This position can be reached in two ways:

• Via the 3-5 point low approach, two space high pincer, attach on approach joseki
• Via the 3-5 point, 4-3 approach, one space pincer, attach to approach joseki

Which reverse the order of the and stones to get to this position

Until 1963, a was the common way to continue after . But in 1963, Fujisawa Hideyuki found the tesuji b, which has been the common way to play since then.

Table of contents Basic joseki What if black cuts? Variations after the cut Double peep instead of cut Killing sequence if sealed in

Table of diagrams Starting position Famous tesuji Follow-up after tenuki Exploring the cut White not alive yet? Killing attempt is risky Killing attempt need support Tesuji if black defends differently Explore variations Explore variations alternative variation alternative variation Explore alternative Explore alternative 2 White is surrounded Famous killing sequence More Explore

Basic joseki

is a famous use of the Grappling hook tesuji ^[1]. After , black can defend on the left with or a point near it (c or d). White can now choose to defend the cut a or perhaps to attack with b, but can also play tenuki.

White should keep in mind that the corner is not yet alive, so if this group is sealed in, white needs a move to live.

After a white tenuki, the follow-up looks like this (assuming black played ). After White can play tenuki again, because she can always get an eye at d if she so wishes, so the corner is not at risk.

What if black cuts?

Dieter: I'm afraid we cannot call it a famous tesuji without exploring it. What happens next?

Herman: Ishida calls this a possibility ("black resists strongly"), but says that black is rarely able to play this way, because the atari at c is too painful.

fractic: Kogo's joseki dictionary paints a different picture. White's corner isn't alive yet so she doesn't have time to atari at c. Instead of Kogo suggests and goes on to show that black can't resist with at so that it just reverts to joseki with a different move order. Then again Kogo isn't allways right and it admits that it isn't sure about the punishment of .

Herman: In reponse to this: A search in GoGoD shows that first has not been played since 1962, all games from 1963 onwards have

fractic: and kill the corner. In fact Kogo goes as far to say that the original tesuji is disadvantagous because of this.

Herman: Lets see if that's true :)

Herman: Seems to me black may be in trouble after

fractic: This does indeed look very troublesome for black. Looks like Black can indeed only cut if he can tolerate the atari.

Bob McGuigan: Ishida says that Black has to have some strength to the right to push and cut.

Herman: Seems that the only realistic chance here is if black can escape with , which is probably what Ishida means when he talks about black being strong to the right.

tderz: Black wouldn't like to give White a ponnuki and then die (as it seems here - if not black stones as near as a present).

Herman: Exactly, so the only time black can play like this is if he can escape and kill the corner. That's worth a ponnuki :-)
tderz: It should be noted that the position of here is changed with regard to the first diagram.
This has an important impact on less Black weaknesses to exploit for White.

This example shows it:

tderz: changed to the position of the other diagrams ...
and tesuji makes miai of c and cut d.
This illustrates the disadvantages of 'banging-ones-head-of-two-stone' .
It really needs a continuation of at e.

Variations after the cut

tderz: this is from a professional game: " is a good move. is powerful"

tderz: "Now cannot be omitted" (cf. with above TsumeGo diagrams)

tderz: seems like forcing a ko on White, but she has in the continuation diagram below.

tderz: "White can connect at and live with . "

Double peep instead of cut

Dieter: Or is the move?

Dieter: With this variation?

Herman This look too good for black. is now a wasted move, and black can continue with c and seal white in completely.

Killing sequence if sealed in

tderz: It can be mentioned here, that White - by all means (as usual) - has to avoid being shut-in, ...

tderz: ... as the combination - is a known miaoshou.
The points a and d are now miai and White is dead.

Andy Pierce: Can black play this way with the idea of sealing white into the corner, sacrificing if needed?

Herman: Dubious. After , white threatens double atari at a, so black cannot play b. Which would meanthat white can move along the side there.