[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]

StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About


Referenced by
LargeHandicapGame...

 

French Handicap
    Keywords: Rules

The French handicap means free placement of the stones. Maybe this is only common in Europe to call it that way.

Advantages

  • Refreshing
  • Other joseki
  • Extra challenge for White
  • Black makes a plan at move 0

Drawback

The usual placement of the handicap stones, on the hoshi points, drives the Black player to the concept of thickness and influence. This concept is less instinctive than the concept of territory. Free placement allows Black to stick with territorial thinking, but he can also make an even more influence-oriented placement, like a ponnuki in the center, or two big walls.

[Diagram]
Diag.: Example of an eight-stone handicap game with free placement

Black makes 4 shimaris.



Actually, AFAIK, the 'french handicap' is because the FFG uses (at least partially) ING rules. However, the average french player doesn't know about it and still places his stones on the hoshi points.


I thought French handicap did indeed involve free placement of the handicap stones, but you had to toss them on the goban and place them where they landed. This may be just another Belgian legend though... --Stefan


Ah ah! I knew that one, Stefan! But: AFAIK the free placement of handicap stones was called in my heydays the "chinese" handicap! How come it has now become the french one??!? --Flux



This is a copy of the living page "French Handicap" at Sensei's Library.
(C) the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.