on their fighting and reading power. ]
))
(;B[lc]
C[I would expect that the game would probably be close if B plays here; a moyo game can be risky because a moyo can disappear quickly. Here it's ]
;W[nc];B[ic]
C[This of course gives B much more room than in the actual game];W[me];B[qj]
C[for instance B can now ignore the marked stone and his upper group is not only not going to die, it's not even going to get bullied very much]
TR[me]))
(;W[de];B[ce];W[eg]
C[solid connection for all of white's stones, but would lose the peep at A. Kobayashi Koichi, for instance, would play this way, but it's not Otake's style]
LB[be:A]))

