10/16/98

adsfadsfhs vs. adsfadsfhs

This is one of many games that I play against myself. I intend to think hard on every move and see how well can I play if I do my best. If you find a move better than the one above, please tell me the move and why by using email. My email address is adsfadsfhs@yahoo.com

This opening is called Comp'Oth and it is also my favorite opening. (That's why I choose to play it) Everything up to move 14 seems to be quite standard (all the bots on IOS seem to do this often).

fig. 1 - move 14

Figure 1 is what it look like before move 15. There are few good moves to choose from: d2, e2, and f8. I choose f8 mainly because I want to get a spot on the south side and forcing white to either break my wall (which I don't think is a good idea) or to flip my g5 (which complete white's wall).

fig. 2 - move 15 (f8)

After move 15 (figure 2), white can either flip g5 or flip some of black's wall. White's good options for break black's wall are e8 and c5. e8 will probably get d8 as a response from black which will lead white to become powerless on the south. c5 will probably get b6 as a response from the black, flipping black's discs without accomplishing much. The other good choices left for white all require to flip g5. Of all the choices (g4, h4, h5, and h6) g4 seems to give white the most control of the east (since if black go to the east, white can respond to it without losing good position). g4 seems to be a good choice for move 16.

fig. 3 - move 16 (g4)

It is clear at this point that both sides want to wait until the opponent to break through the wall and limit the opponent's mobility. Black as fours moves left that will not break any part of its opponent's wall: g8, d2, e2, and e3. g8 looks bad because black will lose complete control over the south edge and because it is a c-square. e3 doesn't look good either, since it flips two frontier discs plus it will greatly expand black's wall. The choices are left with d2 and e3 which flip the same frontier disc. I choose d2 over e2 because e2 lets white to go to d1 (although e2 isn't really a bad move).

fig 4 - move 17 (d2)

The only good moves that I can find for white in this position are c5 and d8. I pick d8 over c5 because I don't know what white should do after black responds with b6 (although this doesn't mean that c5 is not good).

fig. 5 - move 18 (d8)

Of all the moves that do not break white's wall, (g8, e3, and e8) e3 and e8 look the best. (b8 is a c-square and white's response of c8 will put black into much inferior position) e3 is a fine move, but I just find e8 to be more attractive. First, by going to e8, white is forced to either go to g8 (c-square) or break black's wall. Second, e8 flips e7, which creates a move for black if white goes to c8 (and b8, if white goes there after c8-c7).

fig. 6 - move 19 (e8)

White is now put into a situation which it has to either pick g8 or break black's wall (and let black a chance to expand on the south). g8 seems to prevent a big disaster for white, so I go there for white.

fig. 7 - move 20 (g8)

Black has two good moves to choose from: e3 and g3. (e3 will probably lead to e3-e2-f1 while g3 will probably lead to g3-e3-e2) Both of them look attractive, but I like e3 more because it doesn't let white to access the east edge.

fig. 8 - move 21 (e3)

Who do you think is winning after move 21? Send me what you think to adsfadsfhs@yahoo.com.