NiallVsWojtex 1252454

Some plain text notes to myself about the game: http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/game/game.jsp?gid=1252454 <...> means that this sequence is an optional exchange
 * ...** means that this sequence comes up again and again.

Move 34: C5 < (D5) C6 (C3) B5> (D7) - G3 (E5) E3 (F3) [blue can't afford a ladder to the right, so] G1 (F2) F1 (D2) E2 (D4) - red solidly connects, and wins - F4 [connected to the left edge] (G5) K3 (H3) I2 (G2 - ladders to F2, then jumps to D2) - red wins F2 - (D2) C5 (D7) - (K3) D7 (C5) E1 - red seems to have made things hard for himself D4 (C3) B6 (F4) - D7 (C6) D5 (C5), and (C3) blocks blue E4 (D5) E5 (C3) D2 (E3) F1 (G2) G1 G3 (D7) E4 [problems at D4, but ignore for now] (J5) K6 (G5) K3 (I3) H4 (I4) H5 - blue wins

Move 30: G3 - (C3) E3 (D2) D5 (G5) C6 (D6) - (D6) - E4 (D4) - seems like a red win? - C5 [if (D4) then D7 is a win for blue] (E4) F2

D6 - (J5) - K3 (G5) G3 (I3) H4 - looks good for blue, locally? Blue (E4) area ? - K6 (D7) F4 (E5) E4 (D5) D3 (D2) C3 (G5) K3 (H3) I2 (G2) - red wins! - (D5 forcing blue to choose?) - D7 (B7) C5 (C6) E3 (D4) D3 [bad shape] (J5) K3 (G5) J2? - B7    - C5       - - (G4) D7 - blue wins -  - <(B7) C5 (D5) C6> (C3) F2 (D2) B5 (D7) - E4 [connects to left edge, and H1] **(J5) K6 (G5) K3** - F4 (E5) D4 (E3) E4 (F3)

F4 - (D6 - connects C4 to the bottom, but C4 isn't at the top yet), however with the J5 exchange so far it looks like red makes it. - (D5)  D6 (B7) C5 [everything very disconnected now!] - (J5) H5 (G6 I hope!) K3

My basic question is: Before I play E/F4 leading to: **(J5) K6 (G5) K3**, do I gain from forcing anything? Also, which is better out of E4 and F4? F4 looks nicer on the surface. Can I get to F4? I think I can, even after (B7) sequence, but only if red hasn't played (D2).

E4 (J5) K3 (J3) - I need H5 force, hence  exchange. F2 (D2, more efficient than just D2 directly!)  D6 (E4) D4 (C5) B7 [forced if  played, if not, then should play at this point?] (D7 - forced) D5 - very bad for red I think. Will have a way around this. Probably by forcing at (J5) and playing something like (I3) now E4/F4, planning to play K3 after red forces with (J5) and then plays (G5) D5 (B6)  F4...

Move 28: D6 (E7) D8 (E8) G4 **(J5) K6 (G5) K3** E7 (C8) D6 (D7) F4 (J5) **K6 (G5) K3** (I3) H4 (I4) H5 (G6) J4 - no local win for red... F5 (E7) - doesn't look promising to me G6 (F6) - blue fail D8 (E8) F6 (E7) - bad for blue

Move 24: F2 - threatens C2, or is it better to play C2? Trouble is that C2 (J5) K6 (E7) red seems quite close to the top. D8 (C7) - very effective looking for red! D8 (E8) F6 (E7) E5 (D6) D5 (B6) C6 (B7) C7 (B8) C9 - win for blue D8 (E8) F6 (E7) E6 (D7) D6 (B7) - bottom ladder works for red. Top left ladder leads to ladder along the top past H1, but with J5 it looks like red has it D8 (D7) F6 (B9) C6 - blue wins E5 (E6) E5 (E6) D8 (E8) E7 (F7) G6 (J5) K6 (F6) G4 - [red now has 2 attacks, he can play both] top right    - (G5) H4 (H5) K3   middle left - C6  middle left - D6 Note: C2 doesn't look very powerful: (B3) B2 (C3) - runs to top right, but with (J5) force red looks good. E6 (F7) - bad for blue? Looking bad for blue... Problem: Red can force at J5 - making H6 very close to the top. So, D9 only has to get to C4, H6 or the top.