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BQM36
  Difficulty: Dan level   Keywords: Question

These are the first moves from the fifth game of the 2002 Kisei title match between Ryu Shikun and O Rissei.

[Diagram]
Diag.: The 5th Game

White (O Rissei) just played the marked stone and Black answered with 1 to prevent his 4 stones to be caught in a ladder. This move allows 2 kikashis at the marked points (in the game, O Rissei played the 2 kikashis immediately).


[Diagram]
Diag.: Why not here?

While replaying the game, I was wondering why black didn't play 1 here. This leave only one kikashi at a or b. I suspect that black decided that it was better to suffer the 2 kikashis in the game than to allow b, but it is not obvious to me that a white stone at b would be worth more than the two kikashis of the game.

Does anybody have an idea?

AlainWettach


Dieter: My idea is twofold. First, White 2 in the next diagram is sente: W2 nicely develops the influence of the white group. The two moves in the second diagram, if answered, are kikashi: W2 and W4 have still to prove their value later and will be abandoned without regret ... but abandoned.

[Diagram]
Diag.: One sente

[Diagram]
Diag.: Two kikashi


Second, I'm not at all convinced that Black will let himself be "kikashi'd". In the following diagram, Black adopts a fighting attitude. Maybe this is what Ryu wanted to invite O to ?

[Diagram]
Diag.: No kikashi

[Diagram]
Diag.: The next moves of the game

AlainWettach Well, Dieter, as to your second point, the next moves showed that, at least in Ryu's mind, 1 and 3 were real kikashis. Those moves obviously help white on the left side.

I am not totally convinced by the explanation based on the subtle distinction between kikashi and sente move, it is too abstract for me. If white had been allowed the sente move at b instead of the two kikashis, I suppose she would have followed by a move like 4 in the next dia.


[Diagram]
Diag.: What if black 1?

I would expect something like this to happen if black had played at b. Is this really better for white than the game? I am not sure... Alternatively, white might play a high kakari giving the next dia


[Diagram]
Diag.: If a high kakari

This possible sequence might be the solution. The marked stone might allow white to tenuki after 5 on the upper side and come back to play 7. This is only one way of playing, but a pincer on white 1 seems unreasonable and I see no other joseki ending in sente for black allowing him to play at 7 himself. Black could tenuki and play at 7 immediately, but even if a stone at 7 seems to give black a promising position on the left, I think that the marked stone would work well with a takamoku joseki in the upper right corner.

Who knows, maybe Rob Van Zeijst will deal with this point in one of his next columns!



[Diagram]
Diag.: Bad for black


JamesA: I think that after white 5 black will very much regret not answering the kikashi! The black group in the centre is large and heavy, and white will be able to do a lot with it. Also, white could later play at 'a', severely reducing black's territory. Alternatively, if black plays at 'b' to forestall this, white can go into the corner with 'c', then black 'd', then maybe white 'e'. I think black has to answer the kikashi, and I think not giving white the sente play at 'b' is reason enough to put up with the kikashi.

Also, does black's move threaten a cut?

[Diagram]
Diag.: The cut

[Diagram]
Diag.: Or...


Which looks like a lot of black thickness to me, in return for not much white territory.



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