Atari and connect

    Keywords: Tactics
[Diagram]
Atari then connect  

After B1 atari and W2 in reply, Black has two cutting points to consider. Here Black connects at one of them with B3. Black is stronger, certainly. White however has gained a stone at W2 to reinforce white+circle. In isolation one can't very well evaluate the exchange B1/W2.



There is a place here, though, to introduce some of the techniques of go 'criticism'.

[Diagram]
A different order  

Supposing Black had started with B1 here. That would have been a solid way to play: perhaps unambitious. Then W2 looks possible, but could be queried by stronger players: perhaps heavy. after that B3 looks too tight; such a play is used when liberties matter greatly, but otherwise Black at a or at b do more to develop.



The technique of re-ordering plays is called tewari in Japanese: it is supposed to go back to Go Saint Dosaku.

As is explained on the tewari page, more than one type of argument is used under that name. The idea is to isolate anomalous plays or poor exchanges. A point made at how to lie with tewari is that this is much more convincing when one balances imperfect play by one player against perfect-seeming play by the other. Here we aren't quite in that position: one suspects Black's plays give away more, that's all.

The other technique that can be cited here is explained at One-Two-Three. A 'living go' example is One-Two-Three example 3.

Charles Matthews


Atari and connect last edited by CharlesMatthews on May 18, 2003 - 10:31
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