In the last two columns, we tried to come up with the right questions to ask during a game to improve understanding and eventually lead to real answers and better play. Most of the problems we focused on had to do with attack and defense. Attacking feels good, and many aggressive players have to keep attacking to feel that the game is going well. However, if you don't manage your aggression, and balance it with making territory and defending, you will have a hard time when you play people of your own or higher rank.

In politics and other forms of negotiation, aggression and outright attack are rarely resorted to because this leads to war and all its accompanying horror. In addition, aggression rarely leads to a lasting solution. Embargoes, boycotts, isolation and other forms of pressure are often applied to make a point that may lead to a solution.

Last week's game (see Solution 1) is an example in point, as White was consistently trying to isolate Black's groups, while Black was trying to score points everywhere.

Balancing attack and defense

Solution 1
(white 20 is played at A, white 26 is played at 15): It is not a good idea to escape with one stone in response to the marked white move (White's last move). See Reference 1. Black 1 creates a weakness at 4, while reducing White's territory. Black then continues to defend his stones on the left with the moves to 17. However, black 19 is a daring move. White fails to find a good response and, after 31, Black is not only alive, but has been able to play 19, 27, and 29 to make even more territory than White during his attack. Still, in the end, because of Black's overall thinness, White managed to win the game by a half point.

Reference 1 :
After White's marked stone, technically speaking, Black can escape with 1, etc. but after white 6, Black must either defend his stones in the center with 7, allowing White to kill with 8, or play at 8 himself and lose his stones (1, 3, 5, etc.) in the center when White plays at or around 7.

Solution 2A :
Can Black descend to 1 ? White will cut with 2. Black 3 next is impossible, because White plays 4 and 6. After white 10 it is all over. Black can't approach from 9 because of the exchange 4 for 5.

Solution 2B :
Black 3 is better, but white 4 is an exquisite move. Sure, instead of 5, Black could have cut at 6, followed by white 13 and black 5. But then White captures with a move at 25. Instead, the moves given starting with 5 through 9 are the best response. However, after white 10 and 12, Black is caught. He can try 13 through 17, but runs out of steam after 25. White 26 captures Black in a snapback-Black can capture white 10, but then that stone and all of his stones connected to it, get caught.

Solution 3 :
Yes, after black 1, White can save his stones with a move around 2. However, this is a typical full board problem, because in the end, Black switches to 9 to take control over the left part of the board.

Solution 4 :
Black 1 is a good move even though it doesn't corner the three marked white stones unconditionally. But if White moves to save them, he'll get into trouble very quickly. The moves shown are just one possibility.

Solution 5 :
Black hopes for the result shown here. This way Black builds up massive center thickness. Just imagine how the situation looks if White gets to play at 1 or 3 before Black plays at 1. That would also lead to the possibility that White could sooner or later escape with the three stones on the right side.

Solution 6 :
If White plays at 2-the seemingly natural move-Black jumps to 3. Now White has to play at 4 anyway. Next, Black makes a good shape with 5 through 9, then jumps to 11 to build a strong center influence.

Diagram 1 :
In Solution 6, Black made a good shape, and the same thing will happen if White plays at 3. However, white 2 is a strong move. Black 7 is a bad mistake. He should have played at 9 immediately. Capturing with 10 gives White overwhelming strength in this part of the board. Black 11 through 17, then capturing white 18 in a ladder with 21, is very clever, but White 22 is a ladder-breaker. In the ensuing fight, Black tries to maintain the ladder and fight against 22 at the same time. In the end, White broke through in that area and achieved an easy win.

Problem 1 :
Black 1 is an overplay. White cuts through with 2 and 4. Black 5 is an attempt to save black 1. How should White proceed ?

Problem 2 :
Black is cut into two. He needs to cut White into two as well, while escaping into the center with his four stones on the right. Where should Black play next ?

Problem 3 :
Black to play first. He needs to attack by cutting. But how ?

Problem 4 :
White's invasion at 1 is the fear of weaker players in a handicap game. How do you handle this move ?