Condor's Nest

The Crane's Nest is a common go position that I don't see much in my games. I guess once the players know how it works they generally can see it coming. It involves a shortage of liberties and inevitable capture.

A similar situation arose in a game I played a few days ago on KGS. It was a little bigger, however, and my good go buddy KGS ID ChasLayton referred to it as a Condor's Nest when he observed it.

Here is how it developed. The game was fairly even up until I made a mistake playing at g12. That stone was easily cut by white.



Later I felt the need to try to get into the center and so I played a move that felt to me as if it were an overplay. That was L12. My opponent responded with L13, which actually turned out to be a mistake.



Rather than responding instantly to his move I took the time to look and to read. It seemed to me as if something might happen. After I was fairly certain that I would be able to continuously atari and capture with a shortage of liberties I played m12.



Although the damage was great, it was still a game. We were playing it for review purposes anyway, so we took it to the end. I did manage to win even though white tried to cause trouble with an eleventh hour invasion in the lower right.

It was a fun game and I am glad I took my time to think and to read. Near the end I counted the board a number of times. It is all good practice for the Go Congress.