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VulgarPlay

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Zokusuji
   

Zokusuji literally means "crude line of play" and is often translated as "vulgar move". In Sakata Eio's Tesuji and Anti-Suji of Go, Bob Terry has translated zokusuji as anti-suji, because that seems to be the way Sakata intended it.

Sometimes the zokusuji (crude line of play) is the correct move. In that case we would call it a vulgar move. Most of the time, the zokusuji is incorrect, and spoils the correct line of play. In that case, we would call it anti-suji.

Although Bill has vowed not to quibble about it, we might come to a fine definition if he sheds is light once more on the matter. Other Japanese literate are most welcome too.

--DieterVerhofstadt


BillSpight: Bob may have other reasons for his translation. :-)
"Vulgar (line of) play" is the obvious translation and seems to fit ordinary usage, IMX. In his book Sakata says that zokusuji involves a loss. But people will sometimes say that a play is correct, even though it is zokusuji (zokusuji nagara). Perhaps this is a case where the term has two senses.


An example of zokusuji, taken from Kanazawa Solution 34

[Diagram]
Diag.: 1: Tesuji

Using the snapback suji, White lives. Later on she will be able to capture a stone at A, or Black will have to waste a move there. Capturing two stones gives her 5 points. This is tesuji.


[Diagram]
Diag.: 2: Zokusuji

This is a crude move. Yes, it's atari, and Black cannot connect at A because he's in damezumari: White will capture four stones at B. But it is still a vulgar play, and the next diagram shows why.


[Diagram]
Diag.: 3: Zokusuji (continuation)

Black 2 forces White to capture two stones in order to live. White has only 4 points from the capture, and she has wasted the possibility to capture an extra stone at 2, as in diagram 1. By playing in a vulgar way, ignoring the tesuji, White has lost points, although the objective of living has been achieved.



Example 2, taken from EndgameClamp:

[Diagram]
Diag.: Zokusuji (2)

B 1 is zokusuji. It takes gote. W 4 = tenuki. Later B 5 - W 6 is sente.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Tesuji (2)

B 1 is tesuji. Black sacrifices that stone for sente.



Example 3 (See Extend from a Crosscut.)

[Diagram]
Diag.: Atari, atari!

Black can play kikashi with B 1 - W 4, but he weakens his marked stone and leaves cutting points behind (marked). He can protect the cuts, but White is greatly strengthened.
Tesuji is to extend; atari-atari is zokusuji. Comment: Sometimes atari-atari is correct, zokusuji nagara. --BillSpight



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