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SecretArtOfWar

 

Sacrifice The Plum For The Peach
  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Proverb, Tactics

Part of Secret Art of War


 Sacrifice the part for benefit of the whole.

This stratagem has been codified in many go proverbs, for example "If there are less than seven stones in danger, tenuki". It means that you should not hang on to your stones too much. Sacrifice unimportant stones to take the initiative, make better shape, or gain a favourable position.

If you try to save every stone, you will be burdened by having many weak groups. Usually it is better to have one strong group, instead of two weak groups - even if you have to sacrifice one of the two groups.

Here's an example:


[Diagram]
Diag.: A difficult position

Black is in a difficult position. His stones at the top are in great danger and the stones at the bottom are not too strong either. Here the best advice for black is to sacrifice the plum for the peach. This means that he should sacrifice some stones in order to gain a better position.


[Diagram]
Diag.: A good sacrifice

Black plays 1 with the intention to sacrifce the marked stones. After the sequence through 5 white has captured the stones, but black has radically improved his position. Because of black 5 white is sealed into the corner and black has gained outer influence. Compared with the diagram below or the starting position black is satisfied.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Making life is bad

With 1 through 7 black makes life for his upper group. But white effectively seals him in. Furthermore, the marked black stones may still be of some worry later on.

--ArnoHollosi



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