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High Approach Upper Tsuke Hanging Connection
Path: ThreeFourPointHighApproachUpperTsuke   · Prev:   · Next: HighApproachUpperTsukeSolidConnection
  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Joseki

[Diagram]
Diag.: hanging connection

The hanging connection of white 6 used to be the standard move in this joseki, but nowadays the solid connection at A is gaining popularity. Black has various options now. He can take the corner with B, go for a pushing fighting in the center with C, or play elsewhere. Black D used be joseki, but a refutation has been found, and it has been replaced by black B.



[Diagram]
Diag.: black takes territory

Black 1 takes the corner, after which white 2 and 3 are standard. White, satisfied with his ponnuki shape, often plays elsewhere, or extends along the upper side. She can also play at A to make influence towards the center.

White has the possibility of starting a ko by playing at B, however she should not embark on this ko easily. If white loses the ko, her position will crumble. If black feels a need to remove the threat of the ko, he exchanges black C for white D.



[Diagram]
Diag.: pushing fight

After black 1, both players push towards the center. White 2 is forced, after which black pushes on unrelentingly with 3 and 7. Black makes a magnificent wall towards the left side. Although these moves end the joseki, there is still a very big move left in the corner, the difference between white A and black B is large.


[Diagram]
Diag.: wrong resistance

If white plays the contact move in the corner, black 2 here is not possible. After white 9, the three black stones in the center have become worthless. Black's relatively small amount of corner territory does not even begin to compensate for this. Instead of black 2, black can of course play at 6, but he also has another defense:


[Diagram]
Diag.: resistance

Black can also play at 2 here. This starts a complicated variation. White 7 is forced, if white does not remove a liberty, black can jump to A. After this we get a semeai in the corner.


[Diagram]
Diag.: continuation

After the previous diagram, this is the follow-up. White 7 captures the four black stones.


[Diagram]
Diag.: black's profit

However, after black 1, white has to obediently fill in a liberty with 2 and 4, otherwise she will get a ko or even lose the fight. Black thus is able to capture the corner in sente, and is satisfied with the result.


[Diagram]
Diag.: white hane

White is of course not just there to follow orders. If she is not satisfied with the results in the previous diagrams, she can play hane at 1 rather than extending at A. Black counter-attacks with 2, after which these moves show one variations.


[Diagram]
Diag.: depending on a ladder

White 3 is an interesting move; it depends on a ladder. If after black 5 and white A, the ladder at B works for white, black has to give in with 4, and gets a peaceful result.


[Diagram]
Diag.: taking sente

The peaceful move of black 2 is also a possibility. Black takes sente.


[Diagram]
Diag.: tenuki

Going back, black sometimes plays tenuki after the marked white move. White might for example take the corner with white 1 here. After white 7, white has a good position, but that is only to be expected since she has had one move more in this corner. Black apparently was of the opinion that there was more to be had elsewhere.


[Diagram]
Diag.: old variation

Black 1 is an old variation, now regarded insufficiently fierece. An advantage is that white 4 is now impossible. After black 9, white has no defense.



[Diagram]
Diag.: black tenuki

If black plays tenuki, white 1 is common. The sequence to black 8 is standard, after this white has two choices. For black to answer white 1 at 8, followed by white 2, is considered too submissive.


[Diagram]
Diag.: ladder

If the ladder is favourable, white can give atari at 1, then play the ladder at 3.


[Diagram]
Diag.: squeeze (8 connects)

Whether or not the ladder works, white can squeeze with this sequences. In this case, white normally does not exchange white A for black B, because leaving out this exchange increases the aji of white C and D etcetera.


[Diagram]
Diag.: jumping into the center

White 1 is also a possibility, but white has to keep in mind that after black 2, white A is no longer possible.


[Diagram]
Diag.: hane

The white hane at 1 has as its function to make a black answer at 5 to white 3 impossible. The sequence shown here is from Frank Janssen and Ronald Schlemper at the 1990 Dutch Championship.



[Diagram]
Diag.: former joseki

This sequence used to be joseki, but is nowadays regarded good for black. Nevertheless, black 1 is not played anymore, because a splendid white refutation has been found.


[Diagram]
Diag.: sacrifice manoeuvre

Instead of blocking at A, white pushes in at 4, and then with white 6 embarks on a bold sacrifical manoeuvre.


[Diagram]
Diag.: continuation

White sacrifices some more stones...


[Diagram]
Diag.: continuation

... and although white ends in gote, her influence is more worthwhile than black's 19 points of territory. Note that A, B and C are all sente for white.



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This is a copy of the living page "High Approach Upper Tsuke Hanging Connection" at Sensei's Library.
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