The number of games in the tournament is quite massive, so with the current state of the tournament, I am shifting focus to comment the Finals matches. Granted, this still will wind up with 14 matches (for 28 games) to comment, which is still quite a bit. As such, if anyone wants to pitch in their own comments, feel free to get in contact with me and I'll set you up with a game not currently being processed.
To kick this off, I will be looking at the first game between Simmon (white) and Gerrek (black):
This game begins with a fairly standard adjacent corner opening (1. a1 f1), with white opting for the edge-crawl (2.f2) and black responding with a fairly common defense at 2. ... e4
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| [1. a1 f1 2. f2 e4] |
From here, white actually decides to extend out to 3. e2. This is an interesting divergence from a more 'pure' edge crawl play (f4).. Black responds by playing 3. ... d3, slowing down white's progress with a center block. This creates a nice loose diagonal, with fairly good influence. A more aggressive play would be to use this as a chance to play black's capstone with Cd3. (Tako recommends d4).
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| [3. e2 d3] |
White follows up by extending a bit into the center with 4.c3?. This does gain some center control and sort of extend white's pieces, but it makes them quite disjointed and fairly easy to block. A better move may have been d2, connecting to white's current pieces and building up white's road threat.
Black takes advantage of this by playing 4. ... d2, which cuts through white's stones, gives black tempo, and increases black's fortifications. White replies with 5.c2, extending the piece in the center and gives some support, but doesn't really change the tempo or grab control back. A more aggressive play might have been Ce3, placing white's cap in a fairly solid location.
Black takes this opportunity to fill with his own cap at 5. ... Ce3. This is a pretty solid position and blocks threats from a pincer attack.
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| [4. c3? d2 5. c2 Ce3] |
Here, white places at 6. d1, creating pincer on black's d2 stone and creating loose connection between the two flat groups. In addition, this does block some of black's tempo. Black responds by cutting at 6. ... c1, keeping the area contested.
White places at 7. e1, solidifying the south-east corner of the board and maintaining control over d1. Another move to consider in this position would have been e5, targeting the other end of black's potential road and surrounding some of the pieces. Black responds with a pincer at 7. ... c2, which creates a diagonal connection to the a1 stone and builds up the west-east road potential.
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| [6. d1 c1 7. e1 b2] |
Black follows up by placing at 8. ... b1. This connects and solidifies black's pieces and defends b2.
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| [8. b3? b1] |
Black sees this and plays 9. ... b2>', defending against the tak and creating one of his own, regaining control. White, on the defense, captures with 10. d1+ to defend against the tak. Arguably, c3- would be better for this, though, since it secures more control over the bottom two rows and increases white's west-east potential.
Black extends control by placing at 10. ... d1, creating a threat at d2. A more aggressive line would be to play d3-. While, this would likely trigger a capture sequence (e2< 2c2>), at the end black ends up with a decent stack to run east or north, depending on white's anticipated Capstone placement.
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| [9. a3' b2>' 10. d1+ d1] |
White attempts to regain control by placing at 11. d4', creating tak. This threat is rather weak, though, without much real force behind it. A stronger move would have been 2d2<', which reduces black's road threat and opens a potential spot for white's capstone. This is a good position for those who are interested in improving their game to explore. Consider these potential responses, their benefits and disadvantages: Sd2, c1+, and d2??.
This allows black to capture with 11. ... 2c2>', which blocks the white threat and creates his own threat. This continues to cut of white's pieces, disrupting his road potential.
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| [11. d4' 2c2>'] |
White, here, captures with 12. d4-, which blocks the tak, but allows black to have a good chance to recapture pieces. A slightly better move would have been to play e2<, which would give white a good potential to play a capstone or wall at e2.
Black recaptures with 12. ... e3<, quite a strong capture. It keeps his pieces connected, and creates a strong central cap.
White responds by finally playing his capstone at 13. Ce3, which while not an ideal placement, is still a fairly decent location.
Black replies with 13. ... c2, which is primarily a structural play that also defends the d2 square. A more advanced play would be f4'. After this, e2< would yield tinuë to black and other moves would be disadvantageous for white. An e3+ response, for example, would let black grab a lot of white's south-west territory.
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| [12. d4- e3< 13. Ce3 c2] |
At this point, white shifts attention a bit and plays 14. f4, which blocks immediate tak threats and builds a bit towards a north-south road. Black responds by extending his road with 14. ... d4, continue to build a connected set of pieces.
White then makes an serious error with 15. b2??. This looks like it's an attempt to threaten some of black's position, but it actually yields tinuë to black. I would have considered playing 15. e5 instead, a location where white can block a few road possibilities and create loose connections to other white stones. Black seizes the opportunity and plays 15. d5"', which is Tinuë.
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| [14. f4 d4 15. b2?? d5'''] |
Think with mind of air
Listen close to heart of stone
A beautiful game
