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Three-Four, Ikken Kakari, Low Small Pincer
Path: PincerPath   · Prev: 44LowApproachThreeSpaceHighPincer   · Next: 34OneSpaceHighApproachOneSpaceHighPincer
    Keywords: Joseki

[Diagram]
Diag.: Low small pincer

There are three well-known answers to the low pincer. Moving out with a, attaching to 3-4 with b and attaching to the pincer stone with c. Ishida says that d is experimented with.


1. Moving out: kosumi

[Diagram]
Diag.: Moving out

Black seems to have two standard answers: the extension to a and clamping with b.


1.1. Extension

[Diagram]
Diag.: Moving out

White can now attach at a or press at b.


1.1.1 Attach

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki

White 8 is tesuji.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Follow-up

White has an interesting ko to follow up with, if Black plays tenuki after the previous diagram. If Black a, White b makes a picnic ko. If Black c, White a is humiliating for Black.


1.1.2. Press

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki

White gets influence along the left side and sente. Black's profit in the corner is considered superior locally, so White 3 has to be effective in the context of the whole board.

See BQM34. Labelled 'obsolete joseki' in the Kobayashi Koichi Dictionary. Black 2 leaves bad aji here, White 3 seems to be aji keshi therefore. Nowadays 2 is at a.


1.2. Attach

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki

White can play a for central influence or b for preventing Black's connection.

Charles Matthews Black 3 at c is also joseki, a more recent idea and currently much more popular. Dieter: Aha ! That is the natural move and I have been wondering what was wrong with it. Strange that that one is a more recent idea.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Old joseki

The old joseki was this, with White playing tenuki after Black 6 despite the cutting point at c. If Black cuts there White treats the stones including 3 and 5 as disposable.


[Diagram]
Diag.: A new variation

This is a variation with the 'new' Black 1 that has been played by top players. We probably assume Black wanted a framework on the left side here, making White 4 an important point in the centre.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Cho Hun-hyeon's line

This line has been played in a number of games of Cho Hun-hyeon (on the side of White).


[Diagram]
Diag.: Cho Hun-hyeon's line (continuation)

White must continue to run out after White 10, Black a, naturally. White has made a ponnuki on Black's 'framework' side. White has a quite thin development on both sides.



2. Attachment + cut

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki

Black cuts at 2 and White 3 is forced. Next there are the old continuation at a and a rather new one at b.

For Black 2 at b see lower down.



2.1. Stretch

[Diagram]
Diag.: Extends

When Black extends, White 2 wedge is tesuji.



2.1.1. Atari from above

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki 1

This is one standard sequence. At 7, White can choose this peaceful variation: she can also turn at 10, depending on a ladder (see below). Black gets corner territory and influence on the left side. White gets influence on the upper side and sente.

John Fairbairn::Isn't this the wrong order of moves? Surely White defers 7 until Black has played 10?

Charles Matthews John is correct. The order of plays shown is a well-known mistake seen up to shodan level.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki 1

GoranSiska The correct order of moves is this one.



2.1.1.1. Hamete

[Diagram]
Diag.: Kosumi

GoranSiska An interesting move (but hamete) that has potential use in some situations


[Diagram]
Diag.: Kosumi continuation

GoranSiska Black trades the corner and some stones to get development on both sides.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Kosumi non-joseki

GoranSiska An idea I had when I was about 2 kyu. Territorially the position is the same as in 2.1.1. Atari from above, but I felt that having Black 4 one line higher (then Black 10 in 2.1.1.) adds to the depth of the presumed black moyo on the left. At 1 dan level I discarded the "joseki". Will anyone care to speculate as to why?



[Diagram]
Diag.: Variation: the ladder question

At 7 in the previous diagram, White can turn at 1 here. Everything depends on the ladder at 6.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Variation: ladder question

If the ladder doesn't work for Black, instead of playing a he must extend at 1. After White 4, there is a peaceful play for Black at b and a fight at a.



2.1.2 Atari from below

[Diagram]
Diag.: Ladder question

Here, it depends on whether White can cut at a and capture the black stone in a ladder.

Charles Matthews See pushing battles in joseki 8 for a fuller treatment.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki: The ladder works for White

If the ladder works, Black submits with 1 and 3, getting a low position but keeping sente.


[Diagram]
Diag.: The ladder doesn't works for White

I'm not too sure, but I think this variation is too good for Black. (variation by Dieter)


[Diagram]
Diag.: The ladder works not for White

Black crawls on one side but gets ahead on the other (variation by Dieter)


[Diagram]
Diag.: Variation at 3: two [ponnuki]

This variation occurs in the 11th Tianyuan title match, game four between Ma XiaoChun and Chang Hao. Locally, White's profit is considered better than Black's influence along the left side but Black takes sente.



2.2. Atari

[Diagram]
Diag.: Joseki

Against 1 and 3, White 4 is tesuji. An exchange takes place with Black taking corner territory and sente and White influence towards side and center. The result is considered slightly better for White locally but playable for Black in many circumstances.


3. Attachment + hane

[Diagram]
Diag.: Black plays on both sides

This is a well-established line too. Next White plays a (simple), or b, c which are both complex.

Recently there have been experiments with Black 4, also.



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This is a copy of the living page "Three-Four, Ikken Kakari, Low Small Pincer" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.