(;
PW[Chen Yaoye]
WR[9p]
PB[Ryan Li]
BR[1p]
EV[3rd Mlily Cup, round 2]
DT[2017-06-21]
PC[China Qiyuan, Beijing]
KM[7.5]
RE[B+2.50]
RU[Japanese]
ST[2]
C[3rd MLily Cup
White:  Chen Yaoye 9p
Black:  Ryan Li 1p
Commentary:  Ryan Li 1p
Transcriber:  Myron Souris
Round 2, 2017-06-21

With Ryan Li's commentary here for his epic game against Chen Yaoye 9p, you'll gain not only a better understanding of their go skills, but also an appreciation for the mental pressure of playing against one of the top players in the world in a top level tournament.  And for those of you, who had been living in a cave, Ryan won this nail-biter.

Transcriber's note:  The commentary here is an extensive but abridged transcription from Ryan Li's original video with the E-Journal's Chris Garlock.  For the video link to the full commentary, see the E-Journal article, http://www.usgo.org/news/2017/07/video-commentary-giant-killer-ryan-li-1p-on-his-mlily-win-against-chen-yaoye-9p/];
B[qd]
;
W[dc];B[pp];W[dq]
(;
B[nc]
C[I play this opening a lot.  My plan was to play an influence-oriented game and let Chen take territory.]
(;
W[dn]
C[I was a little bit surprised when Chen played this AlphaGo enclosure.]
(;
B[qj]
C[So I try to develop the right side.];
W[nq];B[pn]
C[So far straightforward.];
W[qq]
C[A very common invasion.];
B[pq];W[pr]
(;
B[de];W[ce]
C[I want to develop the top, and I know that Chen likes to attach here, instead of extending along the top to A.]
LB[gc:A]
(;
B[dd];W[cd];B[ec];W[cf]
(;
B[db]
C[Simpler.];
W[cc];B[fd]
C[Black aims for the top, White takes the left.];
W[qp]
C[White has time to come back to take the corner.]
(;
B[qo];W[oo];B[po];W[or]
C[At this point, I've achieved my pre-game goal of developing influence.  And Chen achieves his usual territorial goal.]
(;
B[eg];W[dh];B[fi]
C[My last 2 knight moves expand my moyo, and reduce White's potential.]
(;
W[jc]
C[Bam!  This 3rd line invasion really surprised me.  White doesn't have a comfortable extension in either direction.

I think what Chen may be thinking is that if I cannot severely attack while he lives at the top, then he can also invade the right side.  Black's moyo strategy will have failed.];
B[kd]
C[I'm trying to attack this stone, while developing the right side.];
W[jd];B[je]
C[Because the top is so open, expecting to kill White is unreasonable.  So I'm just trying to press White down.]
(;
W[kc];B[ld];W[ie];B[if];W[jf];B[ke]
(;
W[hf]
C[Pretty much the only move.]
(;
B[id]
C[See the variation.];
W[ig]
C[White's strong ponnuki shape obviously hurts Black's center potential and weakens Black's marked stones to the left.  So Black must find a way to obtain compensation.]
TR[eg][fi]
(;
B[he]
C[A ko that Black must obviously not lose.];
W[oc]
C[White plays here to make ko threats.  The problem is that Black cannot afford to give White a single ko threat.

At this point, I think the game is close.]
(;
B[nd]
C[I have to respond solidly.  See the variation.]
(;
W[ge]
C[This ko is heavier for Black, but I was surprised White started the ko this early.  See the variation.];
B[if];W[nb];B[ie]
C[Forced.];
W[mb];B[pc];W[od];B[oe];W[ob];B[pe];W[hb]
C[The end result of the big fight at the top.  During the game, I thought the game was difficult for Black.

But after the game, some Chinese pros thought that Black was slightly better.  Although White has made about 10 points inside what was Black's moyo, Black has a strong outside wall.  And Black has sente.];
B[mm];W[ij]
(;
B[bn]
LB[cl:A][cq:B]
C[Another move inherited from AlphaGo.  Black takes advantage of the weakness of White's 4th line stones, by making miai of jumping in the direction of A or B.]
(;
W[lk]
C[At first, I was surprised that Chen didn't respond to my invasion.  But his move here in the center does make sense.  White wants to postpone fixing the lower left shape for a time when the outside is more advantageous.  For example, with a stone at A, White will play B, forcing Black to live in the corner, while White builds a nice outside formation.

For reference, see the variations for how White might respond locally in the lower left.]
LB[jp:A][cl:B]
(;
B[km]
C[Black cannot defend the right side, as the variation shows.];
W[nk]
(;
B[mj];W[ll];B[lm];W[nm];B[jk];W[om];B[ql];W[pk];B[pj];W[mo];B[jj]
TR[jj][jk]
C[Black's attack, starting with the play at A, was not entirely successful.  However, later Black might be able to use the aji in the lower right, for example, starting with Black B, White C, Black D.

Also, Black's 2 marked stones can be useful for any fight with White's center stones above.]
LB[km:A][lo:B][lp:C][mp:D];
W[cp];B[ck]
(;
W[ko]
C[After the game, we concluded that this move is too slow.]
(;
B[gp]
LB[jl:A]
C[Now Black can invade, while defending the ladder after a cut at A.]
(;
W[hl];B[in]
C[The middle game fighting becomes very messy.];
W[gj];B[jp];W[jm]
C[A mistake.];
B[im];W[il];B[jl];W[jn];B[jo];W[kn];B[kp];W[lo]
C[Now White's lower right group is inefficient.];
B[gm];W[gl];B[lj];W[fm];B[lq]
C[And Black can make this 3rd line exchange in sente.]
(;
W[ki]
C[This peep exchange is also a little bit of a mistake, as we'll see later.]
(;
B[ji]
(;
W[mq];B[fq];W[oi];B[oj];W[nj];B[ni];W[ok];B[qk];W[mi];B[nh];W[kj];B[kh];W[li]
C[White captures the 2 center stones, but ...];
B[hh]
C[... in exchange, Black settles the right side and makes this important move in the center.  A great exchange for Black.

After this point, I was feeling a little bit better about my prospects.  So the psychological thing kicks in -- I could potentially win this game.  Such thoughts are a really bad thing!];
W[ci];B[em]
C[A strong move.  I didn't play safely, because I didn't think I was ahead.];
W[en];B[fn];W[fl];B[dm];W[fo];B[gn];W[ej];B[cn];W[go]
(;
B[io];W[hm];B[hn];W[do];B[ep];W[eo];B[dr]
C[I went into byo-yomi thinking about this move, which turned out well.];
W[cr];B[er];W[hp];B[hq];W[bq]
C[Black forces White to live in the corner.];
B[bj]
C[And now Black's left side is alive.  Black is ahead now by almost 15 points on the board.];
W[fh]
(;
B[mh];W[eh]
(;
B[bp]
C[I make a mistake here, probably because I'm entertaining thoughts of beating Chen Yaoye 9p!  Finishing this game was the hardest thing I've done in any game in my life.];
W[fp]
C[Sente.];
B[gq];W[bo]
C[White captures the stone.];
B[bl]
C[And now Black has to defend inefficiently.  The game is much closer.

I used one period of overtime, just to calm myself down.  Fortunately, I was able to mentally pull myself back together.];
W[gd]
C[In the moves that follow, you can see Chen's magical endgame strength.];
B[lc];W[lb];B[gc];W[hc];B[gb];W[hg];B[ih];W[jg];B[jh];W[fe];B[fb];W[qb];B[lh];W[kk];B[rc];W[lr];B[kr];W[lp];B[kq];W[cb];B[ca];W[ba];B[da];W[kl]
C[After White captures the 3 stones, Black still has a lead, but my endgame is not great.];
B[ro];W[rb];B[rq];W[qr]
(;
B[ek]
C[A big move, but the variation shows a better move.];
W[rp];B[gi];W[fj];B[sp];W[dj];B[dk];W[qc];B[rd];W[pd];B[co];W[ap];B[mr];W[gh]
C[At this point, the game is so intense that I couldn't even count properly.];
B[bh];W[bi];B[ai];W[bg];B[hj];W[df];B[bb];W[ab]
C[When White started the ko, I knew I was ahead.  Otherwise, White would have simply played at A.]
LB[bc:A];
B[aa];W[qe];B[qf];W[ba];B[eq];W[dp];B[aa];W[re];B[rf];W[ba];B[sb];W[rr];B[aa];W[sc];B[sd];W[ba];B[bc];W[bd];B[aa];W[cm];B[bm];W[ba];B[ml];W[mk];B[aa];W[mc];B[md];W[ba];B[fk];W[ee];B[ed];W[gk];B[aa];W[el];B[dl];W[ba];B[sq];W[sr];B[so]
(;
W[ho];B[aa];W[iq];B[ip];W[ba]
(;
B[nr]
C[Another mistake, given that I'm in byo-yomi.  See the variation for what I was trying to avoid here.];
W[ir]
C[White has this magical move that is difficult to answer in byo-yomi.];
B[hr];W[hs]
(;
B[js]
C[A mistake.];
W[is];B[fs];W[os]
C[Descending here is sente.];
B[ls];W[ds]
C[This move is 5 points gote.  Because the lower territory goes from 17 to 13 points, Black now needs to make points from the top left ko.];
B[aa];W[aj];B[ak];W[ba];B[oq];W[on];B[aa];W[cs];B[jr];W[ba];B[qs];W[rs];B[aa];W[gr];B[jq];W[ba];B[np];W[mp];B[aa];W[es];B[gs];W[ba]
C[The ko in the top left is worth 11 points.];
B[br]
C[Fortunately, I found the only ko threat big enough to win the game.]
(;
W[ne]
C[White tries a desperation move to avoid the variation.]
(;
B[bs];W[cq];B[an];W[ao];B[aa];W[lf];B[kf];W[kg];B[mf];W[ba]
(;
B[ar];W[lg];B[mg];W[op];B[aa];W[qm];B[pm];W[pl];B[rm];W[ba];B[ik];W[ch];B[aa];W[of];B[pf];W[ba];B[ah];W[ag];B[aa];W[ic];B[me];W[ba];B[aj];W[ei];B[aa];W[rn];B[qn];W[ba];B[hi]
(;
W[ha]
C[White has to play here instead of the hane in the variation.];
B[aa];W[eb];B[ea];W[ba];B[ga];W[ac];B[ns];W[ra];B[se];W[hd];B[cj];W[hk];B[le];W[sa];B[sc]
C[In Chinese rules, Black gets 2 points from the seki with one eye each.  (The komi is 3 and 3/4 stones and Black had 185 and 1/2 stones)  The end result is Black wins by 1 and 1/4 stones, which translates to 2.5 points. In terms of pure points on the board, Black has a 8 point lead.

-------------------
For reference, the AGA scoring has the same result:
Black:  66 = 59 + 6 captures (net) + 1 pass stone
White:  63.5 = 56 + 7.5 komi
So Black wins by 2.5 points.  Note that each side counts one point for the lower left corner seki.]
)
    (;
    W[ga];B[aa];W[sn];B[sm];W[ba];B[gf];W[gg];B[aa];W[eb];B[ea];W[ba];B[ha]
    C[White has no more ko threats.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[op]
    C[Black should connect here first before making the seki in the lower left.];
    W[no];B[ar];W[lg];B[mg]
    )
)
    (;
    B[kg]
    C[Also works and simpler.];
    W[ar];B[op];W[no];B[ic];W[ib];B[ik]
    C[Black wins like this.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[ac];B[bs];W[cq];B[an]
    (;
    W[ar];B[ao]
    C[A good ko threat -- life saving!]
    )
        (;
        W[ao];B[ar]
        C[Seki.]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    B[gs]
    C[The correct response.];
    W[js];B[ls];W[fs];B[es];W[gr];B[jr];W[cs];B[jq]
    C[White has nothing.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[pm];W[ms];B[ls];W[ns]
    C[This sequence is sente for White.];
    B[ir]
    C[Black has to defend.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[ac]
    C[If White ends the ko, ...];
    B[ho]
    C[... capturing here keeps Black ahead by about 10 points on the board.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[rp]
    C[Black should have played here now for the reverse sente end game.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[ek]
    C[Black can defend more efficiently here.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[eh];W[ei];B[gh];W[bl]
    C[White is aiming at life and death here.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[ho];W[hm];B[hn];W[hp];B[io];W[ep];B[hq];W[co]
    C[White lives more comfortably.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[dj]
    C[Again, if White tenukis, ...];
    B[np]
    C[... Black can cut here.]
    (;
    W[op];B[oq]
    )
        (;
        W[mp];B[mq];W[op];B[oq];W[nr];B[on];W[no];B[nn]
        )
        (;
        W[mq];B[nn];W[on];B[no];W[op];B[mp]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    B[kj]
    C[Perhaps Chen thought that I had to connect.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[dj]
    C[If White tenukis, ...];
    B[np]
    (;
    W[mp];B[mq];W[op];B[oq];W[nr];B[on];W[no];B[nn]
    C[... Black splits the group.  Note that Black didn't have to start the attack by connecting at A first.]
    LB[kl:A]
    )
        (;
        W[mq]
        C[No better.];
        B[nn];W[on];B[no]
        C[Black still splits White.]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    W[iq];B[jp]
    C[Black exploits the elephant's eye weakness.]
    )
    (;
    W[ip];B[iq];W[jq];B[hq];W[jr]
    C[Black can reduce the lower side very effectively.]
    )
    (;
    W[kl]
    C[This cut is not as severe.];
    B[jl];W[jm];B[im];W[jn];B[in]
    C[Black is satisfied.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[gk]
    C[Simply playing here to surround the center is not good enough.];
    W[jl];B[kl];W[kk]
    C[Now White can ignore a ladder breaker to capture the cutting stones for a big gain.]
    )
    (;
    B[lj]
    C[For reference, note that if Black defends here, ...];
    W[oj]
    C[... White has this tesuji sequence.];
    B[oi];W[qk];B[rk];W[rj];B[ri];W[pi];B[qi];W[ni]
    C[White breaks into Black's main area.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[gj]
    C[Instead, White should play here directly, because the lower side is difficult to defend.]
    )
    (;
    W[hp]
    C[More efficient than the game move.];
    B[lo]
    C[Now if Black goes down here, White can make a big move elsewhere.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[jk]
    C[If Black makes this exchange first, ...];
    W[jj];B[mj];W[lj];B[mk];W[mi];B[nj];W[ni];B[ml];W[lg]
    TR[nk]
    C[... White can sacrifice the marked stone.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[nk]
    C[Chen wants me to defend, because ...];
    W[lm];B[ln];W[km];B[mn];W[kn]
    C[... Black's territory is too small, and White makes center influence.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[cl];B[cq];W[cp];B[bp];W[bq];B[cr];W[br];B[dp];W[co];B[dr];W[eq];B[er];W[bo];B[fq]
    C[Good result for Black.]
    )
    (;
    W[cp];B[ck]
    )
)
    (;
    B[lj]
    C[Black can close off the right side, but making enough territory to win now is difficult.  See some follow-up possibilities for White.]
    (;
    W[ip]
    )
        (;
        W[gg];B[eh];W[di]
        )
        (;
        W[dk]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    W[qc];B[pd];W[pc];B[od]
    (;
    W[ge];B[if];W[nb];B[ie];W[mb]
    LB[ic:A]
    C[A similar result as the game, but a slightly better result for White.  A big endgame point is at A.]
    )
        (;
        W[rd]
        C[If White makes life here, ...];
        B[re];W[rc];B[hd]
        C[... after this connection, the game is still playable for Black.  Both sides made some territory, and the center still holds some potential for Black.]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    B[od]
    C[A normal response, but ...];
    W[nd];B[pc];W[hd];B[if];W[oe];B[ob];W[ie]
    C[... without any ko threats, Black is in big trouble.  Not only would White connect, but also Black's stones to the left would become weak.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[hd]
    C[Not good enough.];
    W[ge]
    C[Sente.];
    B[gd];W[eh];B[fh];W[fg]
    C[White cuts off the center stones.  Now White is thicker than Black.

In a fight, staying thick is really important.  The weaker player has to make eyes, so the thicker player benefits a lot.]
    PL[W];
    W[oc]
    C[Also, the aji in this area makes good use of the 3 top middle stones.]
    (;
    B[od]
    C[If Black plays on the outside, ...];
    W[pc];B[pd];W[nb]
    C[... killing White will be very difficult.]
    )
        (;
        B[nd]
        C[If Black defends the left, ...];
        W[qc]
        C[White can easily make life in the corner.]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    B[ig]
    C[The normal move is to prevent the ponnuki, but then ...];
    W[hd]
    C[... White makes the good tiger mouth shape.];
    B[hg];W[gf];B[gg];W[ff];B[ef]
    C[Black must fix the cut.];
    W[gc]
    C[White can now live locally here or at A.  But Black's outside is not thick enough, because later White has the push at B.

And Black's right side feels too open to make a big territory.]
    LB[gb:A][fg:B]
    )
)
    (;
    W[he]
    C[The usual move, but ...];
    B[hc]
    C[... here taking this point is very painful for White.  And White cannot capture the marked stone in a ladder.]
    TR[if]
    )
)
    (;
    W[ie]
    C[Mistake.];
    B[kc];W[jf];B[ke]
    LB[id:A][if:B]
    C[White has a bad shape, with cutting points at A and B. ]
    )
)
    (;
    W[md]
    C[I expected this reducing shoulder hit.];
    B[nd];W[me];B[ne];W[mf];B[lb];W[je]
    C[White has reduced the top, so ...];
    B[nh]
    C[... Black would probably have to do something on the right side here.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[eh]
    C[A friend suggested this jump, which is faster, but thinner.];
    W[df]
    (;
    B[ef]
    C[Black cannot block.];
    W[ee];B[ed];W[eg]
    C[Black is in big trouble.]
    )
        (;
        B[ff]
        C[So Black has to fall back, leaving a weakness at A.]
        LB[fg:A];
        W[jp]
        C[Now if White tenukis, ...];
        B[ch]
        C[... jumping down is almost sente.];
        W[dl];B[cb]
        C[Living is difficult for White.]
        )
    )
)
    (;
    B[or];W[po];B[oo];W[qo];B[qr];W[on];B[np];W[pm]
    C[Bad direction for Black.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[df]
    C[Another popular variation, the large avalanche.];
    W[dg];B[cc];W[db];B[bc];W[cb];B[cg];W[ch];B[bb];W[eb];B[bg];W[bf];B[bh];W[bd];B[fc];W[dh];B[ad];W[ae];B[fb];W[bi];B[ca]
    TR[nc][dn]
    C[White takes sente.  White's marked stone is ideally placed for left side development, while Black's low marked stone is not ideally placed for developing the top.

So White is better.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[cf];W[cd];B[df];W[fc];B[cj]
    TR[fc][nc][qd][qj]
    C[Now Black's upper right development is limited.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[or]
    C[What White wants.];
    W[qr];B[oq];W[ro];B[rn];W[qo];B[qn];W[nr];B[ns];W[jp];B[po];W[id]
    C[White's opening is very fast.  The lower right corner is not completely dead.]
    )
    (;
    B[qp];W[rr];B[rq];W[qr]
    C[Slightly better for White.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[nq];W[qj]
    C[Good for White.]
    )
)
    (;
    W[qn]
    C[More common.  White wants to reduce Black's right side development.];
    B[nq];W[qj];B[ce]
    C[Another opening.]
    )
)
    (;
    B[de];W[ce];B[cf];W[cd];B[do];W[co];B[cn];W[cp];B[dn];W[fq];B[df];W[fc];B[dj]
    C[Another opening.]
    )
)

