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Connect Or Push First
    Keywords: Tactics
 Conceived by HolIgor

Only a fool does not connect against nozoki. That is a proverb.

But look at the diagram.

[Diagram]
Diag.: What about a push and connect?

Pushing first has advantages. The kikashi stone became heavier.



Now the task is to formulate an heuristic rule to choose a proper reply.


Pushing also has disadvantages: White probably won't play 2 and will keep it as a ko threat. Later, if a fight develops in the area, moves other than 2 might also become sente. These little things often make the difference in strong players' games.

Alain


BillSpight:

[Diagram]
Diag.: What about a push and connect? (ii)

[Diagram]
Diag.: What about a push and keima?


And while Alain has a point about White's not playing White 2 right away, if White plays elsewhere, the exchange of the marked nozoki stone with Black 1 is not good for White. The following looks more realistic:

[Diagram]
Diag.: White jumps

White 2 is lighter play, but there is now no immediate threat to cut.



See also kikashi and influence.



This is a copy of the living page "Connect Or Push First" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.