To continue my series of analysis of games from the Open Tournament, I want to move onto the second game between Simmon and maron, with Simmon as white and maron as black. (Note: While it is important to consider the context of the game in the match, I am analyzing this and other second games in of their own merit and play).
In this game, the players start with an adjacent corner opening (1. a1 f1), with Simmon opting for an edge-crawl line (2. f2):
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| [1. a1 f1 2. f2] |
Black responds by immediately interrupting white's tempo by playing 2. ... f3. As is common in this line, white extends out with 3.e2, which black matches with 3. ... e3, and white continuing to push across the 2nd rank with 4.d2.
In this way, white maintains tempo and primarily defines the shape and feel of this game.
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| [2. ... f3 3. e2 e3 4. d2 ] |
Black responds by playing at 4. ... c2, which attempts to surround white's stones. While not an uncommon play, other lines might be stronger for black, like playing 4. ... d3 or playing out a capstone or wall.
White continues to extend influence and cut through black's stones with 5.d3, which black 'pincers' with 5. ... c3. Again, while this isn't necessarily a bad move, black is being shoved into the defensive and has separate groups of stones, so black might have considered a more aggressive move.
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| [ 4. ...c2 5. d3 c3] |
White continues to extend out his road with 6. d4 to which black responds with 6. ... d1. This threatens d2, the white's road source and also builds some potential east-west road.
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| [6. d4 d1] |
At this point white still has tempo and control, but black has fairly good presence in the south-east corner, where white's road originates, so continuing to push forwards would force disadvantageous captures for white. As such, white plays 7. e4 to bolster the road. This piece provides an additional connection point and adds white control to where it's needed, and even - if necessary - gives white a bridge to start a west-east road.
Given the drop in tempo and aggressiveness, black takes the opportunity to bolster his own structures with 7. ... b2, which shores up the groups, creating better connectivity and influence while promoting the west-east threat.
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| [7. e4 b2] |
With the extra bolstering of the road, white now feels confident enough to press on with 8.d5, resulting in a direct tak threat. In response, black plays 8. ... d1+, capturing at the base and cutting the white groups of stones. In addition, black has a more visible west-east road potential.
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| [8. d5 d1+] |
White here is able to reconnect with 9.e4-, showing off the strength of the earlier play at e4 and instigating another tak threat. Black returns by capturing with 9. ... c3>, taking the d3 stone, maintaining black's threat and cutting the white's road again. White is able to reconnect his stones with Ce4, which uses the capstone's influence to take major control of the surrounding area. This again renews white's immediate tak threat.
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| [9. e4- c3> 10. Ce4 ] |
Black responds by playing 10. ... f3<, which breaks the tak threat and even builds black's east-west threat. This lures white's capstone down to e3 with 11. e4-, allowing black to play 11. ... Ce4, putting black's capstone into this position. This results in two major contesting lines - white's north south road and black's west-east road, with the two capstones at the crossroads of the two, vying for influence in an exciting game.
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| [10. ... f3< 11. e4- Ce4] |
Here, white continues to press his tempo advantage by playing 12. d6, creating a new tak threat. In response, black captures d4 with 12. ... 2d3+, maintaining his west-east potential and influence and cutting off white's roads.
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| [12. d6 2d3+] |
With white's ability to create immediate tak threats stymied, white plays 13. e5, which looks like it plans to edge around black's pieces. This play, while valuable, may not be quite as good as playing 13. 4e3-. This play would create a fairly strong capstone stack at e2, ready to be thrown west. In doing so, white would be able to snatch up a lot of valuable black pieces and establish a fairly strong west-east threat.
Black responds to the 13. e5 by playing a solid, defensive Se6. At first glance, this may seem too passive, but this allows black to flexible responses to a lot of white's future north-south connections, in particular d5-. A more aggressive move, like 13. ... e4 would result in a pretty heavy exchange between white and black.
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| [13. e5 Se6] |
From here, white extends off e5 by playing 14. f5, building a bit of a west-east road on the 5-rank and providing a loose connection to the f-file stones. Black responds by interrupting this with 14. ... f4, which simultaneously extends black's west-east road, to the point where a tak threat is immanent.
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| [14. f5 f4] |
In return, white extends his stones with 15. d3, which also continues to separate black's groups of stones. Black replies by capturing d3 with 15. ... 2d2+?, cutting white's threat and extending his own. This however, allows white to recapture with 16. 2e2<, which is also an immediate tak threat with a north-south road. In this case, TakticianBot recommends playing 15. ... e6-, lowering the e6 wall, but even that seems a bit weak.
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| [15. d3 2d2+? 16. 2e3< ] |
Black blocks the tak threat easily with 16. ... e6<?. While this seems reasonable, white should have followed up with 17.4d3+!, which would have been tinuë. White misses this, though, playing 17. e6?, instead, which does renew the tak threat. Sensibly, black follows up with 17. ... 2d6-, renewing the block and temporarily shutting down white's north-south road, and blocking the tinuë, even if not intentionally.
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| [16. ... e6< 17. e6 2d6-] |
White takes this opportunity to grab some west territory and aim his road west with 18. a3. This is an immediate tak threat that black misses entirely, playing 18. ... c3??. This allows white to take the road with 19. 4d3<13 (R-0) and the win. Even if black had noticed this and played something like 18. ... Sc3, white would be able to toss the d6 stack north (e.g. 19. 563+41) , either renewing the threat or increasing control in the area (and pinning the black capstone horizontally), which would place white at a decent advantage.
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| [18. a3 c3?? 19. 4d3<13 (R-0)] |
Overall, both players played quite well - anticipating the shape of the game. Black might have been able to be a bit more disruptive and more considerate of white's plays, but most plays by each player seemed well motivated. In the end, though, the loss came from a hastily placed stone, missing a significant road, which is is always a risk - even for experienced players.
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Think with mind of air
Listen close to heart of stone
A beautiful game
